Bibliography for Gay Teens
Used in the
Gay Teens In The 21st Century: Access To The Future Preconference
A Preconference to the 2000 Annual Conference of the American Library Association
Sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered Roundtable
of the American Library Association
July 7, 2000
Thanks to the Margaret A. Edwards Trust for their support on teen issues.
Appelt, Kathi. Kissing Tennessee. Harcourt, 2000. 015202249X. This ensemble collection of short stories includes some that are less than successful; however, "The Question" stands as stellar in its portrayal of the 8th grade boy who confronts himself about his growing awareness of his gay identity.
Barger, Gary. What Happened to Mr. Forster? Clarion Books, 1981. 0395310210. A sixth-grade boy is faced with the reality of homosexuality and homophobia when one of his teachers, despite being an excellent educator and positive role model for his students, is condemned by the community and eventually fired from his job because he is homosexual and lives with another man. This is an early novel that deals sensitively with the nature of prejudice, and emphasizes the fact that homosexuals are people who have feelings, emotions, and feel love just as anyone else.
Bantle, Lee F. Diving for the Moon. Macmillan, 1995. 0689800045. The summer after they finish the sixth grade, Bird discovers that her best friend josh is HIV positive.
Bauer, Marion Dane, ed. Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence. HarperCollins, 1994. An enthralling anthology of original short stories featuring gay/lesbian teens by such authors as Bruce Coville, M.E. Kerr, William Sleator, Jane Yolen, C.S. Adler, Bauer, Marion Bauer, Francesca Lia Block, Nancy Garden, James Cross Giblin, Ellen Howord, Jonathan London, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Leslea Newman, Cristina Salat, and Jacqueline Woodson. A Lambda Award and ALA Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Award for Literature winner it was also named to the ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List.
Bechard, Margaret. If it Doesn't Kill You. Viking, 1999. 0670885479. Ben was always proud to be a chip off the old block until his dad left his mom for another man.
Bess, Clayton. Big Man and the Burn-out. Houghton, 1985. 0395361737. Long ago abandoned by his mother who could not tolerate farm life, young Jess works out an uneasy alliance with his unyielding grandmother.
Bledsoe, Lucy Jane. Working Parts. Seal Press, 1997. 187806794X. Excellent novel about Lori Taylor, a 27-year-old lesbian who finally admits that she cannot read and enrolls in a literacy course. Her developing friendship with her reading tutor, and an increasingly complex relationship with a new girlfriend leads Lori into dangerous emotional territory.
Block, Francesca Lia. Baby Be-bop. HarperCollins, 1995. 0064471764. Dirk, Weetzie Bat's best pal, doesn't know is how to tell his grandma Fifi he is gay. Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1995, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Finalist, ALA Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and Transgendered Book Award, and NY Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Block, Francesca Lia. Girl Goddess #9: nine stores. Harper, 1996. 0060272112. Collection of short stories about love: gay, straight, familial, and otherworldly.
Block, Francesca Lia. I Was a Teenage Fairy. HarperCollins, 1998. 0060277483. Griffin Tyler's androgynous beauty and Barbie Marks' supermodel glitz and glamour hide a terrible secret but with the help of a feisty fairy they can head toward healing. An ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Selection.
Block, Francesca Lia. Missing Angel Juan. Harper, 1993. 0060230045. In a story filled with pop icons, drag queens, slang, and candid sexuality, Witch Baby follows Angel Juan to New York City and meets the ghost of her almost grandfather Charlie Bat.
Block, Francesca Lia. Weetzie Bat. Harper & Row, 1989. 0060205342. The classic tale of the adventures of Weetzie, Dirk, Duck, and My-Secret-Agent-Lover-Man in Venice Beach. ALA Recommended Books for the Reluctant Young Adult Reader.
Block, Francesca Lia. Witch Baby. Harper, 1991. 0060205474. Witch Baby comes to live with Weetzie Bat and My-Secret-Agent- Lover-Man and has wild adventures in Los Angeles as she tries to understand where she belongs in her family which includes gay lovers Dirk and Duck (who she helps to reconcile with his mother).
Boock, Paula. Dare Truth or Promise. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 0395971179. Louie and Willa, two New Zealand teen girls from diverse backgrounds meet and fall passionately in love. It is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and won the New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year fiction prize and supreme award.
Brett, Catherine. S.P. Likes A.D. The Women's Press, 1989. 0889611424. Thirteen-year-old Stephanie Powell asks a retired lesbian paleontologist for advice on why schoolmate, Anne Delaney, makes her heart beat so fast.
Brown, Forman. Better Angel. Alyson Publications, 1995. 1555832849. Originally written in 1933, this novel about a young gay man's sexual awakening is one of the first books published in the U. S. to portray male homosexuality in a positive light.
Brown, Rita Mae. Rubyfruit jungle. Bantam, 1988/ Daughters, inc. [1973] 0553052845.
The bawdy coming of age tale of lesbian Molly Bolt. It holds the seventeenth spot on the 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels from The Triangle, the Association of Lesbians and Gay Men in Publishing.
Brown, Todd D. Entries From a Hot Pink Notebook. Washington Square, 1995. 0671890840
Growing up gay in the Reagan years, Ben Smith struggles with a dysfunctional family, poverty, and his first year of high school, while searching for love and trying to make sense of his chaotic life.
Bujold, Lois McMaster. Ethan of Athos. Baen, 1994. 067165604X. From a planet founded by gay men and peopled only with men, Dr. Ethan Urquhart, an obstetrician, is sent out into the wider universe to find new ova for their uterine replicators.
Cart, Michael. My Father's Scar. St. Martin's Press, 1996. 031218137X. College freshman Andy Logan grows from the lonely son of and abusive alcoholic father to a strong and independent man who can enter into a relationship with another man. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Chambers, Aiden. Dance on My Grave. Random House, 1995. 0064405796. Sixteen-year-old Hal realizes he is gay and has a wonderful summer romance with Barry, in a positive story about homosexuality and falling in love for the first time.
Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Pocket, 1999. 0671027344. Coming-of-age story about Charlie, a high school freshman who encounters the same struggles of many of his peers - how to make friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting with drugs, and a friend's suicide. Among the uncharted territory of his life, Charlie finds himself falling madly in love with Sam, who is inaccessible, helping his sister who needs an abortion, and remaining loyal to his friend, Patrick, who is gay-bashed. revised Jan. 2008
Cooper, Melrose. Life Magic. Dial, 1996. 0805041141. Crystal's strong family helps her deal with being put in a remedial reading class and discovering that Uncle Joe is dying of AIDS.
Cruse, Howard. Stuck Rubber Baby. Paradox Press, 1995. 1563892162. An amazing graphic novel about coming of age in the 60's. ALA Gay, lesbian Bisexual and Transgendered Book Award finalist.
Crutcher, Chris. Athletic Shorts. Greenwillow, 1991.0688108164. A collection of short stories featuring characters from earlier books by Chris Crutcher. Includes "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune" about a boy who has four gay parents, and "In the Time I Get" about a boy who befriends a stranger who has AIDS.
Crutcher, Chris. Ironman: a novel. Greenwillow, 1995. 068813503X. 044021971 X (paper). Bo learns to cope with the shocking fact that his beloved swimming coach is gay. Runner-up for Evergreen Young Adult Award.
Davis, Deborah. My Brother Has AIDS. Atheneum, 1994. 0689319223. When her older brother returns home because he is dying of AIDS, thirteen-year-old Lacy deals with changes in her family life, in relationships with classmates, and in her commitment to her swimming team.
Dijk, Lutz Van. Damned Strong Love: the True Story of Willi G and Stephan K. Holt, 1995. Translated from the German by Elizabeth Crawford. 0805037705. 0805057714 (paper). Novel based on the true story of love between a Polish teenager and a young German soldier during World War II.
Dines, Carol. Talk to Me: stories and a novella. Delacorte, 1997. 0385322712. Collection of stories about teenagers exploring love and romance, mortality, first jobs, and how to navigate modern family life. Stories include one about growing up in rural Minnesota as the son of a lesbian couple.
Donoghue, Emma. Hood. Alyson Publications, 1995. 0060171103. The sudden death of her lover, Cara, leaves Penelope shocked, grieving, and reliving their 14-year relationship in a series of flashbacks, from the time the two met in convent school to when they lived together in Cara's father's home. A love story that superbly conveys the complexities and nuances of initimate relationships.
Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. HarperCollins, 1997. 0060275766. Retellings of fairy tales with a feminist & lesbian viewpoint. ALA Popular Paperbacks List.
Donoghue, Emma. Stir-Fry. HarperCollins, 1994. 006017109X. "Flatmate, own room, no bigots," reads the ad Maria answers when she moves to Dublin for college. Soon her friendship with her new roommates leads her to question her own sexuality.
Donovan, John. I'll Get There: It Better Be Worth the Trip. Dell, 1969. 0440939801. A poignant story of two boys questioning their sexual identities, this novel is important as the first gay-themed young adult book published in the U.S.
Donovan, Stacey. Dive. Dutton, 1994.0525451544. Fifteen-year-old V's world begins to fall apart when her dog is hit by a car, her father is hospitalized with a mysterious illness, her best friend ignores her and she meets the captivating Jane.
Durrant, Penny. When Heroes Die. Atheneum, 1991. 0689317646. Devastated to discover that Uncle Rob, his hero, is dying of AIDS, twelve-year-old Gary, in need of advice and guidance in his life, finds that it is Uncle Rob himself who gives him strength to face the future.
Feinberg, Leslie. Stone Butch Blues. Firebrand Books, 1993. 156341029X. Woman or man? That's the question that rages like a storm around Jess Goldberg, clouding her life and her identity. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award and an ALA Lesbian/Gay Book Award Finalist.
Ferris, Jean. Eight Seconds. Harcourt, 2000. 0152023674. A 17-year-old boy who has attributed his sense of "being different" to successful heart surgery he had as a young child comes to realize that, in fact, his sexual identity is not as straight as he had assumed. With setting and motifs drawn from rodeo experiences, the resolution of this novel may feel less than positive for young readers who are no further in their self-acceptance than the protagonist. Straight teens and adults who have lived beyond the period of life at the cusp of self-realization will, however, find this to be a more positive story.
Fox, Paula. The Eagle Kite. Orchard, 1995. 0531087425. Liam's father has AIDS, and the disease forces Liam to recognize some hard realities about his father's condition, his parents' relationship, and the certain outcome of his life.
Futcher, Jane. Crush. Alyson Publications, 1981. 155583602X. While in boarding school, seventeen-year-old Jinx falls in love with Lexie and is betrayed by her, yet still manages to gain in confidence and pursue her dream of going to art school.
Garden, Nancy. Annie on my Mind. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1982. 0374404143. Liza and Annie meet at an art museum and soon realize that their feelings for each other go beyond friendship. Both face conflicts in accepting their feelings in this story of the magic and intensity of first love. A Booklist Reviewers' choice, nominated for Gay Book Award and Golden Kite Award, ALA Best Books, ALA Best of the Best 1970-1983, Booklist Best of the Best Books for YAs, 1966-1986,Best of the Best renewed, Booklist Best Books of the 1980s, Booksellers' Choice list, ALA Best Books for YAs for past 25 Years.
Garden, Nancy. Good Moon Rising. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1996. 0374327467. Jan begins her senior year of high school not expecting that she will lose the starring part in the school play, take over as director when her beloved drama teacher becomes ill, and realize that she is a lesbian. Lambda Book Award, Children's/YA Category, A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, Children's Book Council and National Council of Social Studies, NY Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Garden, Nancy. Holly's secret. Farrar, 2000. 0374332738. When she starts middle school, eleven-year-old Holly decides to become sophisticated and feminine, change her name to Yvette, and hide the fact that her two moms are lesbians.
Garden, Nancy. Lark in the Morning. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1991. 0374343381.
Adventure of seventeen-year-old Gillian who spends her summer vacation with her parents in Rhode Island. Featured is a love story between Gillian and Suzanne which is handled in a positive, authentic, and upbeat manner.
Garden, Nancy. The Year They Burned the Books. Farrar, Straus, Giroux. 1999. 0374386676.
Jamie, a high school newspaper editor, and her best friend Terry (who is openly gay) are the victims of an attack by a group of conservative students not making Jamie's deciscion to come out in the face of her attraction to new girl Tessa any easier. Nominated for Lambda Award.
Gleitzman, Morris. Two Weeks with the Queen. Putnam, 1991. 0399222499. Sent to live with relatives in England when his younger brother develops a rare form of cancer, Colin tries to see the Queen to help find a cure for his brother.
Greene, Bette. The Drowning of Stephan Jones. Bantam Doubleday, 1991. 0440226953 (paper). An openly gay couple moves into Carla's town, and Carla comes to see the prejudices held by those she loves.
Griffin, Adele. Split just Right. Hyperion, 1997. 0786803479, 0786822880. After living her life in her actress mother's world of make-believe, ninth-grader Dandelion comes to realize that it is better to face reality.
Griffith, Nicola and Stephen Pagel, eds. Bending the Landscape: Fantasy. White Wolf, 1997. Lesbians and gay men, straight writers, those who usually work in the mainstream and those who concentrate on genre were asked to re-imagine the world, to bend their personal landscape a little, and to show the reader lesbian and gay characters in a world outside reality, where not everything is classified, pigeon-holed, and explained.
Griffith, Nicola and Stephen Pagel, eds. Bending the Landscape: Sf. Overlook Press, 1998. 0879517328. Addresses the universal themes of otherness, love, and loss. ALA Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Award for Literature finalist.
Grima, Tony, ed. Not The Only One: Lesbian and Gay Fiction for Teens. Alyson, 1995. 155583275X. A collection of 21 short stories portraying gay and lesbian teenagers at different moments in their lives.
Grimsley, Jim. Dream Boy. Algonquin, 1995. 1565121066. Story of a gay teenager growing up in the South.
Guy, Rosa. Ruby. Viking, 1976. 0670206288. Ruby and Daphne, both seniors in high school, develop a strong relationship and must deal with the uncertainty and confusion concerning themselves and their sexuality. Focuses on the situations, thoughts, feelings, and questions of same-sex attraction that young adults are faced with.
Hall, Lynne. Sticks and Stones. Follett, 1977. 0695802372. A seventeen-year-old teenager's life is nearly destroyed when a rumor that he is homosexual is started in his new high school.
Hamilton, R. J. Who Framed Lorenzo Garcia? Alyson Publications, 1995. 1555836089. Mystery in which Ramon and the Pride Pack must clear the name of gay police sergeant, Lorenzo Garcia.
Hanlon, Emily. The Wing and the Flame. Bradbury, 1981. 0878881689. As a rare friendship develops between two teenage boys, one of them inspires a reclusive sculptor to work for the first time since his family was tragically killed.
Hautzig, Deborah. Hey, Dollface. Greenwillow, 1978.0688801706. Two 15-year-old classmates are loving and devoted "best friends," but the time comes when they must ask themselves a hard question about their relationship.
Hines, Sue. Out of the Shadows. Random House (Australia), 1998. 0091837650. Avon, 2000. 0380811928. Closeted Jodie loves the anguished Rowanna, whose lesbian mother was recently killed by a drunk driver. Nominated for The Children's Book Council of Australia Children's Book of the Year Award.
Holland, Isabelle. The Man Without a Face. Lippincott, 1972. 0397312865. A fatherless fourteen-year-old boy develops an unusual relationship with the man living near his summer home who helps him prepare his entrance exams to boarding school.
Homes, A.M. Jack. Vintage Books, 1990. 0679732217. Fifteen-year-old jack's cqnfused feelings for his father, who left him and his mother four years earlier, are further complicated when he finds that his father is gay.
Jenkins, A.M. Breaking Boxes. Bantam, 1997. 0385325134. When loner Charlie begins a friendship with Brandon he has no idea that a basic reality about his brother Trent can have repercussions if told. Winner of the Delecorte Prize and an ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection.
Kaye, Marilyn. Real Heroes. Harcourt, 1993. 0152005633. When his father joins other parents in demonstrating against a teacher who is HIV-positive, Kevin is torn between his loyalty to his father whom he has always considered a hero and his admiration for his favorite sixth grade teacher.
Kerr, M.E. Deliver Us From Evie. HarperCollins. 1994. 0064471284. Sixteen-year-old Parr Burrman and his family face some difficult times when word spreads through their rural Missouri town that his older sister is a lesbian, and she leaves the family farm to live with the daughter of the town's banker. ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, The Horn Book Fanfare Honor List, NY Public Library Books for the Teen Age, Michigan Library Association Best Book Honor Award.
Kerr, M.E. Hello, I Lied. HarperCollins, 1997. 0060275308. Summering in the Hamptons on the estate of a famous rock star, seventeen-year-old Lang tries to decide how to tell his longtime friends that he is gay, while struggling with an unexpected infatuation with a girl from France. M. E. Kerr was awarded the 1993 Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing young adult books by the American Library Association and the Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement awarded by the Association of Lesbians and Gay Men in Publishing.
Kerr, M. E. I'll Love You When You're More Like Me. Harper, 1977. 0O6023136X. Two teenagers resist pressure to lead lives their parents have fashioned for them.
Kerr, M. E. Night Kites. Harper, 1986. 0060232536. Seventeen-year-old Erick's comfortable and well-ordered life begins to fall apart when he is forced to keep two secrets: the identity of his new girlfriend and the nature of his brother's debilitating disease.
Ketchum, Liza. Blue Coyote. Simon and Schuster, 1997. 0689807902. Alex Beekman from Twelve Days in August jumps at the chance to return to California so he can try to find his best friend in the world, Tito Perone, who has disappeared. When the two friends are reunited Alex comes to accept his own gay identity and sexuality. A Lamda Literary Award finalist, a "Project 21" Book, and a New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Koertge, Ron. The Arizona Kid. Joy Street/Little, Brown, 1988. 0316501018. Avon Books, 1989. 0380707764. Billy learns a lot about life while spending the summer with his gay uncle, Wes.
Lackey, Mercedes. Last Herald Mage Trilogy: Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, Magic's Price. DAW, 1989, 1990, 1990. 0886773520, 0886774012, 0886774268. An ancient age in the history of Valdemar comes to life -an age when the kingdom was ravaged by the ungoverned fury of bandit warlords, ferocious ice dragons, the wild magic of wizards, and homosexuality is not regarded as anything out of the ordinary. The final book in the trilogy is a winner of the lambda Award.
Larson, Rodger. What I Know Now. Henry Holt, 1997. 0805048693. A gentle thoughtful story set in 1957 California where a fourteen-year-old gay boy finds a friend and mentor in the wise, handsome, sensitive, sophisticated, affectionate, and accomplished, man who has come to build a garden at the home he shares with his recently separated mother.
Lee, Sharon and Steve Miller. Partners in Neccesity. Meisha Merlin 2000. 1892065010. Science fiction adventure featuring bisexual characters.
Lynch, Chris. Dog Eat Dog (v. 3 of The Blue-Eyed Son series). Harper, 1996. 0064471233.
Mick seeks revenge on his sadistic brother who participates in the illegal sport of dogfighting.
McClain, Ellen Jaffe. No Big Deal. Puffin, 1997. 0140380469. When rumors that fourteen-year-old Janice's favorite teacher is gay begin to circulate at school and in the community, she decides to stand up for him even in the face of her mother's opposition.
Maguire, Gregory. Oasis. Clarion, 1996. 0395670195. Following his father's death from a heart attack, thirteen-year-old Hand blames himself and his mother, who has recently returned after leaving the family years ago.
Meyer, Carolyn. Elliott and Win. Atheneum, 1986. 0689503687. Fourteen-year-old Win hopes to receive support and guidance in self-acceptance from his adult friend Elliott, despite another boy's insistence that Elliott is homosexual.
Miller, Isabel. Patience and Sarah. Fawcett Books, 1969. 0449210073. Early in the 19th century, in a puritanical New England town, two women fell in love with one another. And with nothing and no one to guide or support them, Patience and Sarah tried to follow their hearts. First ever winner of ALA's GLBT Award and number 24 on the 100 Best lesbian and Gay Novels from The Triangle, the Association of lesbians and Gay Men in Publishing.
Moore, Lisa C., editor. Does Your Mamma Know? An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories. Redbone, 1997. 0965665909. Forty-nine stories, poems, interviews, letters, and essays that celebrate the coming out process for Black lesbians.
Morrow, Bruce and Charles H. Rowell eds. Shade: An Anthology of Fiction by Gay Men of African Descent. Avon Books, 1996. 0380783053. Twenty-two bold and spirited stories by award-winning authors and newcomers the first anthology devoted exclusively to fiction by Black gay men.
Mosca, Frank. All-American Boys. Alyson, 1983. 0932870449. "I've known I was gay since I was thirteen. It was the most natural thing in the world. I thought everyone was. At least until I hit high school the next year. That's when I finally realized all those faggot and dyke jokes referred to people like me." Finally, at age nineteen, Neil comes out of the closet when Paul, openly gay, moves into the neighborhood.
Mowry, Jess. Babylon Boyz. Simon & Schuster, 1997. 0689808399. Three inner-city teenagers -Dante a "crack baby" who badly needs a heart operation, rook, a gay, athletic, street fighter, who dreams of going to medical school, and Wyatt, fat enough to smuggle a gun under his belly fat -are confronted with a difficult choice when they stumble upon a cache of cocaine thats sale would give them their dreams but contribute to the demise of their community.
Mullins, Hillary. The Cat Came Back. Naiad Press, 1993. 156280040X. Stevie Roughgarden begins to accept herself and her love for classmate, Andrea, after reading Rubyfruit jungle.
Murphy, Timothy. Getting off Clean. St. Martin's Press, 1997. 0312151322. Working class high school senior Eric Fitzpatrick is determined to fit in, be popular, and go to college but he is secretly gay and having an affair with Brooks Tremont, a rich sophisticated Black student who attends a prestigious prep school outside of town It is a coming-of-age debut novel that movingly limns young gay love in the racially charged setting of a Massachusetts small town.
Murrow, Liza Ketchum. Twelve Days in August. Holiday House, 1993. 0-8234-1012-9. Twelve days in August change a sixteen-year-old soccer player's perceptions of himself, his family, girls, and gays. ALA Books for the Reluctant Young Adult Reader; A "Project 21" Book, 1996; New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, National Conference of Christians and Jews "Human Family, Learning to Live Together" list.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Alice on the Outside. Atheneum, 1999. 0689803591. Eighth-grader Alice has lots of questions about sex, relationships, prejudice, and change.
Nelson, Theresa. Earthshine. Orchard Books, 1994. 0531068676. Laurel-Leaf Books, 1994 (paper). 0440219892. This well-written and poignant novel relates twelve-year-old Margery's last months with her gay father who is dying of AIDS. Best Books for Young Adults, Notable Books for Children, Quick Picks.
Nolan, Han. A Face in Every Window. Harcourt, Brace, 1999. 0152019154. After the death of his grandmother, who held the family together, teenage JP is left with a mentally challenged father and a mother who seems ineffectual and constantly sick, and he feels everything sliding out of control.
Rees, David. In the Tent. Alyson, 1979. 0932870759. Seventeen-year-old Tim must confront his homosexual inclinations when he is stranded with three friends during a cross-country hike.
Revoyr, Nina. The Necessary Hunger. St. Martin's Press, 1998. 0312181426. African American Raina and Japanese American Nancy are both high-school basketball stars in a racially divisive Los Angeles neighborhood who end up living together when Nancy's father and Raina's mother move in together, and are faced with the challenge of negotiating their already intense rivalry and friendship. As Nancy's love for Raina grows and both prepare to leave the inner city neighborhood that has nurtured them, they find themselves looking toward a future that is no longer easily defined.
Roscoe, Will, editor. Living the Spirit: A Gay American Indian Anthology. St. Martin's Press, 1989. 031203475X. Includes short stories, poems, and excerpts from novels and various media that celebrate the lives of gay and lesbian Native Americans.
Scoppettone, Sandra. Happy Endings Are All Alike. Harper & Row, 1978. Dell, 1979. Alyson Publications, 1991. 155583177X (paper). This novel explores the issues of bigotry, rape, and homophobia through the lesbian relationship of eighteen-year-old Janet Tyler and Peggy Danziger. ALA Best Books for Young Adults.
Scoppetone, Sandra. Trying Hard to Hear You. Harper and Row, 1974 reprinted by Alyson, 1996. 1555833675. In this heartbreaking tale of love and prejudice, one single summer changes the lives of an entire community when a sixteen-year-old is faced with the revelation that her best friend is a homosexual.
Selvadurai, Shyam. Funny Boy. Harvest Books, 1997. 015600500X. This haunting novel about a boy growing up within an extended upper-middle-class family in Sri Lanka employs gentle humor and an uncommon compassion and insight into human nature. Arjie's understanding of the world around him -and his own gay identity- is placed against the backdrop of growing racial tension and civil unrest. Number 93 on the 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels from The Triangle, the Association of Lesbians and Gay Men in Publishing, ALA Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Award fof Literature finalist.
Shannon, George. Unlived Affections. Harper Collins, 1989. 0060253045. Alyson Publications, 1995. 1555832997. Through a box of letters written to his now-deceased grandmother, Willie Ramsey discovers that the father he thought was dead was actually forced out of the family because he was gay.
Sinclair, April. Ain't Gonna be the Same Fool Twice Hyperion, 1996. 0380727943. Stevie from Coffee Will Make You Black is a bright African American college student in southern Illinois struggling with issues that are compounded by her sexual identity and race.
Sinclair, April. Coffee Will Make You Black. Hyperion, 1994. 0380724596. Coming of age during the 1960s, Stevie Stevenson's struggles with her parent's traditional values and her own awakening sexuality are further complicated by her high school's increasing political awareness and demonstrations for civil rights. ALA Best Books for Young Adults.
Springer, Nancy. Looking for Jamie Bridger. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1995. 0803717733. Fourteen-year-old Jamie Bridger is determined to find out who her real parents were in spite of opposition from the grandparents who raised her, but her search ends in a bittersweet discovery. Edgar Award Winner for best juvenile mystery
Stark, Elizabeth. Shy Girl. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999.0374263523. The story of Alta Corral's journey to self-acceptance of her sexual identity and an understanding of how keeping secrets or remaining silent about one's sexuality leads only to trouble.
Stinson, Susan. Fat Girl Dances with Rocks. Spinster's Ink, 1994. 1883523028. A bittersweet story of teen love between 17-year-old Char and her best friend, Felice.
Stoehr, Shelly. Tomorrow Wendy: a Love Story. Delacorte,1998. 0385323395. Seventeen-year-old Cary seems to have it all -gorgeous body, cool boyfriend, wealthy family, and a great sense of style, but she also has a best friend that only she can see and feelings for her boyfriend's twin sister Wendy, a girl with "bright green hair and hard-candy sadness in her eyes."
Swados, Elizabeth. Flamboyant. St. Martin's Press, 1999. 0312204086. When Chana landau begins her job as a teacher at Harvey Milk High School, she leaves the protection of her traditiona Orthodox Jewish enclave in Brooklyn for a school that embodies everything she has been forbidden to experience. In a hostile class- room filled with sexually "different" teens, street kids, and drug addicts, Chana's one support is Flamboyant, a 15-year-old prostitute and an accomplished writer whose brash exterior hides a secret.
Sweeney, Joyce. Face the Dragon. Delacorte Press, 1990. 0385301642. Best friends since childhood, Eric and Paul face their personal dragons as Paul finds the courage to come out to his friend, and Eric defends Paul against the remarks of a cruel teacher.
Taylor, William. The Blue Lawn. Alyson, 1999 US. 1994 New Zealand. 1555834930. In rural New Zealand, a fifteen-year-old boy acknowledges his attraction to an older rugby teammate, as he also begins to break out of the preconceived notions his family and oth- ers have about him. 1995 AIM Children's Book Award for Senior Fiction, nominated for a Lambda Literary Award.
Taylor, William. Jerome. Alyson, 1999. 1555835120. As they try to cope with the suicide of a close friend, two teenagers discover new aspects of themselves, their friendship, and their relationships with other people.
Torres, Laura. November Ever After. Holiday House, 1999. 0823414647. In the aftermath of her mother's death, sixteen-year-old Amy finds solace in the company of her best friend Sara, but then she is shocked to discover that Sara is romantically involved with another girl and has kept it a secret from her.
Ure, Jean. You Win Some, You Lose Some. Dell, 1984. 0385294344. Jamie's decision to leave school and become a ballet dancer brings him problems but strengthens his character.
Van Dijk, Lutz. Damned Strong Love. Henry Holt, 1995. 0805037705. Translated from German, this tale of a love affair between a German soldier and a young Jewish man is based on a true story of forbidden wartime romance. ALA Best Books for Young Adults top ten.
Velasquez, Gloria. Tommy Stands Alone. Arte Publico Press, 1995. 1558885147X. Tomas Montoya attempts suicide when he is outed at school, but with the help of best friend, Maya, and counselor, Ms. Martinez, he learns to stand up against his peers' meanspiritedness.
Walker, Kate. Peter. Houghton, 1993. Gp. An ordinary fifteen-year-old Australian kid, who enjoys riding his dirt bike and wants to be a photographer, becomes confused about his sexuality when he finds he is attracted to a gay friend of his older brother. ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Recommended Books for the Reluctant Young Adult Reader.
Walker, Robert Paul. The Method. Gulliver/HBJ, 1990.0152012605. An intensive summer workshop on method acting brings fifteen-year-old Albie insight on sexual expression, identity, and conduct of life.
Watts, Julia. Phases of the Moon. Niaid, 1997. 1562801767. Glenda Mooney rocks, in the early days of rock 'n roll. Wersba, Barbara. Crazy Vanilla. Harper, 1986. 0060263687. Story of a 14-year-old boy who has no friends until he meets Mitzi, a streetwise girl. Through his friendship with her, he leams to cope with his chaotic home life and to accept his gay brother Cameron.
Wersba, Barbara. Just Be Gorgeous. Harper, 1988. 0060263598. Feeling unattractive, untalented, and misunderstood by her parents, a New York City teenager realizes that she is someone special through her friendship with a homeless street performer.
Wersba, Barbara. Whistle Me Home. Henry Holt, 1997. 0805048502. Independent and alcoholic, seventeen-year-old Noli has her own style that the new guy, the gorgeous Tj finds fascinating but is it because she is a girl or because she looks like a guy? Lambda Award, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
Wieler, Diana. Bad Boy. Delacorte, 1992. 0888990839. A.j. Brandiosa becomes the bad boy of the Cyclone hockey team, and learns that his best friend is gay, as he tries to cope with his own sexuality during his senior year in high school. Winner of the Governor General's Award for Literature (Children's Literature), the Ruth Schwartz Award, and the Canadian Library Association young adult book of the year, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Recommended Books for the Reluctant Young Adult Reader.
Williams, Bett. Girl Walking Backwards. St. Martin's Press, 1998. 0312194560. A raw, disturbing story about Skye, a young lesbian who triumphs in a world of drugs, wild parties, and destructive parents and friends.
Winterson, Jeanette. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. 1985. 0802135161. Jeanette, a bright and rebellious orphan is adopted into an evangelical household becoming a child preacher, only to be later cast out for her burgeoning 'deviant' sexuality. Winner of England's Whitbread Award.
Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. Simon & Schuster, 1999. 0689821344. John is involved in the 'zine scene, writing his own 'zine and admiring the 'zines of others particularly Marisol who he contrives to meet on one of his lonely weekends in the city with his dad. They mesh, having quite a bit in common even outside of 'zines. Although Marisol is a professed lesbian, John falls in love with her. The angst of unrequited love and the disaster of a "just friends" prom ring achingly true. Winner of the Printz honor award, a Lambda Literature award finalist, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
Wittlinger, Ellen. What's in a Name? Simon & Schuster, 2000. 068982551 X. Ten interrelated stories told from the viewpoints of several teenaged characters at a suburban high school. The stories deal with the complex issues of class, family, race, and sexual orientation. The story of O'Neill, the younger brother of the high school football hero, successfully reflects the coming out process of a teen who stops lying to himself and publicly admits he's gay.
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Dear One. Delacorte, 1991. 0606025898. Dell, 1992.0440214203 (paper). Sparks fly when Rebecca, a street-smart girl from Harlem, comes to spend the last months of her pregnancy in Feni's suburban home, but her presence soon teaches Feni about the difficult choices women face.
Woodson, Jacqueline. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun. Scholastic, 1995. 0590458809. Thirteen year old Melanin Sun struggles to come to terms with his mother's relationship with Kristin, a pretty white lawyer. A lambda Literature Award winner, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, winner of the Jane Addams Peace Award, and ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Woodson, Jacqueline. The House You Pass on the Way. Bantam, 1997 0385321899. Fourteen-year-old racially mixed Staggerlee feels set apart in her African American community, and as she longs for a friend she relives the past summer when her her growing feelings for her visiting cousin confirmed her own suspicions that she might be gay. lambda Award.
Wright, Bil. Sunday You Leam How to Box: a novel. Scribner Paperback Fiction, 2000. 0684857952. Set in mid 70s Connecticut, this is the story of an African-American teen coming to terms with his homosexuality while being hassled constantly by his peers in his housing project and finding an unlikely ally (and crush) in Ray Anthony Robinson, a local "hoodlum."
Yamanaka, Lois-Ann. Name Me Nobody. Hyperion, 1999. 0786804521. Fourteen year old Emi-lou Kaya is an awkward outsider whose greatest support is her longtime best friend, Yvonne, but she feels abandoned when Yvonne discovers a girl called Babes. Nominated for a Lambda award.
Zalben, Jane Breskin. Unfinished Dreams. Simon & Schuster, 1996. 0689800339. Jason, a nine-year-old Jewish boy, pursues his dream of becoming a great violinist even as he deals with disappointments and deaths of loved ones, especially his supportive principal, Mr. Carr, who is dying of AIDS. Jason gradually learns more about AIDS and about tolerance.
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Adams, Marc. The Preacher's Son. Window Books, 1996. 1889829005. Marc Adams, the son of a rural fundamentalist preacher, attended jerry Falwell's University and eventually came to the realization that he could be both gay and Christian.
Bass, Ellen and Kate Kaufman. Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth -AND Their Allies. Harper Perennial, 1996. 0060951044. Step-by-step guidance for youth dealing with coming out, relationships, and other issues, as well as for adults who want to make the world safer for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth.
Becoming Visible: A Reader in Gay and Lesbian History for High School and College Students. Ed. Kevin Jennings. Alyson Publications, 1994. 1555832547. Uses both primary and secondary sources from a diverse range of cultures to show many of the challenges and triumphs lesbians and gays have experienced over 2,000 years of history. Includes questions and activities appropriate for classroom use, and resources for further study.
Berendt, John. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Random House, 1994. 0679429220. "Eccentrics thrive in Savannah," remember the lady Chablis? Winner of the Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award for lesbian and Gay Fiction awarded by the Association of Lesbians and Gay Men in Publishing
Bornstein, Kate. Gender Outlaw: on Men, Women, and the Rest of Us. Routledge, 1994. 0415908973. Part coming-of-age story, part mind-altering manifesto on gender and sexuality, coming directly to you from the life experiences of a transsexual woman, it breaks all the rules and leaves the reader forever changed.
Bornstein, Kate. My Gender Workbook. Routledge, 1998. 0415916720. A deceptively simple, hands-on, and always entertaining guide to thinking about your own unique gender expression. Using a workbook format (she contends you have to do the work), Bornstein shows us that here are not simply two genders performed in today's world, but countless genders lumped under the two-gender framework.
Bound by Diversity: Essays, Prose, Photography and Poetry by Members of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Communities. James T. Sears, editor. Sebastian Press, 1994. o.p. Collection of essays, prose, photography, and poetry by a diverse group of contributors which explores the multi-dimensional aspects of lesbian and gay life.
Brenner, Claudia. Eight Bullets: One Woman's Story of Surviving Anti-Gay Violence. Firebrand Books, 1995. 1563410559. Riveting personal account by a lesbian victim of a hate crime in May 1988 which left her seriously wounded and her partner dead.
Brimner, Larry Dane ed. Letters to our Children: Lesbian & Gay Adults Speak to the new Generation. Franklin Watts, 1997. 0531158438. Gay adults assume the challenge of mentoring today's gay and lesbian youth through seventeen essays giving their wide-ranging experiences and viewpoints on gay and lesbian life.
Brimner, Lary Dane. Being Different: Lambda Youth Speak Out. Franklin Watts, 1995. 0531151883. Gay and lesbian teenagers relate their experiences regarding their discovery and acceptance of their sexual orientation.
Burke, Phyllis. Family Values. Vintage Books, 1994. 0679752498. A woman shares her struggle with the legal establishment to adopt the son of her lesbian partner, describing her entry into motherhood, her growing politicization, and her battle against the forces that would deny lesbians the right to become mothers.
Cameron, Loren. Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits. Cleis Press, 1996. 1573440620. An intimate, remarkable self-portrait of a female-ta-male transsexual by an emerging photographer, and win- ner of two lambda Literary Awards.
Chandler, Kent. Passages of Pride: True Stories of Lesbian and Gay Teenagers. Alyson, 1995, 1997. 1555834175. Brief profiles of dozens of teens from across the country and in depth stories, sometimes shocking, sometimes triumphant, of six gay and lesbian American teens.
Cohen, Susan and Daniel Cohen. When Someone you know is Gay. Evans, 1989. Op. A guide to understanding homosexuality describes what it means to be homosexual, encourages readers to examine their own prejudices, and helps them sort out their mixed feelings on the issue. ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Book Award finalist.
Dew, Robb Forman. The Family Heart: A Memoir of When Our Son Came Out. Addison-Wesley, 1994. 0201624508. Novelist Robb Forman Dew's elegantly written and moving personal account of what happened to her and her family after her elder son Stephen came out. Focuses on her and her husband's journey of dealing with their own mixed emotions and the negative reactions of friends.
Different Daughters: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians. Louise Raflin, editor. Cleis Press, 1996. o.p. 1573440515. 1573440507 (paper). Originally published in 1987, this anthology relates the complex feelings 25 mothers of lesbians experienced when their daughters revealed their sexual orientation.
Different Mothers: Sons and Daughters of Lesbians Talk about Their Lives. Louise Raflin, editor. Cleis Press, 1990. o.p. 0939416417. Rich and diverse collection of positive personal stories of sons and daughters of lesbian mothers. The authors range in age from seven to middle aged.
Due, Linea. Joining the Tribe: Growing up Gay and Lesbian in the 90's. Anchor Books/Doubleday, 1995. 0385475004. Journalist Linnea Due, travels the country to create a portrait of gay and lesbian teenagers as an endangered and vulnerable community, whose diversity, courage, and resiliency will inspire gay and straight readers alike. ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Book Award finalist.
Faderman, Lillian. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America. Columbia Univ. Pr., 1991. Using various sources including literature, sociological and psychological studies, newspaper articles, military pamphlets, and movies, this well-researched study provides a wide-ranging history of lesbian life and experience.
Feinberg, Leslie. Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to RuPaul. Beacon Press, 1997. 0807079413. In this fascinating personal journey through history, Leslie Feinberg -one of the most prominent gender-rights activists today -uncovers persuasive evidence that there have always been people who crossed the cultural boundaries of gender. Illustrated with many previously unpublished historical images and contemporary photos, this is an eye-opening jaunt through the history of gender expression. Firecracker Alternative Book Award for Nonfiction.
Ford, Michael Thomas. Outspoken: Role Models from the Lesbian and Gay Community. Beech Tree Press, 1998. 0688148972. Gay men and lesbians -a doctor, a TV personality, a religious leader, a police officer, a writer, a teacher, and others talk about their lives, describing their personal experiences and how their sexual orientation has affected their lives. Includes lists of books, magazines, movies, and other sources of information, words of wisdom and inspiring real-life stories.
Fricke, Aaron. Reflections of a Rock Lobster. Alyson Publications, 1981. This autobiography relates the challenges of a teen growing up gay in a small Rhode Island town, and how he learns to stand up for himself, as well as for human and gay rights, when he invites another gay male to the senior prom as his date. An uplifting exam- ple of a gay teen who rises above prejudice to become a proud and happy person.
Griffin, Pat. Strong Women, Deep Closets: Lesbians and Homophobia in Sports. Human Kinetics, 1998. 088011729X. Drawing on her own experience as a lesbian coach and athlete, Griffin examines the effects of homophobia and heterosexism on all women athletes, with special emphasis on the experiences of lesbians in sport.
Herdt, Gilbert and Andrew Boxer. Children of Horizons: How Gay and Lesbian Teens are Leading a New Way out of the Closet. Beacon Press, 1993. 0807079294. A gay anthropologist and developmental psychologist interview teen clients of Horizons, a gay and lesbian social services agency in Chicago and present a history and overview of the gay and lesbian community.
Heron, Ann, ed. Two Teenagers in Twenty: Writings by Gay and Lesbian Youth. Alyson, 1994. 1555832822. The second edition of a book allowing teenagers to describe what it is like to be gay or lesbian adds 19 stories to the original 20 accounts that appeared in the classic One Teenager in Ten.
Hogan, Steve. Completely Queer: The Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia. Henry Holt & Company, 1998. 0805036296. A guide to the history, people, places and ideas important to lesbian and gay communities worldwide.
Hyde, Margaret O. and Elizabeth Forsyth. Know About Gays and Lesbians. Millbrook Press, 1994. 1562942980. An explanation of homosexuality, presented in clear, straightforward terms, provides information necessary to battle prejudice and examines some specific problems faced by the homosexual community.
Kissen, Rita M. The Last Closet: The Real Lives of Lesbian and Gay Teachers. Heinneman, 1996. 0435070053. Stories from more than 100 educators, librarians, counselors, and administrators who work in homophobic environments, and their survival strategies.
Madsen, Axel. The Sewing Circle: Hollywood's Greatest Secret: Female Stars Who Loved Other Women. Carol Publishing Group, 1995. 1559722754. Documents the double life of a group of lesbians and bisexual Hollywood starlets.
Marcus, Eric. Is it a Choice? Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions about Gays and Lesbians. Harper, 1993. 0062506641. In the myth-busting tradition of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, this authoritative guide offers people solid answers to all their questions about gays and lesbians.
Marcus, Eric. Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 1945-1990: An Oral History. HarperCollins, 1992. o.p. 0060167084. Oral history of the gay rights movement through the personal accounts of more than 50 individuals.
Mastoon, Adam. The Shared Heart: Portraits and Stories Celebrating Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young People. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. William Morrow: 1997. 0688149316. Young people's personal statements about what it means to be gay today are accompanied by photographic portraits. Winner of the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Book Award.
McNaught, Brian. On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith and Love. St. Martin's, 1988. 0312029594. Humorous and insightful writings on various aspects of the gay experience such as whether or not to "come out," maintaining family ties, and building lasting love relationships.
Miller, Neil. Out in the World: Gay and Lesbian Life from Buenos Aires to Bangkok. Vintage Books, 1993. o.p. 0679745513. Based on personal interviews, Miller reports on the cultural, political, and social aspects of gay and lesbian life in 12 countries.
Moore, Lisa C. ed. Does Your Mama Know? An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories. Redbone Press, 1997. 0965665909. Reflects the complexity of emotions that accompany a Black lesbian's coming out. Forty-nine short stories, poems, interviews and essays. lambda award Winner in two categories.
One Teacher in 70: Gay and Lesbian Educators Tell Their Stories. Kevin Jennings editor. Alyson Publications, 1994. 1555832636 (paper). Written by 34 lesbian and gay educators from all the regions of the United States, this collection of personal stories shows the homophobia and heterosexism that they encounter in their profession and their survival strategies.
Out With It: Gay and Straight Teens write about Homosexuality. Youth Communications. Paul Fell Cartoons, 1996. 0966125606. The overall message is that gay and lesbian teens should accept themselves.
Pollack, Rachel and Cheryl Schwartz. The Journey Out: A Guide For and About Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Teens. Viking, 1995. 0140372547. A calm and practical exploration of teen sexuality and the special concerns of lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens offers clear advice on such issues as homophobia and harassment, provides information on gay health and political issues, and much more.
Queer 13: Lesbian and Gay Writers Recall Seventh Grade. Clifford Chase, editor. Morrow. 1998. 0688158110. Personal accounts by 25 lesbian and gay writers of how they survived their school experiences and embraced their sexual identities.
Reed, Rita. Growing Up Gay: The Joys and Sorrows of Gay and Lesbian Adolescence. W. W. Norton, 1997. 0393040925. 0393316599 (paper). Text and photographs capture the lives of two teenagers who share their experiences of growing up lesbian and gay in a homophobic and heterosexist society. Honest and moving, this book reinforces the need for books to support lesbian and gay teens in their search for acceptance.
Reid, John. The Best Little Boy in the World. Modern Library. 1998 c1973. 067960314X. The memoir of Andrew Tobias explores his coming out, describing how as a respectful son, an excellent athlete, and a model executive, he still denied his true nature by concealing his homosexuality. Recommended for mature teens.
Rench, Janice E. Understanding Sexual Identity: A Book for Gay Teens and their Friends. Lerner Publishing Group. 1990. 0822500442. Presents the facts in question and answer format about gays and gay relationships, and what it means to be a teenager who is attempting to understand his or her own gay identity. ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Book Award finalist.
Romesburg, Don, ed. Young, Gay and Proud, 4th edition. Alycat/Alyson. 1995. 1555832792. This resource book helps young people deal with questions like: Am I really-gay? Am I the only one? What would my friends think if I told them? Should I tell my parents?
Seyda, Barbara. Women in Love: Portraits of Lesbian Mothers and Their Families. Little, Brown. 1998. 0821225235. Striking collection of 85 large-format photographs with accompanying brief profiles that celebrate lesbian mothers and their families.
Shilts, Randy. Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S. Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. St. Martin's Press, 1993. 031209261X. An investigation into the treatment of lesbian and gay individuals in the military. Based on interviews with over one thousand lesbian and gay servicepeople.
Singer, Bennett L. ed. Growing Up Gay: a Literary Anthology. New Press, 1994. Gp. Integrating selections by gay and lesbian teenagers with older writers' reflections on growing up lesbian or gay, this anthology features works by James Baldwin, Rita Mae Brown, Questin Crisp, Audre Lorde, Martina Navratilova, and David Leavitt. ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Book Award finalist.
Stewart, William. Cassell's Queer Companion. Cassel. 1995. 0304343013. Celebrating the diversity and longevity of same-sex life styles and identities, more than 2,500 entries cover history, politics, language, sex, and humor, drawing on international gay culture from Chinese folklore, Islamic poetry, Native American customs, and more.
Stoppard, Dr. Miriam. Sex Ed: Growing Up, Relationships, and Sex. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1997. A guide to growing up, relationships and sex, discussing such topics as male and female anatomy, petting, intercourse, different kinds of sexual activities, contraception, and safe sex.
Sutton, Roger and Lisa Ebright. Hearing Us Out: Voices from the Gay and Lesbian Community. Little Brown, 1994. 0316823139. ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Drawing on moving first-person interviews and candid photographs, a collection of profiles focuses on fifteen people -from a high-school student to a gay minister -who explain what being gay has meant in their own lives.
Testimonies: Lesbian Coming-Out Stories. Ed. Karen Barber and Sarah Holmes. Alyson Publications, 1994. o.p. 1555832458. Diverse collection of 21 coming out stories by lesbian women from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.
White, Mel. Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America. Simon and Schuster, 1994. Plume, 1995. 0452273811 (paper). Moving and inspirational autobiography of the evangelical minister and former ghostwriter for jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and other prominent leaders of the religious right who struggled for many years to come out and accept himself as a gay Christian.
Winnick, Judd. Pedro & Me. St. Martin's Press, 2000. 0805064036. In graphic novel format, the author presents the true story of befriending a gay AIDS activist, watching him become increasingly sick, taking on his AIDS education tasks, watching him die, mourn- ing and finding his own voice as a writer. Each of these many threads is successfully treated by the increasingly sensitized straight author who learns not only the gravity of tolerance but also how to help young people grieve.
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Compiled by Diana Herald (2000).
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Gay Teens in the 21st Century Access for the Future Preconfere