As a gay Cuban-American kid, I always wanted more books with queer protagonists and I wanted more protagonists to be kids of color. I rarely found either (and never both in one book). Happily, a few decades later, we live in a moment where these stories are finally getting their due; you can now find all facets of the LGBTQ+ experience in print with characters from an array of cultures. As a writer, I’m excited to be part of that with my book Spin Me Right Round, featuring a gay Cuban-American protagonist. Seeing his face looking back at me from the bookstore shelves is a dream come true.
Cuban-American Luis wants to bring his boyfriend to prom, but his school is stuck in the past and says no. When a freak accident sends him back in time to 1985, he finds out what his school is afraid of, breaks up his own parents (oops!), and makes it his mission to save the school closet case from a terrible fate. Back to the Future but more gay and less white, Spin Me Right Round is a tale of making the future you want when the world isn’t quite ready.
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I remember well how starved I was as a teen for books about kids like me—queer, Cuban, or both—so I love books that fill a void. Sara Farizan does that with Iranian girls Sahar and Nasrin, including a swoony kiss you won’t want to miss. For anyone who’s ever had sparks with a friend, this is an extra special read.
I went to college for art while trying to figure out my future, so I fell hard for the story of Felix, a Black and trans teen who is subjected to harassment, finds potential romance, and wrestles with whether he’s the artist he thinks he is. His relationship with his dad is complicated and heartfelt, and you’ll feel compassion all the way.
I love magical realism and Zoraida Cordova’s our reigning queen. A young Latina witch is torn between her female bestie and a hunky brujo, creating a queer triangle to remember in a fantastical world called Los Lagos. (Serious worldbuilding is Cordova’s gift.) And if you love this, it’s just the beginning—there are two more books in the series.
Did you know there were lesbian bars in San Francisco in the 1950s? I didn’t until fellow author and neighbor Malinda Lo wrote this beautiful romance about two girls in Chinatown during the red scare. While the heroine discovers a whole new world, so do we. And interspersed chapters help us understand where her parents are coming from.
I cried when I finished this swoony love story about the short romance of two Latinx boys. I mean, the author warns you what’s coming, but he’s made their love story so sweet, you can’t help but root for an “ever after” that can’t come. Along the way, Silvera has made up a world like ours but with its own rules and logic, an almost-us society that is completely believable.
5,309 authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about best friends, gay teenagers, and witches.
We think you will like Please Ignore Vera Dietz, When the Moon Was Ours, and Farah Rocks Fifth Grade if you like this list.
From Erica's list on The best devastatingly sad books that make you laugh out loud.
I love everything A.S. King. She is my absolute favorite YA author. Her books are weird and thoughtful, and they stick in my head forever. Her award-winning Please Ignore Very Dietz is no different. Vera’s (former!) best friend Charlie has died. While she’s struggling with family stuff, and drinking stuff, and working at pizza place stuff, she’s being haunted by Charlie’s ghost who insists she tells the police what she knows. The story itself is quirky, and Vera’s narration is clever. And, then, of course, there’s a twist at the end!
From Xan's list on The best fiction books by trans/non-binary authors with trans/non-binary characters.
Honestly, I could’ve picked any book by McLemore. They are all absolutely stunning. McLemore’s prose is lush and poetic, rich in metaphor and nuance. Their stories have a timeless quality about them at once grounding them in reality and yet offering glimpses of the surreal and ephemeral. When the Moon Was Ours is an incredibly poignant love story between Sam, a Pakistani trans boy, and Latinx Miel who has literal roses growing out of her wrists. This story provided insight into both Pakistani and Latinx culture while weaving a breath-taking tale of love and identity.
From Cathy's list on The best children’s books about Arabs that don’t feature camels or the desert.
Farah and her best friend Allie yearn to go to middle school at the exclusive Magnet Academy. But Farah decides to screw up her schoolwork on purpose, in order to stay behind and protect her developmentally disabled younger brother from bullying. I appreciated how this book portrayed Farrar’s struggles with issues very real to kids, that adults often miss, and the inclusion of Arab culture and language throughout the book.