LGBT+ History Month 2022

We've Got Talent

Baby and Toddler 3+ readers

Author: Hannah Whitty Illustrator: Paula Bowles Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/02/2021

It’s time for the school play and two little people have their hearts set on starring roles. Little rabbit Olivia and young rhino Sam are both practising day and night and, sure enough, they get the best parts in ‘The Princess, the Knight and the Dragon’. Unfortunately, neither is happy. Olivia wanted to be the knight, not the princess, and playing the knight means that Sam won’t get to do any dancing. Fortunately, these two young performers are smart enough to work out ways to adapt their roles to suit their talents. Olivia and Sam are very endearing characters and their determination to be true to themselves will have all audiences applauding. A thoroughly entertaining picture book that delivers an important and empowering message.

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All About Families

Baby and Toddler 3+ readers

Author: Felicity Brooks Illustrator: Mar Ferrero Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/07/2018

Families come in all shapes and sizes and from all sorts of backgrounds. They speak various languages, eat different sorts of food, live in different kinds of homes and celebrate special occasions in a variety of ways. A celebration of family differences, this is a busy book full of all-embracing illustrations of every kind of family imaginable that are fun to look at time and time again. Beyond just giving pleasure, All About Family is also designed to ensure every child feels that their kind of family is just one of many and not anything unusual. The short accompanying words to each picture briefly and helpfully explain technical terms such a as adoption and fostering.

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Uncle Bobby's Wedding

3+ readers

Author: Sarah Brannen Illustrator: Lucia Soto Format: Hardback Release Date: 21/01/2021

Chloe loves, loves, LOVES her special uncle Bobby. So when she learns that Uncle Bobby is going to be getting married to his boyfriend Jamie she's not at all pleased. What if Uncle Bobby doesn't have time to play with Chloe anymore? But after spending a fun-filled day with Bobby and Jamie, she soon realises she's not losing an uncle, but gaining a whole new one! An uplifting celebration of love in all its forms, this book is perfect for any child who has a special grown-up in their life.

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Grandad's Camper

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Harry Woodgate Illustrator: Harry Woodgate Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/01/2022

Every year, our narrator, a young child, spends the summer at Grandad’s cottage. They have lots of fun, but the very best thing is when Grandad opens up his photo albums and shares stories of all the places he visited with Gramps, travelling in their brightly painted campervan. We can see that Grandad is sad with Gramps gone, and the child comes up with a wonderful idea. Together, the two of them fix up the van and head off for a trip to the sea. It’s just what Gramps would have wanted! This is a warm story of love, renewal and the importance of memories, old and new. The relationship between child and grandparent is beautifully portrayed as is the love between Grandad and Gramps. This will be a lovely book to share, it’s full opportunities for discussion and conversation, and will leave everyone feeling happy.

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The Pirate Mums

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Jodie Lancet-Grant Illustrator: Lydia Corry Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/06/2021

The Pirate Mums is a swashbuckling, high-seas adventure starring Billy and his two extraordinary mums, complete with a bad-tempered parrot called Bird-Brain, a sudden storm, a sea-sick teacher and a captain who gets stuck in the toilet. Billy wishes his family could be a bit more like everyone else’s, and just a bit more ordinary. But his mums aren’t like other mums. They are pirates. They wear outlandish pirate clothes, insist on dancing jigs and singing sea shanties when Billy’s friends come round to play, and they have decidedly fishy taste in home decor. When his mums volunteer to accompany Billy’s class on a school trip to the seaside, with a boat trip included (Billy’s mums love boats), he makes them promise to be normal. But when the boat gets into trouble, their nautical knowledge and salty sea-legs save the day. Billy discovers that it’s what makes his mums different that also makes them – and himself – special.

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Julian Is a Mermaid

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Jessica Love Illustrator: Jessica Love Format: Paperback Release Date: 07/02/2019

Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | April 2019 Debut Picture Book of the Month | Winner of the 2019 Klaus Flugge Prize | Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2019 | Already shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, Julian is a Mermaid is an outstanding picture book, surely destined to become a classic. Julian is out with Nana when he notices three women dressed as mermaids. In his heart of hearts – we see it described over three fabulous wordless spreads – Julian knows he is a mermaid too and while Nana takes a bath he sets out to transform himself into one. Nana’s response is life-affirming and the two head out to join the mermaid party. The illustrations dazzle and as a celebration of individuality, the imagination, freedom and love, it can’t be beaten.

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Perfectly Norman

5+ readers

Author: Tom Percival Illustrator: Tom Percival Format: Paperback Release Date: 10/08/2017

Strikingly illustrated this is a tale which inspires children to dare to be different and have the courage to stand out.

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Nothing Ever Happens Here

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt Format: Paperback Release Date: 09/01/2020

January 2020 Debut of the Month | There’s love, friendship and challenging prejudice aplenty in this debut novel by a LGBTQ+ parenting expert. Introverted Izzy has just started Year 8 and is wildly excited when her favourite teacher announces auditions for a Christmas production of Guys and Dolls. Though shy, she’s come to love acting because on stage she “could be whoever I wanted.” And Izzy’s not the only member of her family who wants - and needs - to be who they really are, as she discovers when her dad tells the family he’s transgender and is about to begin transitioning. Though he gently explains, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s nothing dirty, I’m not ill”, Izzy’s older sister reacts angrily, her little brother accepts it in the same way he understands Spider Man and Peter Parker’s different identities, while Izzy feels quiet worry about how their lives will change. The family’s journey is honestly and sensitively portrayed as they endure hurtful prejudice alongside many heart-melting moments, such as the gorgeous scene in which the three siblings think-up their new name for Dad. This is at once an important support tool for children in similar situations, and a barrier-breaking, empathy-inducing story for all.

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Proud of Me

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/02/2021

From the author of the moving, ground-breaking Nothing Ever Happens Here, Sarah Hagger-Holt’s Proud of Me offers children from LBGT families a vital chance to see their lives represented, while also delivering an empathy-inspiring read with universal messages of respect and supporting your peers. Siblings Becky and Josh are part of a loving family of “two mums, two kids – and nothing can break us apart.” They were born eight days apart, but Becky finds it easier to say they’re twins because “it saves a whole lot of explaining” (they were fathered by the same anonymous donor, with Josh birthed by Mum and Becky birthed by Ima - Hebrew for ‘mum’). While photography-mad Becky spends a lot of time with her adorable best friend Archie, who came out in Year Eight, and Carli, the new American girl at school who’s come into her life like a rainbow of light and life, Josh is desperate to know who his dad is. In fact, he becomes so fixed on finding out that he joins an online DC (donor conceived) community and secretly takes an investigative road-trip on the day of Mum’s big fiftieth birthday party celebrations. At the same time, Becky is navigating big questions around accepting who she is, and they’re both deeply involved in organising a school Pride event, both determined to make their mums proud, both determined to overcome the likes of Carli’s mother who thinks the group is “immoral and corrupting and it shouldn’t be happening in school.” Becky and Josh’s dual narratives are an engaging, authentic delight, and this child-centred story is at once uplifting, entertaining and empowering.

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Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Benjamin Dean Illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/02/2021

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2022 ages 7-10 | March 2021 Debut of the Month | Selected for The Book Box by LoveReading4Kids | 12-year-old Archie Albright is a character who instantly grabs the reader’s attention with his natural, chatty narrative voice. His family is splitting up, he doesn’t know why, and he knows there is something they are not telling him. After a disastrous parents evening and an overheard conversation, Dad has to finally confess to Archie that he is gay. Archie just wants everyone to be happy again. He desperately wants to understand and to help. His Dad drops a leaflet about the PRIDE march and Archie decides he will find all his answers there and luckily, he has two staunch friends who see all the pitfalls of this expedition but decide to help him anyway. Needless to say everything goes wrong! There are so many things to love about this splendid book. Every character, including the joyous cast of LGBTQ+ characters that they meet and are helped by on their adventure, rings authentically true. The dialogue is witty, but realistic, not played just for cheap laughs. But there is a lot of genuine humour in the situations the children find themselves embroiled in and a fair bit of nail-biting tension too! It is also so refreshing that this is not a story about overcoming homophobia- all the main characters are totally accepting of Archie’s Dad’s right to determine his sexuality, while not denying the pain that comes from family break up. It deals honestly with difficult emotions and conveys a strong message about empathy and tolerance. This is such a rewarding, positive and inclusive read that it deserves a place in every school and in every home.

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Love Frankie

11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt Format: Paperback Release Date: 17/09/2020

December 2020 Book of the Month | Jacqueline Wilson writes about young teenage girls with real understanding, sensitivity and affection, and she’s at her best in the story of Frankie, who finds herself head over heels in love with, of all people, the girl she thought was her worst enemy. As with most thirteen-going-on-fourteen year olds, Frankie is a mess of emotions, resenting her dad for leaving her mum, but needing him too; happy with her childhood friend Sam, but alarmed when he seems to want to change their relationship into something else; and above all confused by her new feelings for Sally. Sally is even more mixed up and her desperate need for love and attention puts Frankie at risk of real hurt. Wilson creates a loving family the support her heroine though and, like so many of her characters, Frankie develops the strength to be honest about who she is and therefore emerges unscathed. Her story is everything you expect from this writer – real, moving and enormously satisfying. Go to Jacqueline's Instagram for Love Frankie videos and links!

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Free To Be Me

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Dom&Ink Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/05/2019

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | Free to Be Me is a LGBTQ+ journal that joyfully celebrates the power of being yourself and loving who you are. It is written and illustrated by Dom & Ink, whose passion, voice and experience make this such a welcome addition to the genre of journaling.

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The Black Flamingo

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Dean Atta Illustrator: Anshika Khullar Format: Paperback Release Date: 05/03/2020

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2020 | May 2020 Debut of the Month | Winner of the Stonewall Book Award | Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2020 | Uplifting and dazzlingly unique, this coming-of-age treasure explores identity and sexuality with an emboldening message to remember that “you have the right to be you”. As a young Barbie-loving boy, mixed race Michael wonders if he’s “only half” of everything, to which his mother poignantly replies: “Don’t let anyone tell you/that you are half-black/and half-white. Half-Cypriot/ and half-Jamaican./ You are a full human being.” But he doesn’t feel like a whole human being. Dubbed a “queerdo and weirdo” by bullies and subjected to “batty bwoy” taunts through his teenage years, he leaves London for Brighton University with hope in his heart. But even here Michael feels “like Goldilocks; trying to find a group of people/the perfect fit for me”. He doesn’t feel black enough for the Caribbean Society, or Greek enough for Hellenic Society, or queer enough for the LBGT Society. Then Michael finally finds a fit at Drag Society where he becomes The Black Flamingo, “someone fabulous, wild and strong. With or without a costume on.” Michael’s journey is complex, moving and told with a raw vitality that makes the soul soar and the heart sing, with Anshika Khullar’s magnificent illustrations and the smart design adding further depth, prompting the reader to pause for thought as his story requires.

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The Falling in Love Montage

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Ciara Smyth Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/06/2020

June 2020 Debut of the Month | Falling in love, riding out change, figuring out what you want to do with your life – Ciara Smyth’s pitch perfect debut simmers with romance and deep-rooted dilemmas, delivered through witty dialogue and affecting emotional detail. Seventeen-year-old Saoirse (pronounced ‘Seer-sha’- be sure to get it right) is on the cusp of crossing the Irish Sea to read history at Oxford. Except she’s not sure she wants to go. She has more than enough on her plate dealing with her dad’s remarriage, getting over breaking-up with her girlfriend, and coming to terms with her mum’s debilitating illness. She just wants to spend her summer watching horror movies and kissing girls – no strings attached. To that end, Saoirse goes to a mate’s end-of-exams party and gets it on with his cousin Ruby. Irresistibly drawn to Ruby’s good looks and good heart, Saoirse accepts her challenge to embark on a summer romance with all the serious bits left out, in finest romcom tradition. But, as Ruby sagely points out, “the thing about the falling in love montage…is that when it’s over, the characters have fallen in love”. Super smart and funny (“If you are a girl inclined to deface school property, may I suggest the classic penis and balls, as you will avoid suspicion due to stereotyping”), Saoirse is a lead fans of contemporary YA will love and root for - flaws and all - and her journey is a thoroughly entertaining, thought-provoking rollercoaster ride.

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What's the T?

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Juno Dawson Illustrator: Soofiya Format: Paperback Release Date: 18/02/2021

Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2022 Information Books 3-14 | What’s the T? is street talk for ‘tell me the truth’ and this is exactly what Juno Dawson sets out to do. This Book is Gay by the same author became a staple purchase for school libraries and this new title absolutely deserves the same treatment and indeed should be purchased for the staff shelf too. This reader is paranoid about the correct language and terminology and I feel far more confident in my understanding now. The excellent glossary is worth the purchase price alone. Although it sets out to answer all the possible questions that anyone feeling body dysmorphia or anybody supporting a friend or family member with similar anxieties, could come up with, my strongest impression was one of moral rectitude. Without being strident or patronising and in her warm, witty and friendly way, the author makes very clear the right of every human being to define themselves and to be able to live their lives without fear. Many misconceptions (often generated by ill-informed or blatantly hateful messages in mainstream and social media) are firmly laid to rest. Notably what is and is not actually possible in terms of treatment for young people under 18. The information and advice given does not sugar coat anything. Nobody could be left in any doubt of the difficulties and the time that it would take to make any sort of transition, nor that there is one simple answer or one simple journey. The fascinating look at the history of transgender in different cultures and the witness statements from trans and non-binary people across the globe, give those of us in our cisgender privilege a salutary wake-up call, which is why this book has value for any sociology, politics or philosophy students too. An essential purchase for secondary schools and a recommended addition to any young person's bookshelf. For more books visit our LGBTQI Literature Collection.

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From Prejudice to Pride

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Amy Lame Format: Paperback Release Date: 09/05/2019

A History of LGBTQ+ Movement | Detailed and full of information - excellent coverage of the topic. From Prejudice to Pride looks at the rise and achievements of the LGBTQ+ movement and the different communities, pioneers and stories of heartbreak and courage that have marched alongside it. Perfect for readers aged 11 and upwards, this book will inspire courage and pride in young LGBTQ+ people and help answer questions for all readers interested in gender and identity.

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Proud

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Juno Dawson & various Illustrator: Selected illustrators Format: Paperback Release Date: 07/03/2019

March 2019 Book of the Month | Compiled by YA author and broadcaster Juno Dawson, this inspiring anthology of illustrated short stories by LGBTQ+ writers shines a light on a kaleidoscopic array of experiences through an equally kaleidoscopic breadth of genres, themes and styles. From Chinese lesbian fairytale The Phoenix’s Fault by Cynthia So, to Simon James Green’s hilarious, heart-warming Penguins (who would’ve thought a pair of penguins could steal a person’s coming out thunder?!), this is a powerfully diverse collection. Alongside more established names, among them authors David Levithan and Jess Vallance, and illustrator David Roberts, special mention must go to the four new voices whose stories grace these pages – be sure to seek out what Karen Lawler, Michael Lee Richardson, Cynthia So and Kay Staples do next. These are stories of struggle and trouble, passion and promise, with much wit, warmth, wisdom and support shared along the way. And so it seems fitting to leave the last loud, proud, celebratory words to Dan from David Levithan’s queer youth choir story: “You hold your ground. You sing out loud and proud in defiance of all the people who want you to be quiet”.

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The Art of Being Normal

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Lisa Williamson Format: Paperback Release Date: 02/01/2020

This is a sensitive, often funny and thoroughly engaging story of teenagers coming to terms with who they are. It’s easy to think in these liberal times that anything goes, but teens will be quick to point out that growing up is as difficult as it’s ever been. It’s particularly hard for David, one of the two central characters in this assured debut. David has known since the age of eight that he wants to be a girl. Teased as a freak at school, he feels he can’t even tell his family. New boy Leo seems to have problems too and when the two become friends they discover they have more in common than they ever thought. This ultra-readable, highly entertaining story could also provide readers with some much needed reassurance that normal is as normal does.

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Wain LGBT reimaginings of Scottish folktales

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Rachel Plummer Illustrator: Helene Boppert Format: Paperback Release Date: 28/02/2019

Shortlisted for 2020 CLiPPA | The poems in this collection are fun, surprising, and full of a magical mix of myth and contemporary LGBT themes – it is a perfect read for teens who are learning more about themselves, other people, and the world around them. Wain is fully illustrated in colour, by Helene Boppert.

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Alex As Well

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Alyssa Brugman Format: Paperback Release Date: 08/05/2014

May 2014 Book of the Month This is an incredibly tender, funny, and powerful novel about questioning identity, exploring gender and sexuality and navigating friendships and finding a place to belong. It's a novel that you will want to talk about long after you've read the final page. A real coming-of-age novel that will touch the heart of all who read it and surprise you along the way. A Piece of Passion from Georgia Lawe, Publicist, Curious Fox I first read Alex As Well in autumn last year and I can remember now the feeling of turning the last page: ‘please don’t let it end, I want to read it again’. It’s a book I immediately wanted my friends to read so I could talk to them about it. It masterfully combines humour, powerful emotional scenes, thought-provoking concepts and characters you both love and hate. It’s a fast, fun and un-put-down-able read – and it’s also more than that. It’s an important book. It raises questions about gender and sexuality that I’d never even thought of and has definitely changed my view of the gender spectrum. Since connecting with the LGBT world to get feedback on Alex As Well, I’ve discovered some amazing facts, people and communities. I’ve learnt that 1 in 2000 babies are born intersex (having both male and female attributes) which is the same proportion as babies born with ginger hair – mind blowing heh? I’ve made contact with some amazingly supportive and positive people in the trans and intersex world, as well as champions in the literary world like Inclusive Minds. It’s been an enlightening journey for me as a publicist to explore this world and theme and I’m so excited to see the book published. This is a book I believe in with all my heart and I hope it touches the heart of everyone who reads it, young and old, girl and boy, gay and straight, male and female and those in between.

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Have Pride

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Stella Caldwell Format: Hardback Release Date: 09/07/2020

An inspirational history of the LGBTQ+ movement | With activist and founder of LGBT History Month and Schools OUT UK, Susan Sanders, as consultant, you can be confident that the information in this essential resource is reliable as well as being engaging and highly readable. The foreword by celebrity actor Layton Williams and the Why I Have Pride vignettes interspersed throughout the book, featuring young people from across the whole spectrum of the LBGTQ+ community, will ensure a high level of interest from young people and provide empowering messages for them to read. Starting from the evidence of acceptance in ancient history through the growth of persecution as Christianity flourishes in Europe, the brutality of the Inquisition, the recurrence of the death penalty for homosexuality around the world and the disaster of the Aids epidemic, this book does not hide the darker side of the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, but the emphasis is very much on the brave people who took on the fight against discrimination, prejudice and injustice. So, although agonising setbacks occurred, the overall progress has been upwards and the overall impact of the book is to inspire and celebrate. Helped, no doubt, by the rainbow coloured cover and vibrant illustrations. The timeline of milestones, comprehensive index and glossary and guide to sources of further information add value as a reference tool, but this is very much a book that will be read with pleasure and I hope with pride!

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The Last Days of Archie Maxwell

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Annabel Pitcher Format: Paperback Release Date: 25/10/2017

December 2017 Book of the Month | Full of love, humour and heartbreak, this beautifully crafted YA novella from the multi award-winning author of Ketchup Clouds and My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is a compassionate and distinctive tale of modern family life and its issues. Archie is devastated at the news his parents are splitting up. He and his dad are very close and when he realises that his father is leaving for another man – something his two sisters have already worked out – the shock has a physical impact. Archie has already been the victim of bullying and, perhaps to avoid a repeat, has become friends with the bullies at his new school; he is terrified of their reaction to the news. Things are complicated further when Tia, the girl he fancies, confides in him about her brother’s suicide and as the pressure mounts, Archie himself contemplates taking his own life. Annabel Pitcher portrays Archie with real insight and readers will understand completely the agony he feels. She chooses to end the story in a supermarket where the aisles, through their very prosaic normality, open up a world of hope and new beginnings. Published by dyslexia specialists Barrington Stoke, this will be accessible to all readers and is worth recommending to all readers. NOTE: some of the content and language may be seen by some as inappropriate for younger teens - why not read the extract first to find out.

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This Book is Gay

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Juno Dawson Format: Paperback Release Date: 01/09/2014

A funny and pertinent book about being lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, transgender or just curious - for everybody, no matter their gender or sexuality Former PSHCE teacher and acclaimed YA author Juno Dawson gives an uncensored look at what it's like to grow up as LGBT. Including testimonials from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, this frank, funny, fully inclusive book explores everything anyone who ever dared to wonder wants to know - from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more. Spike Gerrell's hilarious illustrations combined with funny and factual text make this a must-read.

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As Far as You'll Take Me

YA readers

Author: Phil Stamper Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/03/2021

Wearing its heartfelt messages proudly on its sleeve, this coming-of-age nail-biter sees a gay American teenager in London struggle to find the sweet spot between embracing new experiences and self-care. “Being a gay kid with sometimes shitty parents isn’t easy” - so Marty sums up his situation as he moves from his “conservative shithole of a town” in Kentucky to London, hoping to make it as a musician. He arrives giddily excited, on the verge of a new life, but also seized by anxiety when he’s met at the airport by his cousin’s handsome musician mate, Pierce. Marty’s first months in London are a whirlwind of first-time experiences - busking in public, drinking in pubs, going on road-trips, falling head-over-heels in love. But navigating a new life in a new city with debilitating anxiety and overwhelming romantic awakenings sure ain’t easy. Then there’s the crushing disapproval from his religious parents, and toxic trouble courtesy of his best friend back home. Alongside the principle refrains of finding yourself, finding your tribe, and the life-enriching power of music, this theme-focussed novel also tackles toxic friendships, and explores anxiety, homophobia, body image and eating disorders with bold honesty. It’s nothing but direct and driven by empathy and compassion, much like the author’s debut, The Gravity of Us.

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Loveless

YA readers

Author: Alice Oseman Format: Paperback Release Date: 09/07/2020

Winner of the YA Book Prize 2021 | Through the tangled identity struggles of authentic characters you’ll truly care about, Alice Oseman’s Loveless extends an understanding hand to aromantic asexuals (people who experience little-to-no romantic or sexual attraction, also known as aro-ace) while guiding all readers through fears of being alone and dealing with the pressure to hook up. Moreover, it’s a thoroughly entertaining, gripping page-turner that shows finding happiness isn’t dependent on romantic love. Georgia is desperate to experience her first kiss before she and her two best friends head to Durham University. After being made to feel “weird” and “disgusting” when she confesses to her peers that she’s never kissed anyone, Georgia seizes an opportunity to snog the one and only crush she’s ever had. When this goes spectacularly wrong in a scene that sizzles with tension and scorching comic timing, it hits her that “I hadn’t ever fancied anyone,” that the reality of kissing and romance “disgusts me.” But still she resolves to “try harder. I wanted forever love. I didn’t want to be loveless.” At Durham, while still struggling to find love, Georgia finds new friends in her outwardly confident, sexually active roommate, and Sunil, president of her college’s LBGTQ society. Sunil’s compassion and personal experiences help her discover who she is, to realise that she’s not alone in not feeling sexual or romantic attraction. Georgia’s journey to discovery is far from smooth, though, with many friendship-threatening, edge-of-your-seat errors made along the way. Find out more about the YA Book Prize including all the shortlisted titles.

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Fall Out

YA readers

Author: C. G. Moore Format: Paperback Release Date: 18/06/2020

June 2020 Debut of the Month | Telling the affecting story of sixteen-year-old Cal’s battles with homophobic bullies, family upheavals, mental health and heartbreak, this hard-hitting page-turner pulls no punches from the opening coming-out scene that results in Cal’s mum needing medical attention and an almighty clash with his dad. Reeling from strife at home and school, along with a series of ill-advised one-night stands, Cal’s life seems to take an upward turn when he falls for handsome, wealthy Matt. But since the course of passion and romance rarely runs smooth, thank goodness Cal’s best friend Em and her joyous Scotch-drinking, straight-talking nan are there when he needs them. Exploring themes of homophobia, self-harm, complex family dynamics, friendship, and intergenerational bonds with clarity and sensitivity, Fall Out is underpinned by a warm message of hope and the possibilities of starting afresh. As Cal says, “You can’t pave over the faults; you can’t wash away the past but sometimes, when you make mistakes, you get a second chance.”

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The Gravity of Us

YA readers

Author: Phil Stamper Format: Paperback Release Date: 14/05/2020

June 2020 Debut of the Month | At seventeen, Brooklyn hipster Cal is a successful social media journalist accustomed to living in the public eye, with a whopping 435,000 followers on the FlashFame app. But even Cal isn’t ready for the unforgiving media storm he’s thrust into when his pilot dad is shortlisted for NASA’s Orpheus mission to Mars. Initially dead against leaving Brooklyn, Cal begins to wonder whether “maybe Clear Lake, Texas, has a story out there just waiting for me to uncover.” And then there’s handsome Leon, one of the other “Astrokids”, who’s set his heart pounding before they’ve even met. On arrival, and immediately thrust into the spotlight by StarWatch reality TV show, Cal finds himself “admitting I like our new home, even this town”, which in turn “feels like I’m abandoning my old life.” Maybe this is down to his contradictory nature - Cal is anything but a straightforward teenager. He doesn’t think like one. He doesn’t speak like one. Indeed, his thought processes and dialogue can seem out of kilter with his age. He needs everything just-so, but at the same acts impulsively. For example, he can’t stop himself from broadcasting news about his dad to his followers, which - as predicted - results in him facing the wrath of StarWatch. Cal’s settling-in has a lot to do with his rollercoaster romance with Leon. It’s starts out with the thrust of a rocket launch (“This crush is strong. This crush is too powerful. This crush will be the end of me”), and then comes a crash to earth alongside tragedy striking the mission. In the aftermath of this, Cal finds himself working to expose Starwatch’s agenda, both to clear his name and save the mission, and the truths revealed sure ain’t pretty. Covering mental health issues (via Leon’s depression and Cal’s mom’s anxiety) alongside a whirlwind coming-of-age gay love story, The Gravity of Us is an entertaining YA debut that gives many underrepresented folk a chance to see themselves on the page, with the added kick of space exploration and media ruthlessness.

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Wranglestone

YA readers

Author: Darren Charlton Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/02/2020

Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2021 | Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award 2020 | February 2020 Debut of the Month | Set in a world that’s become “a walking graveyard”, this edge-of-your-seat thriller teems with cinematic chills and the tender love between two teenage boys. Indeed, author Darren Charlton has hit the nail on the head in describing his debut as The Walking Dead meets Brokeback Mountain. “Clock it. Kill it. Rid the world of it” - this is how encounters with the zombie Restless Ones must be handled, a mantra soon-to-be-sixteen-year-old Peter struggles to follow. Too trusting, and infinitely better with a darning needle than an axe or gun, he’s something of a liability to the community, especially as another winter sets in, for “winter was the one season every Lake Lander feared. Not because Montana was about to get colder than an eagle’s gaze. But because the Dead could make it across the lake’s frozen waters.” When the community comes under serious threat during their annual First Fall party, Peter winds up as zombie bait with his at-one-with-the-wilds boyfriend Connor responsible for wrangling the Restless Ones like a post-apocalyptic cowboy. On the mainland, the young lovers uncover an earth-shattering secret and it’s not long before Connor’s situation is seriously comprised, leading to Peter stepping-up and standing tall. Gripping and graphically gory, this dynamic debut is dystopian horror with a difference, for it pulsates not only with terror and visceral violence, but also with love, affection and emotional atmosphere. Find out more about the YA Book Prize including all the shortlisted titles.

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The Outrage

YA readers

Author: William Hussey Format: Paperback Release Date: 13/05/2021

Potently pertinent, William Hussey’s The Outrage wears its messages loud and proud on its sleeve. Think a YA LBGTQ+ version of The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Wizard of Oz; speculative fiction underpinned by aspects of present-day realities, and a belief in the importance of representation: “To see yourself reflected as a human being, with worth and dignity? I really think that has the power to change minds. Even save lives.” Deeply in love with his boyfriend Eric, the son of the chief inspector of Degenerate Investigations, aspiring filmmaker Gabe doubts he’ll ever be able to make the kind of movies he loves. Not in this England. Not living in the aftermath of the Outrage. In this society, it’s illegal to be gay, libraries have been shut down, and families who’ve contributed to the country have been put on “repatriation trains”. Sound familiar? The Outrage’s version of England certainly chimes with recognisable elements of the current political and cultural climate. And, through their discussions of trans rights, Windrush scandal-esque “send them home” policies, and the effects of climate change, the characters are powerful mouthpieces for big issues as they journey the gripping plot. Talking of which, Gabe, Eric and their fellow Rebel friends attend Mosley Grammar school. Though they’re excused from national service as a result of their Special Educational Exemption, they have a whole lot to hide when Protectorate Investigations arrive for their “annual scare-the-shit-out-of-the-kids assembly”. Then, everything unravels when Gabe and Eric are seen doing a whole lot of stuff they shouldn’t have been doing - under this regime, at least. A spirit of resistance surges as Gabe fights for a freer future in this most hostile of environments. Oh, and if that’s not enough, there’s romantic love, movie love, parental love, and love between friends who’ll always have each other’s backs, plus a powerful, heart-melting Wizard of Oz motif replete with Toto, Scarecrow and a quest to reach the Emerald City of the Emerald Isle - where the grass really is greener. All in all, a thought-provoking, page-turning reminder that “difference is good...defiance is essential” from the inventive author of Hideous Beauty.

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Another Day

YA readers

Author: David Levithan Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/07/2015

A is neither male nor female but wakes up each day in a different teenage body. Readers first met A in Levithan’s bestselling novel Every Day, which was told from A’s perspective. In this companion novel, a girl called Rhiannon encounters A in the body of her boyfriend Justin. The reader knows very well that Justin does not deserve Rhiannon’s love or loyalty, and the weaknesses in their relationship throw into added light the extraordinary truth of her connection with A, something that transcends the physical, almost ethereal. Beautifully told, it’s another unique and spellbinding story that immerses readers in the very essence of love.~ Andrea Reece

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