Transgender & Non-Binary
Felix Ever After
Author: Kacen Callender
Description: Felix Ever After is a contemporary coming of age novel with a Black trans boy main character. The novel’s protagonist is Black, queer, and trans and grapples with how those identities affect how others perceive him in the world and his fears that these intersecting identities might mean that he will never find his happily ever after. This story has blackmailing, love triangles, revenge, and learning to love who you are. This book is written by a trans Black author.
Includes: #africanamerican #black #transprotagonist #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Callender, K. (2020). Felix ever after. Balzer + Bray.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
The Brilliant Death
Author: Amy Rose Capetta
Description: The Brilliant Death is a fantasy novel with multiple protagonists, one who is a nonbinary shape-shifter and one who is must fully change their gender to be able to protect their family. They have to save their kingdom together with the help of magic.
Includes: #transgender #nonbinary #transmasculine #LGBTQIA #fantasy #magic #transprotagonist #nonbinaryprotagonist
Citation: Capetta, A.R. (2018). The Brilliant Death. Viking.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
The Storm of Life
Author: Amy Rose Capetta
Description: The Storm of Life is a fantasy novel with multiple protagonists, one who is a nonbinary shape-shifter and one who is must fully change their gender to be able to protect their family. It is the sequel to The Brilliant Death. They have to save their kingdom together with the help of magic.
Includes: #transgender #nonbinary #transmasculine #LGBTQIA #fantasy #magic #transprotagonist #nonbinaryprotagonist
Citation: Capetta, A.R. (2020). The Storm of Life. Viking Books for Young Readers.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
I Wish You All The Best
Author: Mason Deaver
Description: I Wish You All the Best is a contemporary coming of age novel with a nonbinary trans main character. The novel’s protagonist is kicked out of their home by their parents when they come out as nonbinary. After moving in with their sister and her husband, they begin a friendship and budding relationship with a boy at their school.
Includes: #transprotagonist #nonbinary #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Deaver, M. (2019). I wish you all the best. Push.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Dreadnought
Author: April Daniels
Description: Dreadnought is a superhero story about a transgender girl who has to live in a male body until her proximity to a superhero’s death transforms her body into the female form she has always wanted.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #transprotagonist #superhero
Citation: Daniels, A. (2017). Dreadnought. Diversion Publishing.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Sovereign
Author: April Daniels
Description: Sovereign is the sequel to Dreadnought. Set nine months after she debuts as a trans girl superhero, the protagonist meets a new villain and must fight them as well as parts of herself if she is going to save the day.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #transprotagonist #superhero
Citation: Daniels, A. (2017). Sovereign. Diversion Publishing.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Pet
Author: Akwaeke Emezi
Description: Pet is an Afrofuturistic novel with a Black trans girl main character. The novel’s protagonist is Black, queer, and trans and lives in a futuristic utopian society that has rid itself of many forms of systemic inequity. Despite this semi-utopia, the protagonists grapples with the hidden monsters within her society and what it means to be a teen who sees the truth when all the adults around them are in denial. This book is written by a trans Black author.
Includes: #africanamerican #black #transprotagonist #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Emezi, A. (2019). Pet. Make Me a World.
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For Today I Am A Boy
Author: Kim Fu
Description: For Today I Am A Boy is a coming of age contemporary novel about a Chinese American transgender girl whose family has many expectations of her, most of which have to do with traditional forms of masculinity.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #transprotagonist #asianamerican #chinese #immigrant
Citation: Fu, K. (2014). For Today I Am A Boy. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Almost Perfect
Author: Brian Katcher
Description: Almost Perfect is about a cis-gendered male protagonist who falls for a transgender girl, and who then has a hard time coming to terms with his feelings for her.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #contemporary
Citation: Katcher, B. (2009). Almost Perfect. Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
When The Moon Was Ours
Author: Anna-Marie McLamore
Description: When The Moon Was Ours is a magical realist novel about two best friends, one of whom is a nonbinary character, as they fight to protect their magical secrets from a group of witches.
Includes: #nonbinary #LGBTQIA #latinx #magicalrealism #magic #fantasy
Citation: McLamore, A. (2016). When The Moon Was Ours. Thomas Dunne Books.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Spy Stuff
Author: Matthew J. Metzger
Description: Spy Stuff is about a transgender boy who is worried that no one will ever want to date him.
Includes: #transgender #LGBTQIA #transmasculine #transprotagonist #contemporary
Citation: Metzger, M.J. (2016). Spy Stuff. JMS Books LLC.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Mask Of Shadows
Author: Linsey Miller
Description: Mask Of Shadows is a fantasy novel about a genderfluid non-binary protagonist who is a thief and dreams of a new life.
Includes: #nonbinary #transgender #LGBTQIA #nonbinaryprotagonist #fantasy #magic
Citation: Miller, L. (2017). Mask Of Shadows. Sourcebook Fire.
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I Was Born For This
Author: Alice Oseman
Description: I Was Born For This is a contemporary dual perspective novel with a trans boy and a cis girl. The story follows the lead singer of an internationally famous boyband and one of his diehard fans. He is a biracial gay trans boy and she is a Muslim teen girl in London.
Includes: #transprotagonist #transmasculine #muslim #biracial #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Oseman, A. (2018). I was born for this. Harper Collins Children's Books.
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Birthday
Author: Meredith Russo
Description: Birthday is a contemporary coming of age novel with two main characters, one a trans girl and the other a cis gender boy who were both born on the same day and year. The story follows the two of them over the course of six birthdays as one deals with her transition and both deal with changes in their life. This is a love story.
Includes: #transprotagonist #transfeminine #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Russo, M. (2019). Birthday. Flatiron Books.
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If I Was Your Girl
Author: Meredith Russo
Description: If I Was Your Girl is a coming of age love story about a transgender girl who is overcoming her feelings of being different.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #transprotagonist #contemporary
Citation: Russo, M. (2016). If I Was Your Girl. Flatiron Books.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Miles Away From You
Author: A.B. Rutledge
Description: Miles Away From You is a contemporary novel about a cis-gendered male protagonist who is in love with a transgender girl. After the transgender girl’s suicide attempt, she has been on life support for three years and now the protagonist is not sure who he is without her. Told through one sided instant messages to her, the novel is about what it takes to move on from first love.
Includes: #transgender #transfeminine #LGBTQIA #contemporary #maleprotagonist #mentalhealth
Citation: Rutledge, A.B. (2018). Miles Away From You. HMH Books for Young Readers.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Lizard Radio
Author: Pat Schmatz
Description: Lizard Radio is about a nonbinary gender non-conforming teen who is sent to a camp where mysterious things happen.
Includes: #nonbinary #transgender #LGBTQIA #contemporary #mystery #transprotagonist #nonbindaryprotagonist
Citation: Schmatz, P. (2015). Lizard Radio. Candlewick Press.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Out Of Salem
Author: Hal Schrieve
Description: Out of Salem is a magical coming of age novel about a 14-year-old nonbinary trans witch. After their untimely death at the start of the novel, they becomes a zombie and must use their witch magic, the help of their community, and the help of their new friend who just happens to be a werewolf, to save their body from decaying, protect their friend from being found out as a werewolf, and hide from those who think that they are a danger to the community.
Includes: #transprotagonist #nonbinary #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #fantasy #magical #zombies #witches #werewolves
Citation: Schrieve, H. (2019). Out of Salem. Triangle Square.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Cemetery Boys
Author: Aiden Thomas
Description: Cemetery Boys is a contemporary coming of age novel with a Latinx trans boy main character. When the novel’s protagonist is shunned by his family for his gender identity, he is determined to show them that he is a true brujo, witch. The protagonist performs a spell to solve the mystery of a family member’s death, but accidentally resurrects the ghost of his former classmate, school’s former tough guy, who hopes to tie up loose ends of his own. As they work together, the two grow closer and the protagonist is not sure if he wants the boy’s ghost to leave.
Includes: #transprotagonist #nonbinary #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: Thomas, A. (2020). Cemetery boys. Swoon Reads.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.
Stay Gold
Author: Tobly McSmith
Description: Stay Gold is a contemporary coming of age novel with a trans boy main character. He is just trying to make it through high school and stay under the radar until he graduates. His plan for a hiccup when he meets and falls for a cis girl who does not know that he is trans. Will he tell her everything? Is the possibility of love worth it?
Includes: #transprotagonist #transmasculine #bodypolitics #LGBTQIA #youngadultliterature #contemporary
Citation: McSmith, T. (2020). Stay gold. HarperTeen.
Image retrieved from: Goodreads.