Book Recs to Let Your Pride Flag Fly
We're closing out Pride Month with book recommendations to take you through the entire year. Even better? These book recs tie in with the Progress Pride Flag. Created by Daniel Quasar in 2018, this flag design incorporates the trans flag, as well as the black and brown stripes adopted by the City of Philadelphia in 2017. We are always growing and moving forward—something that these books and the Progress Pride Flag reflect. Enjoy these book recs, and Happy Pride!
Red: Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
Bros, hockey…and the incredibly cute captain of the hockey team, Jack? Sign us up for this romance. Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book in a two-volume story based on the super popular webcomic of the same name. That's good news for us—there's more to read!
"This is a warm story with an irresistible protagonist, a clever supporting cast, and lively and plentiful game and practice scenes… A fun and deeply satisfying read for teens." ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review
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Orange: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Felix is proud of his identity, but fears he'll never find his own happily ever after because he is Black, queer, and transgender. When an anonymous student starts sending Felix transphobic messages (after publicly revealing Felix's deadname and pre-transition photos), he hatches a catfish scheme that lands him in a quasi-love triangle. This story of first loves, identity, and self-worth is absolutely one that should be on your bookshelf.
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Yellow: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, illustrated by Wendy Xu
Nova Huang is one smart witch. She knows more about magic than most teens her age, and spends her days working in her grandmother's bookshop as an apprentice. When she runs into her old crush, Tam Lang (a werewolf!), battling a demon in the woods, Nova and Tam must team up to defeat the demon. Their old feelings are rekindled, and the result is, well, spellbinding.
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Green: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Leah Burke is bisexual, but she hasn't mustered the courage yet to tell anyone besides her mom—not even her BFF, Simon. When her friend group starts falling apart, Leah isn't sure what to do or how to navigate all the changes and tension. And she's not so sure how to tell a certain someone that she may have feelings for them. If you haven't read this New York Times bestseller, add it to your TBR!
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Blue: The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
This one has a special place in our hearts. Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary girl with a goal: to save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off in the Starfield franchise. Jessica Stone, the actress who plays Princess Amara, feels the total opposite. She'd rather see Amara killed off so she can step away from the franchise. While the girls are incredibly different in personality, they look…eerily the same, which results in a case of mistaken identities at ExcelsiCon. When the Starfield script leaks, Imogen and Jessica must swap places to find out what's really happening. The deal is simple—Imogen plays Jess at signings, and Jess helps Imogen's friend run her booth—but what isn't so simple is that Jess catches feelings for someone more than she intended.
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Purple: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
Exes, new crushes, mystery, and witchcraft—this debut novel has it all. Hannah is an Elemental witch living in Salem, Massachusetts who must keep her magic a secret. She's also busy avoiding her ex and fellow witch, Veronica, but a dark blood ritual and the possible presence of a deadly Blood Witch knocks those worries out of her mind. As the attacks on Salem's witches become more frequent, Hannah has to work with Veronica to stop the Blood Witch. But, of course, things get more complicated when she meets a cute new girl named Morgan. Who has the time to get the girl AND save life as she knows it?
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Black: The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
This coming-of-age novel centers on Michael, a mixed race gay teen growing up in London, who struggles with not feeling Greek or Black enough. In his journey to find where he fits in, he discovers the Drag Society…and the Black Flamingo is born. This story is told in verse, which only enhances the beauty of it.
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Brown: Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
Juliet is Puerto Rican, from the Bronx, and JUST came out to her family the night before moving to Portland for an internship. But Juliet's coming out doesn't go as planned, and she isn't sure if her mom will ever talk to her again. What follows is a summer of incredible, messy, loving self-exploration—and the understanding that no one can figure out your life except for yourself.
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Light Blue: Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult by Skylar Kergil
Skylar Kergil took viewers on his journey as he transitioned through YouTube videos, starting from age seventeen and going through high school, college, and beyond. He drew thousands of viewers through his openness and positivity. But what came before the videos, and what happened behind the scenes? In this memoir, Skylar talks about his adolescence, his family's acceptance, and more.
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Light Pink: Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
This debut novel stars a Black trans girl named Jam. In Jam's world, there are supposedly no more monsters…but Jam realizes that this is not true when she meets Pet, a monster that has emerged from one of her mother's paintings. But Pet isn't a scary monster—in fact, Pet is there to help Jam and her best friend track down a much, much bigger threat.
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White: Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
Riley Cavanaugh is gender fluid. Sometimes Riley identifies as a girl, and sometimes as a boy. But Riley isn't exactly out yet, and with Riley's congressman father running for reelection in a super conservative town, there are a LOT of pent up feelings. Riley's therapist suggests starting a blog…but when the blog blows up in popularity and Riley's identity risks being exposed, Riley must decide between giving up the blog or coming out, once and for all.
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