Pride Month is such a special time of year. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, it means so much. There are many ways to either celebrate or show support for the community. But until recently, many of us didn't focus those efforts onto children who are coming into their own identities. That definitely seems to be shifting for the better!
These days, there are a lot of ways for tweens and teens to feel more seen, heard, and accepted in who they are. A lot of that begins in the arts. Featuring queer characters in movies, on TV, and in books can help kids to feel more understood. Recently, there have been a lot of great characters, specifically in books for tweens.
Whether tweens are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, or just wish to read about characters with different life experiences, finding books where that's available is so important. Not only can it help young people feel more accepted, it can help others be more compassionate about different walks of life.
Here are seven great books perfect for tweens celebrating Pride Month:
1. 'The Sky Blues'
$19.99
from
Simon & Schuster
This book for tweens is filled with so many important messages. It's about a young boy who is openly gay in a small town. He decides to put together an epic promposal for his crush, but the plan gets leaked by a hacker. A homophobic rant about the promposal goes viral. Not only is the book about being who you are and standing up to bullies, it shows the real struggles of being gay in a world that moves quickly but is not always accepting.
2. 'Indestructible Object'
$18.99
from
Simon & Schuster
This book features a strong female character who is both creative and interested in her own self-exploration is a must-read for tweens. After a tough year, Lee is focusing her energy on her podcast about exploring whether or not love exists. But when she starts to develop feelings for another girl, her own love story comes into focus.
3. 'Bruised'
$19.99
from
Simon & Schuster
This book is the incredible story of healing for a young girl who lost her parents. She takes up roller derby because getting bruised feels like a way of coping with her loss, as well as coming to terms with her identity. But with that, she becomes part of a team, and learns a lot more than she expected, thus beginning to finally unravel her pain.
4. 'The Lucky List'
$18.99
from
Simon & Schuster
This beautiful story from one of the co-authors of Five Feet Apart is about a girl who loses her mother to cancer just before her senior year. It feels like her world is falling apart and with her dad selling off all her mother's things, she believes her connection to her mom is fading. She then develops a connection she never imagined and begins to get to know an entirely new part of herself, without her mother there to confide in.
5. 'Pepper's Rules for Secret Sleuthing'
$17.99
from
Simon & Schuster
This cute story is about a young girl who is completely dedicated to solving mysteries. She's in the process of unraveling a family secret, but the case is pushing away someone she cares about — the girl she has developed feelings for. Throughout the story, she figures out that the most important thing in a case, or in life, is to trust your gut.
6. 'Beetle & the Hollowbones'
$21.99
from
Simon & Schuster
For kids who love graphic novels, this LGBTQ love story is an absolute must. It's particularly adorable because it features a goblin love story between Kat and Beetle. But the playful story makes it an easy and intriguing read with much to learn, like the importance of standing up for yourself.
7. 'Sweet & Bitter Magic'
from
Simon & Schuster
This fantasy book is a story about witches like no other. It's about a witch who is cursed to never feel love. She can only steal it from others. But when she meets someone special, everything changes.
*Psst: if you choose to purchase an item from this post, LittleThings may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
