Book Recommendations : PRIDE MONTH

Hello Everyone,

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH !!!

Let's get to the point of today blog post. Today book recommendations are books specifically for PRIDE month, meaning that the main character is a #ownvoices or LGBT. All the books below are titles that I have read and I really love them. In addition there are books that I have not read but added them to give more recommendations. I want to devoulge myself with more PRIDE novels. I think its really critical that we have more books based on gender, sexual orientation and identity for everyone. That everyone can have a voice and someone that they can recognize in a book. I love seeing all the support for the LGBT community.

Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community

This book is a nonfiction book that honor the past, protest injustice, and celebrate a diverse and vibrant community through color and events. Such a phenomenal nonfiction book to read. I highly recommend to read or more insight of the PRIDE community.

Worm loves Worm J. J. Austrian, Illustrator Mike Curato

I found this picture book in the children section of Indigo kids. I plopped myself in one of the bean bag chairs and read the picture book in one sitting.

Lottery Plus One

Emma Donoghue, illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono

A unique and diverse family featuring four parents, seven kids and five pets - all living happily together in their big old house. A great middle-grade novel.

George

Alex Gino

This book is such a sweet, intelligible, and important novel. Such a incredible novel about a identity, acceptance and to be kind. George is about an elementary school student named George, who was born a boy but knows in her heart that she is a girl. When the chance comes to do the school's yearly production of Charlotte's Web, George wants the part. Her best friend comes up with a scheme to help her get the part.

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Becky Albertalli

Becky Albertalli

Grab a box of Oreo cookies, Oreo Blizzard, Oreo thin sticks - anything delicious, grab a blanket, pillow and get ready to read about Simon and Blue. Simon not-so-openly gay is being blackmailed if he does not play wing-man for quipster Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised. Simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda is a cute, entertaining and delightfully weird.

Girl Mans Up

M E Giard

Girl Mans Up is probably one of my favorite books in Young Adult Fiction. I feel internally more powerful and inspired by Pen. As many reviews from readers, the novel is bittersweet, refreshing and authentic story exploring gender identity. This is a novel that should have been written years before to be a voice for girls who must deal with identity and gender, deal with non-supporting friends and families, how to build healthy relationships and just be a teenager and experience. Pen as a character is very true and realistic as you are going to get of a female teenager – plays video games, experiences with weed and alcohol, bullying, new jobs and trying to deal family issues. Pen not your traditional girl - she loves video games, comfy t-shirts, loves the ninja turtles and having short hair and likes a girl. Pen is super awesome and made of gold. Pen is pushing to be more comfortable, even if it means to tread the water to build new relationships with friends while pulling away from her (dirt bag) friends and non-supportive family. Overall, this is such a great Young Adult novel that you need to read. A little timbits, I met M E Girard is October at a book event and she is a hard working, humble and kind person!

Lord of Shadows

Cassandra Clare

Lord of Shadows is the 2nd of the Dark Artifices (The third series of the Shadowhunter world). The Blackthorns are against time to find the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. New threats are rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders ;the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own. The Blackthorns risk themselves to going into the

Symptoms Of Being Human

Jeff Gravin

Riley Cavanaugh is not-so-openly as gender fluid. As a suggestion from of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. As the blog goes viral, Riley is developing feelings for a mysterious outcast and a threat to expose Riley. This is the first young adult book that had the main character as gender fluid.

Honesty Ben

Bill Konigsberg

Honestly Ben is the sequel to Rafe and Ben's story, with more of the clever, witty and awesome characters, pressure in the school, more conflicts of defining labels and where to put them and defining sexuality orientation. I think this breaks more the barrier that one label does not necessary fit everyone and how they choose to represent themselves is important.

Openly Straight

Bill Konigsberg

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write. He does speeches at schools for pride, yet he does not want to continue as "that gay guy". His brilliant plan? He transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England where he decides to keep his sexuality a secret -- not so much going back in the closet more like a clean slate. His plan begins to crumble as he struggles with oppressing his feelings and emotions when he meets Ben. Rafe cheats, lies, break promises, and makes mistakes that are completely human. He just a humble, popular, and witty. Rafe on the other hand is just understanding, and Openly Straight is a great novel about acceptance, friendship, the conflict between in groups and out groups, and the importance of your sexuality in regard to your identity.

Carry On

Rainbow Rowell

If you have read Fangirl, This is the fan fiction that was created by Cath. Some of the snippets that you may have read from the book are not in the book. Carry On is a stand-alone. It follows Simon Snow as The Chosen One, going to wizardry school to defeat the ... Readers who love magic, fantasy, paranormal and Harry Potter will be delighted to read Carry On.

lf I Was Your GirI

Meredith Russo

If I was your girl is empowering, refreshing and courageous. There are only a few young adult contemporary novels that are informative, colorful and transfixed throughout the whole story. I fell in love with Amanda's voice and story as she learns to accept and love herself as she struggles to fit in a new town and community as a transgender woman.

I have a full honest review here.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Benjamin Alire Sáenz A oldy but a goody novel. Aristotle - an angry teen and Dante - Mr. Know it all - meet for the first time at a swimming pool and become friends. A tender, wonderful novel about discovering a special friendship that —the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime.

More Happy than Not

Adam Silvera

A gritty, compelling novel about love, loss, and sexuality. More Happy than Not will have a emotional punch. Grab a box of tissues, and read this novel about a sixteen-year old boy named Aaron who is considering going through a procedure to make him forget himself (for being gay) to fulfill the empty gap with happiness. More Happy than not deals with homophobia, depression and suicide.

History Is All You Left Me

Adam Silvera If you read More Happy than Not (above) than you are expected for a triple emotional punch. History All You Left Me is destressing, poignant and phenomenal. This book is about broken hearts, death, grief, damaged relationships and damaged people.