Whether it’s a trans student advocating for a statue of LGBTQ+ photographer Alice Austen, fighting school bullies, or transracial adoptees discovering their heritage, these middle-grade LGBTQ+ titles celebrate discovering and being who you are.
Titles are alphabetical by author.
Almost Flying
Would-be amusement park aficionado Dalia only has two items on her summer bucket list: (1) finally ride a roller coaster and (2) figure out how to make a new best friend. But when her dad suddenly announces that he’s engaged, Dalia’s schemes come to a screeching halt. With Dalia’s future stepsister Alexa heading back to college soon, the grown-ups want the girls to spend the last weeks of summer bonding–meaning Alexa has to cancel the amusement park road trip she’s been planning for months. Luckily Dalia comes up with a new plan: If she joins Alexa on her trip and brings Rani, the new girl from her swim team, along maybe she can have the perfect summer after all. But what starts out as a week of funnel cakes and Lazy River rides goes off the rails when Dalia discovers that Alexa’s girlfriend is joining the trip. And keeping Alexa’s secret makes Dalia realize one of her own: She might have more-than-friend feelings for Rani.
Jake Maia Arlow is a Stonewall Honor author, podcast producer, and bagel connoisseur. She studied evolutionary biology and creative writing (not as different as you might think) at Barnard College. She lives with her girlfriend and their loud cat in the Pacific Northwest.
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet
Twelve-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life:
1. Her stomach hurts all the time and she has no idea why.
2. She’s almost definitely 100% sure she likes girls.
So she holds it in…until she can’t. After nearly having an accident of the lavatorial variety in gym class, Al finds herself getting a colonoscopy and an answer–she has Crohn’s disease.
But rather than solving all her problems, Al’s diagnosis just makes everything worse. It’s scary and embarrassing. And worst of all, everyone wants her to talk about it–her overprotective mom, her best friend, and most annoyingly her gastroenterologist, who keeps trying to get her to go to a support group for kids with similar chronic illnesses. But, who wants to talk about what you do in the bathroom?
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet is a wildly funny and honest story about finding community, telling the truth even when it’s hard, and the many indignities of middle school life.
Jake Maia Arlow is a Stonewall Honor author, podcast producer, and bagel connoisseur. She studied evolutionary biology and creative writing (not as different as you might think) at Barnard College. She lives with her girlfriend and their loud cat in the Pacific Northwest.
The Vanquishers
Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don’t take even the most basic vampire precautions–the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone–but Boog’s parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment.
When a friend goes missing, Boog isn’t sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all?
No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call.
Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead and This Poison Heart. Her latest works include the YA horror novel You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight and the middle-grade paranormal adventure The Vanquishers. She is a CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominee, a LOCUS Award finalist, and the recipient of the 2022 Randall Kenan Award for Black LGBTQ fiction.
The Vanquishers
Boog and her best friends, Cedrick, Jules, and Aaron–aka the Squad–stick together, no matter what. Now that vampires are back, they’ll need to take their Vanquisher lessons more seriously than ever. But who is behind this return of the undead?
When strange disappearances keep happening across their community and the Department of Vampire Affairs not-so-subtly warns Boog’s mom to keep quiet about vampires returning, it looks like uncovering the truth won’t be so easy. The Squad is eager to kick some undead butt, but will they be able to convince their parents they are ready to fight alongside the Vanquishers?
Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead and This Poison Heart. Her latest works include the YA horror novel You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight and the middle-grade paranormal adventure The Vanquishers. She is a CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominee, a LOCUS Award finalist, and the recipient of the 2022 Randall Kenan Award for Black LGBTQ fiction.
Alex Wise vs. The End of the World
Alex Wise feels like his world is ending. His best friend, Loren, is leaving town for the summer, his former friend and maybe sort of crush Sky hasn’t spoken to him since he ditched Alex on first day of sixth grade, and now his mom is sending him and his annoying younger sister, Mags, on a cruise with the dad who abandoned them. And, as if things couldn’t get worse, a creepy shadow monster may or may not be stalking him.
But none of this could prepare Alex for the actual end of the world. Too bad that is exactly what’s coming, after the definitely-real Shadow Man kidnaps Mags and she is possessed by the ancient spirit of Death–one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Luckily (depending on who you ask), Alex is possessed as well by a powerful god who imbues Alex with their powers in an effort to stop the Horsemen…if he can figure out how to use them. So begins an epic battle between good and evil: Alex, Loren, a grumpy demi-god, and Alex’s fourth grade teacher vs. Death, Pestilence, Famine, War, and the waves of chaos and destruction they bring to LA and soon the rest of the globe. Just your average summer vacation.
Alex is more used to being left behind than leading the way, but now he’s the only one who can save his sister–and the world. That is, if he can unlock his new powers and see himself as the hero he is.
Terry J. Benton-Walker is the bestselling author of the young adult contemporary fantasy series, Blood Debts, the apocalyptic middle grade contemporary fantasy series, Alex Wise vs the End of the World, and is editing and contributing to the young adult horror anthology, The White Guy Dies First (2024, Tor Teen).
Rise of the School for Good and Evil
The battle between Good and Evil begins.
Two brothers.
One Good.
One Evil.
Together they watch over the Endless Woods.
Together they choose the students for the School for Good and Evil.
Together they train them, teach them, prepare them for their fate.
Then, something happens.
Something unexpected.
Something powerful.
Something that will change everything and everyone.
Who will survive?
Who will rule the School?
The journey starts here. Every step is filled with magic, surprises, and daring deeds that test courage, loyalty, and who you really are. But they only lead you to the very beginning of the adventures that are The School for Good and Evil.
Soman Chainani’s debut series, The School for Good and Evil, has sold more than 3.5 million copies, been translated into 32 languages across six continents, and has been adapted into a major motion picture from Netflix that debuted at #1 in over 80 countries.
Flor Fights Back: A Stonewall Riots Survival Story
After Flor’s mother dies in early 1969, she is left with her grandmother who refuses to accept Flor’s identity as a trans girl. Flor decides that in order to be true to herself, she must leave home. She makes friends with Tami, a trans teenager, and the two girls meet adults who help them make their way in the queer and trans community of New York City. Invited to meet up with some new friends, the girls sneak into the Stonewall Inn on a night that leads to a police raid and violence. Will Flor escape the riot and continue her fight to live as she is? Readers can learn the real story of the Stonewall Riots from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Dr. Joy Michael Ellison transforms their expertise in queer and trans history into picture books that bring the past to life, build compassion, and support contemporary social movements.
Alice Austen Lived Here
Sam is very in touch with their own queer identity. They’re nonbinary, and their best friend, TJ, is nonbinary as well. Sam’s family is very cool with it… as long as Sam remembers that nonbinary kids are also required to clean their rooms, do their homework, and try not to antagonize their teachers too much.
The teacher-respect thing is hard when it comes to Sam’s history class, because their teacher seems to believe that only Dead Straight Cis White Men are responsible for history. When Sam’s home borough of Staten Island opens up a contest for a new statue, Sam finds the perfect non-DSCWM subject: photographer Alice Austen, whose house has been turned into a museum, and who lived with a female partner for decades.
Soon, Sam’s project isn’t just about winning the contest. It’s about discovering a rich queer history that Sam’s a part of — a queer history that no longer needs to be quiet, as long as there are kids like Sam and TJ to stand up for it.
Alex Gino writes queer and progressive middle grade novels, including the Lambda Award-winning Melissa. Alex is from Staten Island, NY and now lives in the Hudson Valley with their cats, Thunder and Lightning. They love glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the complexity of being alive.
Green
Middle-grade superstar author Alex Gino returns to the world they began with Melissa and Rick with Green, the story of a non-binary middle-schooler named Green who comes into their own in no small part by fighting for gender-free casting in their school’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
Alex Gino writes queer and progressive middle grade novels, including the Lambda Award-winning Melissa. Alex is from Staten Island, NY and now lives in the Hudson Valley with their cats, Thunder and Lightning. They love glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the complexity of being alive.
Melissa’s Story
The unforgettable debut from Stonewall Award Winner Alex Gino.
George joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!
When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.
Melissa thinks she’ll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte’s Web. Melissa really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part… because she’s a boy.
With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.
Alex Gino writes queer and progressive middle grade novels, including the Lambda Award-winning Melissa. Alex is from Staten Island, NY and now lives in the Hudson Valley with their cats, Thunder and Lightning. They love glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the complexity of being alive.
Rick
Rick’s never questioned much. He’s gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff’s acted like a bully and a jerk. He’s let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn’t given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out.But now Rick’s gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school’s Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that . . . understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.As they did in their groundbreaking novel Melissa’s Story (George), in Rick, award-winning author Alex Gino explores what it means to search for your own place in the world . . . and all the steps you and the people around you need to take in order to get where you need to be.
Alex Gino writes queer and progressive middle grade novels, including the Lambda Award-winning Melissa. Alex is from Staten Island, NY and now lives in the Hudson Valley with their cats, Thunder and Lightning. They love glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the complexity of being alive.
Dear Mothman
Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Adventurous and curious, Lewis was always bringing a new paranormal story to share with Noah. Together they daydreamed about cryptids and shared discovering their genders and names.
After Lewis’s death, lonely and yearning for someone who could understand him like Lewis once did, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, wondering if he would understand how Noah feels and also looking for evidence of Mothman’s existence in the vast woods surrounding his small Poconos town. Noah becomes determined to make his science fair project about Mothman, despite his teachers and parents urging him to make a project about something “real.”
Meanwhile, as Noah tries to find Mothman, he also starts to make friends with a group of girls in his grade, Hanna, Molly, and Alice, with whom he’d been friendly, but never close to. Now, they welcome him, and he starts to open up to each of them, especially Hanna, whom Noah has a crush on. But as strange things start to happen and Noah becomes sure of Mothman’s existence, his parents and teachers don’t believe him. Noah decides it’s up to him to risk everything, trek into the woods, and find Mothman himself.
The Street Belongs to Us
In 1984 Los Angeles, Alex is a tomboy who would rather wear her hair short and her older brother’s hand-me-downs, and Wolf is a troubled kid who’s been wearing the same soldier’s uniform ever since his mom died. They temporarily set their worries aside when their street is torn up by digging machines and transformed into a muddy wonderland with endless possibilities. To pass the hot summer days, the two best friends seize the opportunity to turn Muscatel Avenue into a battleground and launch a gleeful street war against the rival neighborhood kids.
But when Alex and Wolf make their headquarters inside a deep trench, Alex’s grandmother warns them that some buried things want to be found and some want to stay hidden and forgotten. Although she has the wisdom of someone who has survived the Mexican Revolution, the Spanish Flu, and immigration to a new country, the kids ignore her warning, unearthing more than they bargained for.
This exuberant novel perfectly capture the summers of youth, when anything feels possible and an adventure is always around the corner. Bursting with life and feeling, both the people and the land come alive in a tale interwoven with Mexican-American identity, experience, and history. The Street Belongs to Us is a story of family, friendship, and unconditional acceptance, even when it breaks your heart.
Karleen Pendleton Jiménez wrote Are You a Boy or a Girl? (Lammy finalist), and the The Street Belongs to Us (Red Cedar Book Awards 2022-2023 shortlist). She teaches education, gender, and social justice at Trent University. Raised in Los Angeles, she lives in Toronto with her partner and daughter.
In the Key of Us
Thirteen-year-old Andi feels stranded after the loss of her mother, the artist who swept color onto Andi’s blank canvas. When she is accepted to a music camp, Andi finds herself struggling to play her trumpet like she used to before her whole world changed. Meanwhile, Zora, a returning camper, is exhausted trying to please her parents, who are determined to make her a flute prodigy, even though she secretly has a dancer’s heart.
At Harmony Music Camp, Zora and Andi are the only two Black girls in a sea of mostly white faces. In kayaks and creaky cabins, the two begin to connect, unraveling their loss, insecurities, and hopes for the future. And as they struggle to figure out who they really are, they may just come to realize who they really need: each other.
In the Key of Us is a lyrical ode to music camp, the rush of first love, and the power of one life-changing summer.
Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, author, and educator. She is the author of middle grade novels, For Black Girls Like Me and In the Key of Us, and her debut YA, Forever is Now will be out in May of 2023. Mariama lives in Kentucky with her wife, her sausage dog, Henry and an abundance of plants.
Different Kinds of Fruit
In this funny and hugely heartfelt novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Too Bright to See, a sixth-grader’s life is turned upside down when she learns her dad is trans.
Annabelle Blake fully expects this school year to be the same as every other: same teachers, same classmates, same, same, same. So she’s elated to discover there’s a new kid in town. To Annabelle, Bailey is a breath of fresh air. She loves hearing about their life in Seattle, meeting their loquacious (and kinda corny) parents, and hanging out at their massive house. And it doesn’t hurt that Bailey has a cute smile, nice hands (how can someone even have nice hands?) and smells really good. Suddenly sixth grade is anything but the same. And when her irascible father shares that he and Bailey have something big–and surprising–in common, Annabelle begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. At the same time she starts to realize that her community, which she always thought of as home, might not be as welcoming as she had thought. Together Annabelle, Bailey, and their families discover how these categories that seem to mean so much–boy, girl, gay, straight, fruit, vegetable–aren’t so clear-cut after all.
Kyle Lukoff is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, such as Too Bright To See, When Aidan Became A Brother, and Mermaid Days. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian.
Too Bright to See
It’s the summer before middle school and eleven-year-old Bug’s best friend Moira has decided the two of them need to use the next few months to prepare. For Moira, this means figuring out the right clothes to wear, learning how to put on makeup, and deciding which boys are cuter in their yearbook photos than in real life. But none of this is all that appealing to Bug, who doesn’t particularly want to spend more time trying to understand how to be a girl. Besides, there’s something more important to worry about: A ghost is haunting Bug’s eerie old house in rural Vermont…and maybe haunting Bug in particular. As Bug begins to untangle the mystery of who this ghost is and what they’re trying to say, an altogether different truth comes to light–Bug is transgender.
Kyle Lukoff is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, such as Too Bright To See, When Aidan Became A Brother, and Mermaid Days. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian.
The One Who Loves You The Most
I have never felt like I belonged to my body. Never in the way rhythm belongs to a song or waves belong to an ocean.
It seems like most people figure out where they belong by knowing where they came from. When they look in the mirror, they see their family in their eyes, in their sharp jawlines, in the texture of their hair. When they look at family photos, they see faces of people who look like them. They see faces of people who they’ll look like in the future.
For me, I only have my imagination.
But I’m always trying.
Twelve-year-old Gabriela is trying to find their place in the world. In their body, which feels less and less right with each passing day. As an adoptee, in their all-white family. With their mom, whom they love fiercely and do anything they can to help with her depression. And at school, where they search for friends.
A new year will bring a school project, trans and queer friends, and a YouTube channel that help Gabriela find purpose in their journey. From debut author medina comes a beautifully told story of finding oneself and one’s community, at last.
I’m an Afro-Indigenous , Honduran-American adoptee, nonbinary trans writer. My debut queer contemporary middle-grade book, The One Who Loves You the Most, came out May of 2022 and is narrated by Vico Ortiz via Levine Querido. My book is award winning – 2018 SCBWI Emerging Voices Winner. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Emerson College and hold a dual MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults and Nonfiction from The New School. In addition, I am a 2021 Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Fellow and my work has appeared in Catapult, The Establishment, Bustle, them., Self Magazine and more. For a work for hire project, I’m working on the new Latinx/Latine chapter book series Isla of Adventure from Little Simon and Cupcake Diaries: New Batch Simon Spotlight (forthcoming).
Middletown
Thirteen-year-old Eli likes baggy clothes, baseball caps, and one girl in particular. Her seventeen-year-old sister Anna is more traditionally feminine; she loves boys and staying out late. They are sisters, and they are also the only family each can count on. Their dad has long been out of the picture, and their mom lives at the mercy of her next drink. When their mom lands herself in enforced rehab, Anna and Eli are left to fend for themselves. With no legal guardian to keep them out of foster care, they take matters into their own hands: Anna masquerades as Aunt Lisa, and together she and Eli hoard whatever money they can find. But their plans begin to unravel as quickly as they were made, and they are always way too close to getting caught.
Eli and Anna have each gotten used to telling lies as a means of survival, but as they navigate a world without their mother, they must learn how to accept help, and let other people in.
Sarah Moon has crafted a thoughtful portrait of the Queer middle-grade experience.
Sarah Moon is a writer and a teacher in Brooklyn, NY. She is the author of two novels, Sparrow and Middletown, and co-edited the anthology The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Letters to Their Younger Selves..
The Insiders
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country–and opens the door to a life-changing year full of friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic.
Mark Oshiro (they/them) is the author of the young adult books Anger Is a Gift, winner of the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award, and Each of Us A Desert, an NPR Best Book of 2020. Their middle grade books include The Insiders, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; and You Only Live Once, David Bravo. When not writing, they are trying to achieve their life goal of petting every dog in the world. Mark is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Sun and The Star
Percy Jackson fans, rejoice! Nico and Will have a book of their own!
As the son of Hades, Nico di Angelo has been through so much, from the premature deaths of his mother and sister, to being outed against his will, to losing his friend Jason during the trials of Apollo. But there is a ray of sunshine in his life–literally: his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. Together the two demigods can overcome any obstacle or foe. At least, that’s been the case so far…
Now Nico is being plagued by a voice calling out to him from Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. He thinks he knows who it is: a reformed Titan named Bob whom Percy and Annabeth had to leave behind when they escaped Hades’s realm. Nico’s dreams and Rachel Dare’s latest prophecy leave little doubt in Nico’s mind that Bob is in some kind of trouble. Nico has to go on this quest, whether Mr. D and Chiron like it or not. And of course Will insists on coming with. But can a being made of light survive in the darkest part of the world? and what does the prophecy mean that Nico will have to “leave something of equal value behind?”
Mark Oshiro (they/them) is the author of the young adult books Anger Is a Gift, winner of the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award, and Each of Us A Desert, an NPR Best Book of 2020. Their middle grade books include The Insiders, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; and You Only Live Once, David Bravo. When not writing, they are trying to achieve their life goal of petting every dog in the world. Mark is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
You Only Live Once, David Bravo
Middle school is the worst, especially for David Bravo. He doesn’t have a single class with his best (okay, only) friend, Antoine. He has to give a class presentation about his heritage, but he’s not sure how–or even if–he wants to explain to his new classmates that he’s adopted. After he injures Antoine in an accident at cross-country practice, he just wishes he could do it all over.
He doesn’t expect his wish to summon a talking, shapeshifting, annoying dog, Fea, who claims that a choice in David’s past actually did put him on the wrong timeline… and she can take him back to fix it.
But when their first try (and the second, and the third) is a total disaster, David and Fea are left scrambling through timeline after timeline–on a quest that may lead them to answers in the most unexpected places.
Mark Oshiro (they/them) is the author of the young adult books Anger Is a Gift, winner of the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award, and Each of Us A Desert, an NPR Best Book of 2020. Their middle grade books include The Insiders, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; and You Only Live Once, David Bravo. When not writing, they are trying to achieve their life goal of petting every dog in the world. Mark is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Best At It
Rahul Kapoor is heading into seventh grade in a small town in Indiana. The start of middle school is making him feel increasingly anxious, so his favorite person in the whole world, his grandfather, Bhai, gives him some well-meaning advice: Find one thing you’re really good at and become the BEST at it.
Those four little words sear themselves into Rahul’s brain. While he’s not quite sure what that special thing is, he is convinced that once he finds it, bullies like Brent Mason will stop torturing him at school. And he won’t be worried about staring too long at his classmate Justin Emery. With his best friend, Chelsea, by his side, Rahul is ready to crush this challenge…. But what if he discovers he isn’t the best at anything?
Funny, charming, and incredibly touching, this is a story about friendship, family, and the courage it takes to live your truth.
Maulik Pancholy is the author of the Stonewall Honor-winning The Best at It and the Lambda Literary Award-winning Nikhil Out Loud. He has acted on hit television shows (30 Rock, Only Murders in the Building), animated favorites (Phineas and Ferb, Sanjay and Craig), and cofounded the antibullying nonprofit ActToChange.org.
Nikhil Out Loud
Thirteen-year-old Nikhil Shah is the beloved voice actor for Raj Reddy on the hit animated series Raj Reddy in Outer Space. But being a star on TV doesn’t mean you have everything figured out behind the scenes. . . .
When his mom temporarily moves them to the small town in Ohio where she grew up to take care of Nikhil’s sick grandfather, Nikhil feels as out of orbit as his character.
Nikhil’s fame lands him the lead in the school musical, but he’s terrified that everyone will realize he’s a fraud once they find out he can’t sing. And when a group of conservative parents start to protest, making it clear they’re not happy with an openly gay TV star being in the starring role, Nikhil feels like his life would be easier if only he could be Raj Reddy full-time.
Then Nikhil wakes up one morning and hears a crack in his voice, which means his job playing Raj will have to come to an end. Life on earth is way more complicated than life on television. And some mysteries–like new friendships or a sick grandparent or finding the courage to speak out about what’s right–don’t wrap up neatly between commercial breaks.
Maulik Pancholy is the author of the Stonewall Honor-winning The Best at It and the Lambda Literary Award-winning Nikhil Out Loud. He has acted on hit television shows (30 Rock, Only Murders in the Building), animated favorites (Phineas and Ferb, Sanjay and Craig), and cofounded the antibullying nonprofit ActToChange.org.
As the true Descendant, I command to open
The door to Chidani; it shall be broken
Magic awaits those who seek the queen’s peace
And all the suffering you feel will cease
Those who open the histories will hear a sound
What was lost has finally been found.
Cameron Battle grew up reading The Book of Chidani, cherishing stories about the fabled kingdom that cut itself off from the world to save the Igbo people from danger. Passed down over generations, the Book is Cameron’s only connection to his parents who disappeared one fateful night, two years ago.
Ever since, his grandmother has kept the Book locked away, but it calls to Cameron. When he and his best friends, Zion and Aliyah, decide to open it again, they are magically transported to Chidani. Instead of a land of beauty and wonder, they find a kingdom in extreme danger, as the queen’s sister seeks to destroy the barrier between worlds. The people of Chidani have been waiting for the last Descendant to return and save them . . . is Cameron ready to be the hero they need?
Inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology, this adventurous middle-grade fantasy debut perfect for fans of Aru Shah and Tristan Strong celebrates the triumphs and challenges of a boy finding his truth path to greatness.
Author of the middle grade fantasy series, Cameron Battle, Dr. Jamar J. Perry attended Berea College in Berea, KY, majoring in psychology and English literature and Education. After graduation, Dr. Perry became a middle school teacher in the Washington, D.C. area, hoping to instruct the next generation of scholars, thinkers, and writers. His research interests and writing currently focus on Black boys, the history of traditional and Black masculinity in America, and racial literacy.
Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials
After his first adventure as the Descendant, Cameron can’t sit through seventh grade classes. Especially when his mother is still trapped in Chidani and his father is still missing. But he encounters a particularly nasty bully in his new school, and it doesn’t take long for Cameron and his trusty friends Zion and Aliyah to realize that the troubles of Chidani won’t stay away for long.
With the Book to guide them, Cameron and his crew end up transported to Chidani sooner than anticipated–and the gods and goddesses they encounter don’t intend to make Cameron’s journey easy. Can he finally outwit and outlast the villainous god set on destroying their worlds?
Inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology, this middle-grade fantasy celebrates the triumphs and challenges of a boy finding his path to greatness.
Author of the middle grade fantasy series, Cameron Battle, Dr. Jamar J. Perry attended Berea College in Berea, KY, majoring in psychology and English literature and Education. After graduation, Dr. Perry became a middle school teacher in the Washington, D.C. area, hoping to instruct the next generation of scholars, thinkers, and writers. His research interests and writing currently focus on Black boys, the history of traditional and Black masculinity in America, and racial literacy.
A Child’s Introduction to Pride
The history of the LGBTQIA+ community has often been overlooked, but it’s one that is filled with heroes, struggles, triumph, and joy. A Child’s Introduction to Pride is full of remarkable stories of groundbreaking events and inspirational people, featuring profiles of dozens of queer icons from various time periods and walks of life. Young readers will meet members of the community who have made big contributions to politics–like Harvey Milk and Marsha P. Johnson–as well as important people from the worlds of sports, music, literature, dance, science, and more. Kids will also be introduced to key terms like “gender” and “identity” while learning about the importance of coming out and what it means to be a good ally.
Adam Rippon, Alan L. Hart, Alan Turing, Albert Cashier, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Alexander the Great, Al-Hakam II, Alvin Ailey, Bayard Rustin, Benjamin Banneker, Billie Jean King, Chevalière d’Éon, Christina of Sweden, Christine Jorgensen, Cleve Jones, Ellen DeGeneres, Francisco Manicongo, Frida Kahlo, Frieda Belinfante, Georgina Beyer, Gilbert Baker, Glenn Burke, Greta Garbo, Harvey Milk, James Baldwin, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, José Sarria, Josephine Baker, Juana Inés de la Cruz, Julie d’Aubigny, Lili Elbe, Ma Rainey, Magnus Hirschfeld, Manvendra Singh Gohil, Marsha P. Johnson, Martine Rothblatt, Maryam Khatoon Molkara, Natalie Clifford Barney, Navtej Johar, Nzinga, Pauli Murray, Renée Richards, Rudolf Nureyev, Sally Ride, Simon Nkoli, Stormé DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera, Tshepo Ricki Kgositau, Wen of Han, We’wha.
Sarah Prager is the author of four books on LGBTQIA+ history for young people: Queer, There, and Everywhere; A Child’s Introduction to Pride; Rainbow Revolutionaries; and Kind Like Marsha. She has presented on this topic to over 200 groups across eight countries.
Rainbow Revolutionaries: 50 LGBTQ+ People Who Made History
Rainbow Revolutionaries brings to life the vibrant histories of fifty pioneering LGBTQ+ people from around the world. Through Sarah Prager’s (Queer, There, and Everywhere) short, engaging bios, and Sarah Papworth’s bold, dynamic art, readers can delve into the lives of Wen of Han, a Chinese emperor who loved his boyfriend as much as his people, Martine Rothblatt, a trans woman who’s helping engineer the robots of tomorrow, and so many more!
This book is a celebration of the many ways these heroes have made a difference and will inspire young readers to make a difference, too. Featuring an introduction, map, timeline, and glossary, this must-have biography collection is the perfect read during Pride month and all year round.
Biographies include:
Adam Rippon, Alan L. Hart, Alan Turing, Albert Cashier, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Alexander the Great, Al-Hakam II, Alvin Ailey, Bayard Rustin, Benjamin Banneker, Billie Jean King, Chevalière d’Éon, Christina of Sweden, Christine Jorgensen, Cleve Jones, Ellen DeGeneres, Francisco Manicongo, Frida Kahlo, Frieda Belinfante, Georgina Beyer, Gilbert Baker, Glenn Burke, Greta Garbo, Harvey Milk, James Baldwin, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, José Sarria, Josephine Baker, Juana Inés de la Cruz, Julie d’Aubigny, Lili Elbe, Ma Rainey, Magnus Hirschfeld, Manvendra Singh Gohil, Marsha P. Johnson, Martine Rothblatt, Maryam Khatoon Molkara, Natalie Clifford Barney, Navtej Johar, Nzinga, Pauli Murray, Renée Richards, Rudolf Nureyev, Sally Ride, Simon Nkoli, Stormé DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera, Tshepo Ricki Kgositau, Wen of Han, We’wha.
Sarah Prager is the author of four books on LGBTQIA+ history for young people: Queer, There, and Everywhere; A Child’s Introduction to Pride; Rainbow Revolutionaries; and Kind Like Marsha. She has presented on this topic to over 200 groups across eight countries.
Shakti
A fierce, feminist, and fun middle grade fantasy graphic novel about a twelve-year-old Indian American girl named Shakti who must learn the power of her ancestral magic if she wants to save her family and town from a dangerous curse. Written by Stonewall Honor Book recipient and Lambda Literary Fellow SJ Sindu and illustrated by Nabi H. Ali.
Shakti is used to being the new girl at school. She and her two moms have moved more times than she can count. With her unborn baby brother on the way, Shakti hopes her family has found their forever home in Amherst, Massachusetts, and that she can finally make friends.
On her first day of seventh grade, she meets Xi and they bond over their shared passion for manga (and pizza with mayo). But the three meanest girls in school–Harini, Emily, and Kelly (aka “HEK”)–are determined to make life miserable for Shakti and her new friends.
When Shakti and Xi discover HEK casting spells in the woods, they fear what might happen to the other kids at school. Drawing on ancient Indian magic, Shakti seeks the aid of Durga Ma to stop HEK. But instead, Shakti accidentally conjures Kali Ma, the destroyer–Durga Ma’s dangerous twin. Kali Ma punishes HEK by transforming them into monsters and curses the entire town. As more and more people begin to fall ill, including Shakti’s mom, will Shakti be able to harness her own strength, power, and empathy to save those she loves–and put an end to all the hate?
SJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora author of two literary novels (Marriage of a Thousand Lies and Blue-Skinned Gods), two graphic novels (Shakti and the forthcoming Tall Water), and one collection of short stories (The Goth House Experiment). Sindu is an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.
