Middle grade fantasy/sci fi isn't really a place where sexual relationships flourish, because these are kids, not yet teenagers for the most part, caught up in wild adventures. But still, there are plenty of moments of heterosexual attraction, and it would be great to see more LGBTQ+ characters too! (links go to my review, where applicable, or to Goodreads).
Vivian Lantz's Second Chances, by Kathryn Ormsbee (2023) Time looping helps Vivian (who has two dads) realize that she wants to be Gemma's friend, or even more than friend.
The Insiders, by Mark Oshiro (2021) Héctor Muñoz wonders if there's a place for a gay theater kid at his new school. Magic makes it happen.....and spills over into real life.
Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff (2021) A beautiful ghost story with a young trans protagonist
Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds, by Jeremy Lachlan (2018)
Jane has a very natural (in the sense of a sudden sharp realization of physical attraction such as is natural for older kids), very much unacted on as yet, feeling for Violet, the other main girl character. A quick skim through Goodreads reviews suggests that either the moment this is made explicit is subtle enough so that many readers don't register it, or else it hasn't had much of a US readership....(sigh). I myself am looking forward to the sequel!
Jane has a very natural (in the sense of a sudden sharp realization of physical attraction such as is natural for older kids), very much unacted on as yet, feeling for Violet, the other main girl character. A quick skim through Goodreads reviews suggests that either the moment this is made explicit is subtle enough so that many readers don't register it, or else it hasn't had much of a US readership....(sigh). I myself am looking forward to the sequel!
Cattywampus, by Ash Van Otterloo (2020), a truly fun real-world fantasy, has an intersex main character (which of course isn't the same as being queer, but still deserves mention here, I think.)
And also by Ash Van Otterloo, A Touch of Ruckus (2021)
Lintang and the Pirate Queen, by Tamara Moss (2019 in the US)
Wings of Fire series, by Tui T. Sutherland
Lintang and the Pirate Queen, by Tamara Moss (2019 in the US)
One of the crew of the pirate ship is a trans boy, whose gender identity is so unquestioned that he, like any other boy, is in danger from the lure of the siren.
Anya and the Nightingale, by Sofiya Pasternack (2019)
An important supporting character is a bisexual boy, who has a sweet crush/budding romance with another boy.
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog, by Mary Averling (2024)
A girl struggles to keep her family's Museum of Unnatural History going, not realizing she's a victem of curse until a new girl comes to town on a mission to break it....and they fall in (middle school appropriate) love.
There are lots and lots of dragon characters, and I didn't make notes about all the relationships. Apparently there are 8 clearly identified LGBT dragons....Darkness of Dragons has, I think, the first-- two young girl dragons, Anemone and Tamarin.. They are minor characters in this book, and their relationship is an aside rather than a plot point, but it's there. Having just gone and looked at the Goodreads reviews, it displeased a lot of people that some dragons being gay is a taken for granted thing in this dragon world (another sigh).
Sundew, the pov protagonist of the Poison Jungle (who is more older teen than a 9-12 year old), is in a relationship will another girl dragon, Willow--"And you're still the only dragon for me, too, Willow, light of my life, I promise I will never fall for a beautiful SilkWing and leave you." (Poison Jungle, p 118). I just read, with considerable interest, the Wings of Fire fandom conversation about this, and recommend it for a look at what the fans think about it; the biggest controversy is whether Sundew should be called lesbian (cause she could be bi or pan, and gay would also apply, and Sapphic was offered as a useful alternative), and it lead to the creation of an LGBTQ support group thread, which just goes to show that positive representation in books kids enjoy reading is a good thing for gay (or lesbian or pan or Sapphic kids).
Sundew, the pov protagonist of the Poison Jungle (who is more older teen than a 9-12 year old), is in a relationship will another girl dragon, Willow--"And you're still the only dragon for me, too, Willow, light of my life, I promise I will never fall for a beautiful SilkWing and leave you." (Poison Jungle, p 118). I just read, with considerable interest, the Wings of Fire fandom conversation about this, and recommend it for a look at what the fans think about it; the biggest controversy is whether Sundew should be called lesbian (cause she could be bi or pan, and gay would also apply, and Sapphic was offered as a useful alternative), and it lead to the creation of an LGBTQ support group thread, which just goes to show that positive representation in books kids enjoy reading is a good thing for gay (or lesbian or pan or Sapphic kids).
And then there's Rick Riordan, who has a number of LGBTQ+ characters in his books....
And the Rick Riordan Presents imprint is also adding a bit to this list (thanks Jenna and Hallie for reminding me of these two!)--
Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez. Sal, the main character, is aro
Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee, has an important secondary character who is a non-binary goblin (with a snack conjuring fork....)
And the Rick Riordan Presents imprint is also adding a bit to this list (thanks Jenna and Hallie for reminding me of these two!)--
Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez. Sal, the main character, is aro
Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee, has an important secondary character who is a non-binary goblin (with a snack conjuring fork....)
And two I haven't reviewed yet -- Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom, by Nina Varela, 2023, and Alex Wise vs. the End of the World, by Terry J. Benton-Walker (2023)
I just finished reading Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe. I thought Sal was hinted at being ace/aro in the first book (can't recall if that was confirmed) but he's definitely confirmed as aro in the second book.
ReplyDeleteThe protagonist in The Whispers by Greg Howard is gay. However, it's not really fantasy imo, though it is often labelled as such.
I wish I had more to add! You are right that there is definitely a gap here...
thanks! I need to read both of those.
DeleteOh, yes! I picked that up in the first Sal & Gabi and it made me happy, I'm so tickled to hear that it's actual canon now! (SOME day I will actually get my HANDS on book 2!)
DeleteRick Riordan's Magnus Chase has a non-binary character.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you are putting Tamora Pierce books as YA.
I gave Rick Riordan a general nod; he has several gay and lesbian characters in the Percy Jackson books too! and I haven't (hangs head) actually ever read any Tamora Pierce....
DeleteThere is a character who uses they/them pronouns in Yoon Ha Lee's Dragon Pearl. I know I've seen a few more MGs announced, but not remembering titles right now (or if they're out), so hoping to see this list expand in the next couple of years as books publish. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, thanks for reminding me!
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