YA Graphic Novels for Pride!
Our graphic novel collection at Caledon Public Library is one of my favourites! It’s also the most popular collection amongst our teen readers! Given the recent popularity surrounding the Netflix adaptation of Heartstopper, I figured what better way to celebrate Pride than by highlighting some of the other awesome 2SLGBTQ+ focused graphic novels available at CPL!
Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn’t seem so stifling anymore. But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they’re each trying to hide will find its way to the surface…whether Morgan is ready or not.
This anthology is filled with dozens of comics about LGBTQIA experiences, ranging from personal stories to queer history to cutting satire about pronoun panic and brands desperate to co-opt pride. I learned so much from reading this book, and delighted in the wide variety of stories and experiences being told in the comic format!
A transgender teen named Ryo finds an escape from the expectations and anxieties of his daily life in the world of street fashion. This personal, heartfelt, fictional story from a transgender manga creator made waves in Japan and will inspire readers all over the world!
In this warmhearted romantic comedy, mistaken identity leads to a blossoming romance between two boys.
Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she’s written the name of another boy—Ida—on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!
Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian starting her senior year of high school who’s under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend Bebe is a people-pleaser–a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life to keep their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped up social pressures (not to mention micro aggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they’d lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them.
While this graphic novel is technically in our adult collection, teens will find a lot to relate to in this sweet story about trying to find the right career path, and falling in love. Ben, a newly graduated English major, is starting to feel a little panicky. He’s gone on 17 interviews for various writing, editing, and blogging positions with no takers, and his graduation money is almost gone. Spotting a “help wanted” sign in the window of restaurant, Ben applies and is hired on the spot—provided he can complete four cooking challenges, that is. With the help and encouragement of Liam, the super cute sous chef , Ben starts to really love working in the kitchen. As long as his parents don’t find out that he’s not working as a writer, everything should be just fine…..
Looking for even more 2SLGBTQ+ graphic novel suggestions? Check out this list through our online catalogue!
