Book Recs: LGBT YA books with supportive parents

If there is one thing I care about deeply when it comes to YA literature, it’s supportive parents. I firmly believe that at least in fiction, LGBT kids deserve only the best. And nothing can be more formative than your parents being perfectly fine with who you are (as they always should be!) & allowing you to grow up with love and confidence.

So this is why this rec list got made. Because as much as I personally adore supportive parents, it’s still not the opinion shared by majority and books featuring them are scarce. All the more reasons to appreciate them!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Goodreads
Rep: Mexican-American gay mc, Mexican-American bi li

Why Should I Read It?

You didn’t think I could make a rec list like this and not start it with Ari & Dante, did you? I love everything Dante’s parents do in this book, including the coming out scene. Actually, that’s my favourite thing they do. I love that scene, I think it’s beautiful and makes perfect sense, and only shows how much Dante’s parents love him. And that is exactly the kind of support I am looking for here.

Running With Lions

Julian Winters
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, Pakistani-British Muslim gay li, Black gay side character, gay side character, poc side characters

Why Should I Read It?

Are you in need of a sweet, summery romance? Here’s your book. It’s not only packed with cute scenes and a superb found family who all love & protect each other fiercely, it also features a wonderful mother who’s soft with her bisexual son and only ever wishes him the best. Something of a dream coming true.

Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live

Sacha Lamb
Goodreads
Rep: gay trans Jewish mc, gay trans li, side wlw trans character, side wlw character

Why Should I Read It?

This short story (which you can read for free here), took the concept of supportive parents and said “I can do you one better”. So it gave us a mom who might not have a lot of time but has a lot of love for her son; it gave us sapphic parents who have not a single problem with correct pronouns and who love not only their son, but his boyfriend as well. I know, I know, it basically sounds too good to be true, and yet!

Monster of the Week

F.T. Lukens
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc with anxiety, Latino (half-Puerto Rican) gay li, sapphic side character, Easter European side character
Tw: panic attacks, absent parent, homophobia

Why Should I Read It?

Yes, I’m reccing a book with a tw for an absent parent, and the second part of a duology on top of that… (Feel free to read the first one first I suppose?). But hear me out. The mom here? She’s loving and supportive enough that any absent father would dream of being like her. And as a bonus, the mc has a boss who’s a great, supportive father figure for him.

Only Mostly Devastated

Sophie Gonzales
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, bi Venezuelan li, bi side character, plus-sized poc side character, poc side characters
Tw: cancer, off-page death, homophobia, biphobia, fatphobia

Why Should I Read It?

One of my new favourite books, so of course it’s here. But it’s not just a great retelling of Greese, it’s also a book with very complicated family relationships. And other kinds of relationships, but we’re here to talk about parents, right. Ollie’s parents know he’s gay, his aunt knows he’s gay, they gossip about boys. It’s amazing. I also love that the book shows different kinds of relationships one might have with parents, and how parents might suddenly change when something groundbreaking happens.

I Knew Him

Abigail de Niverville
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, gay mixed-race Filipino li, lesbian side character, gay side characters

Why Should I Read It?

First of all, this book is magical for being very loud about how you don’t owe it to anyone to come out, and especially don’t have to do it if you’re not feeling safe. It’s also super cute when it comes to the parents: Julian’s father is gay himself and he literally couldn’t be more supportive of his son and his son’s boyfriend. It’s also really great to see the other side of the coin, with Julian coming to accept his dad being gay.

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them

Junauda Petrus
Goodreads
Rep: Black lesbian mcs (one Trinidadian), Black Muslim sc, Black cast & other wlw side characters
TW: homophobia & child abuse (ch.3)

Why Should I Read It?

If you’re looking for a book with good parents (and not so good parents), but also you want gorgeous writing and most of all, you want to cry – this is the book for you. While Mabel’s parents are just very soft and loving, Audre’s case is more difficult. But still, her father just wants his daughter to be happy, and ultimately, this is what we’re all looking for here, right?

How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom

S.J. Goslee
Goodreads
Rep: adopted gay mc, bi Jewish li, poc lesbian side character

Why Should I Read It?

Let me preface this by saying: yes, this is a fake dating story. Done well. And now we can move on to Nolan’s parents who adopted him kinda late, but love him very much. Just like his older sister. Actually, the family interactions here are something of a wonder, it’s so sweet and loving, and fun! No one could ask for more.

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza

Shaun David Hutchinson
Goodreads
Rep: bi Cuban-American mc, sapphic li, Muslim ace (questioning) side character

Why Should I Read It?

If you’ve read something by Hutchinson before, you know what kind of Weird you’re about to get yourself into. If you haven’t, just go for it and don’t try to decide if it’s sci-fi or contemporary. Anyway. Elena’s mom is supportive in more ways than just accepting her bisexuality. Although they literally have a conversation where the mother asks about a girl and then about a boy, and offers to buy condoms. Elena’s mom is just here for her miracle daughter, whatever it might be that Elena needs.

The Scapegracers

Hannah Abigail Clarke
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc, wlw li, Black sapphic mc, Chinese American bi mc, mlm side characters

Why Should I Read It?

A book about teenage gay witches. Yes, I know I already got your attention! But imagine this, it gets better! There’s a wonderful found family, which is to say a witch coven. And Sideways has absolutely amazing dads. What lesbian doesn’t dream of her parents not only totally accepting her when it comes to her sexuality, but also when she announces she’s gonna do some magic?

Fanfik

Natalia Osińska
Goodreads
Rep: trans gay mc, gay li

Why Should I Read It?

Yes, I’m including an eleventh book and yes, it’s only available in Polish. It’s my blog post. But listen, Tosiek’s father? He didn’t even understand what was going on with his child at first, but even then, he just wanted Tosiek to be safe and sound. And happy. The best part is, though, how much he grows throughout the story (this is actually only part one of a trilogy), how wonderful he becomes. How he teaches other parents to be better, how he’s good even with kids who aren’t his. I feel very protective of Mr Marcin.

Who is your favourite supportive parent?

And if you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting me on ko-fi.