Sometimes, all you really want to do is have a little break from everything and read some kids’ books. This is, I’m sure, a relatable feeling for us all. Like with most other age ranges, 2023 is sure to be a bumper crop of LGBT middle grade and picture books, starting with the 61 MG books and 16 picture books we have below. Undoubtedly this number will grow, but here’s a first look at what the year has in store!
And, if you’re looking, you can find the releases posts for 2022 and 2021 here and here!
MIDDLE GRADE
World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky (m/m parents)
I Got You Babe by Paul Coccia (gay mc)
Glitter Boy by Ian Eagleton (gay mc, gay side characters)
Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials by Jamar J. Perry (Black gay mc)
Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela (f/f)
Adventure in the Floating Mountains by L. D. Lapinski (lesbian mc, trans mc, nonbinary side character)
Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros (Jewish achillean mc)
The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson (trans mc)
The Curse at Witch Camp by Madeline McGrane (nonbinary mc, side f/f)
Izzy at the End of the World by K.A. Reynolds (bi mc)
The Sister Split by Auriane Desombre (sapphic mc)
Camp QUILTBAG by Nicole Melleby & A.J. Sass* (lesbian mc, nonbinary mc)
Pilar Ramirez and the Curse of San Zenon by Julian Randall (sapphic mc)
Club Kick Out! by Steph Mided (nonbinary character, side f/f parents)
She Persisted: Rachel Levine by Lisa Bunker, Chelsea Clinton & Alexandra Boiger (biography)
Almond, Quartz, and Finch by Lisa Bunker (nonbinary aroace mc, trans mcs)
Hex Americana by Bree D. Wolf (achillean mc)
Eli Over Easy by Phil Stamper (gay mc)
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow (trans mc)
The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill (lgbt characters)
City of Secrets by Alex London (nonbinary characters)
Jamie by L.D. Lapinski (nonbinary mc)
Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley (nonbinary bi mc, Black gay side character, bi side character)
Starting from Scratch by Jazz Taylor (f/f parents, nonbinary character)
The First Shadowdragon by Lee Newbery (m/m parents)
Drew LeClair Crushes the Case by Katryn Bury (bi mc)
Grace Needs Space! by Benjamin A. Wilgus & Rii Abrego (f/f parents)
Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley & Lisa Bunker (trans mc)
Sam Makes a Splash by Nicole Melleby (f/f parents)
Marina in the Middle by Nicole Melleby (f/f parents)
Freddie Mercury by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vergara & Ruby Taylor (biography)
Code Red by Joy McCullough (trans character)
The Ever Storms by Amanda Foody (bi mc)
The Afterlife of the Party by Darcy Marks (bi mc)
Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge (nonbinary mc)
The Problem With Gravity by Michelle Mohrweis (sapphic mcs)
Fox Snare by Yoon Ha Lee (nonbinary mc)
Basil & Oregano by Melissa Capriglione (f/f)
The Beautiful Something Else by Ash Van Otterloo (nonbinary mc)
Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon (nonbinary mc)
The Song of Us by Kate Fussner (f/f)
Matteo by Michael Leali (gay mc)
The Puttermans Are in the House by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman (Jewish gay mc)
Fall of the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (gay mcs)
Away With Words by Sophie Cameron (m/m parents)
Shakti by SJ Sindu & Nabi H. Ali (f/f parents)
The Dog Knight by Jeremy Whitley & Bre Indigo (nonbinary mc)
Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson (Black sapphic mc)
A Child’s Introduction to Pride by Sarah Prager & Caitlin O’Dwyer (nonfiction)
Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dåsnes (sapphic mc)
Ghost Girl by Brooke Carter & Alyssa Waterbury (nonbinary mc)
Rebel Girls Celebrate Pride: 25 Tales of Self-Love and Community by Rebel Girls & Elena Favilli (history)
Gender Rebels by Katherine Locke & Shanee Benjamin (history)
Second Chance Summer by Sarah Kapit (sapphic mc)
Skip! by Sarah Burgess (nonbinary mc)
Green by Alex Gino (nonbinary mc)
Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Tegan Quin & Sara Quin (nonfiction)
Just Like Everyone Else by Sarah Hagger-Holt (gay mc, side m/m)
Sweet & Bitter Rivals by Jessica Burkhart (f/f)
Will on the Inside by Andrew Eliopulos (gay mc with Crohn’s disease)
Wednesday Wilson Connects the Dots by Bree Galbraith & Morgan Goble (f/f parents)
Vivian Lantz’s Second Chances by Kathryn Ormsbee (bi mc)
Tales From Beyond the Rainbow by Pete Jordi Wood (trans mc, genderfluid mc, m/m)
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend by Lizzie Huxley-Jones (lgbt characters)
Buzzing by Samuel Sattin & Rye Hickman (gay mc with OCD)
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow (Jewish sapphic mc)
In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (sapphic mc)
Rise of the Undead by Rex Ogle (m/m parents)
The Showdown by Jessica Burkhart (f/f)
Galaxy Jones and the Space Pirates by Briana McDonald (m/m parents)
The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan (nonbinary mc, f/f parents)
Some Assembly Required by Cory McCarthy (nonbinary mc)
Gender Identity for Kids by Andy Passchier (nonfiction)
The Nameless Witch by Natalie C. Parker (f/f)
Gallowgate by K.R. Alexander (achillean mc)
The Unsleeping Witch by Alexandra Overy (sapphic mc)
Nell of Grumbling by Emma Steinkellner (m/m parents)
The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans (nonbinary mc)
Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend by Ben Kahn (nonbinary mc)
The Mossheart’s Promise by Rebecca Mix (sapphic mc)
Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow (m/m parents)
The Sundae Delivery Service by Holly Rivers (f/f parents)
Alex Wise vs the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker (gay mc)
Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost by Esme Symes-Smith (nonbinary mc, bi dad, m/m parents)
Drawn to Change the World by Emma Reynolds (biography)
Forsooth by Jimmy Matejek-Morris (gay mc)
You Owe Me One, Universe by Chad Lucas (gay mc)
The Secret of the Reaping by Kalynn Bayron (nonbinary mc)
PICTURE BOOKS
Maisie’s Blueprints by Sharon Leya (f/f parents)
Courage in Her Cleats by Kim Chaffee & Alexandra Badiu (nonfiction)
No One Owns the Colors by Gianna Davy & Brenda Rodriguez (agender mc)
Out of the Blue by Robert Tregoning & Stef Murphy (gay mc)
Harvey Milk by Safia Amor, trans. by Ruth Diver (nonfiction)
Grandad’s Pride by Harry Woodgate (gay grandad)
David Hockney by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara & Ana Albero (nonfiction)
It’s Pride, Baby! by Allen Wells & India Valle (lgbt cast)
ABC-Deconstructing Gender by Ashley Molesso & Chess Needham (lgbt cast)
The Wishing Flower by A. J. Irving & Kip Alizadeh (sapphic mc)
The Fairest in the Land by Lesléa Newman & Joshua Heinsz (gnc mc)
The Frog’s Kiss by James Mayhew & Toto (m/m)
Door by Door by Meeg Pincus & Meridth McKean Gimbel (nonfiction)
Molly’s Tuxedo by Vicki Johnson (gnc mc)
Our Wish for You by Dano Moreno & Ryan O’Rourke (m/m parents)
To See Clearly: A Portrait of David Hockney by Evan Turk (nonfiction)
Simply Skye by Pamela Morgan & Heather Bell (nonbinary mc)
Cinder & Ella by Barbara Slade & Lucia Soto (f/f)
The Gender Book by Cassandra Jules Corrigan (studies & theory)
My Culture, My Gender, Me by by Cassandra Jules Corrigan (history)
Salma Writes a Book by Danny Ramadan & Anna Bron (gay uncle)
My Brother George by Zoey & Kelly Allen & Tara O’Brien (gnc mc)
Rory’s Room of Rectangles by Ian Eagleton & Jessica Knight (m/m parents)
Millie’s Big Decision by Ian Eagleton & Max Rambaldi (m/m parents)
The Small and Tall Ball by Frank J. Sileo (m/m parents)
Pride Families by Amie Taylor & Kaspa Clarke (lgbt families)
Be You Bravely by Jan Moore (trans mc)
Little Lenny Gets His Horns by Remi Recchia & Victoria Garcia-Boswell (trans mc)
Mehndi Boy by Zain Bandali & Jani Balakumar (achillean mc)
Daddy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Family Holiday Tales by Katie L Carroll & Phoebe Cho (m/m parents)
Not He or She, I’m Me by A.M. Wild & Kah Yangni (nonbinary mc)
*Please note: It has come to our attention that A. J. Sass plans to partake in a trip to Isr*el, thus legitimising an apartheid state. We do not feel we can support someone who disregards Palestinian lives in such a manner, however we have kept this book on the list as Sass is not the sole author of it.
Please note: an earlier version of this post included a book by Deke Moulton. It has recently been brought to our attention that they are a Zionist and, as such, we will not be supporting them going forward.
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