Queer Youth Booklist
There are many amazing books that focus on 2SLGBTQ+ identity to stock your library with! At Canvas, we’ve put together a list of books divided by grade that you and/or your child can read.
Primary (Kindergarten to Grade 3)
Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Julián is a young boy who longs to become a mermaid and walk in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade.
Stars I am Jazz by Jazz Jennings
Jazz is a young transgender girl who shares the story of her life with her friends and family.
When Aiden Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff
Aiden is a young transgender boy who prepares for the arrival of a new sibling.
Keesha’s South African Adventure by Cheril N. Clarke & Monica Bey-Clarke
Keesha and her two moms take an exciting trip to visit her new favourite place, South Africa!
Stonewall: A Building, an Uprising, a Revolution by Rob Sanders
Keesha and her two moms take an exciting trip to visit her new favourite place, South Africa!
Junior (Grade 4 to Grade 6)
The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy
The ups and downs of a family of four boys and their two dads.
Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker
The story of a young trans girl who comes into her own as she works to solve a cyber mystery.
Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
A young female drummer falls for another girl while away at rock n’ roll band camp.
Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender
A lonely and bullied 12 year old girl develops a crush on a new girl at school while searching for the mother who abandoned her.
The Whispers by Greg Howard
A young boy and his best friend embark on an adventure to find wish-granting fairies in the hopes of asking for his mother to return.
Intermediate (Grade 7 to 10)
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
A high school basketball player falls for her nemesis, a beautiful and popular cheerleader.
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
On his first ever trip to Iran, a young man falls for the boy next door who helps him feel more connected to his family’s culture than ever before.
Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson
Two young women with opposing motives fight to survive an approaching catastrophic flood.
Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon
An exploration of the gender binary and what lies beyond it by the gender nonconforming author.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
The story of an inseparable twin brother and sister, the events that tear them apart and the ways in which they eventually find forgiveness.
Senior (Grade 11 & 12)
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
A young lesbian woman comes out to her family, moves across the country to live her dreams and hopefully find herself in the process.
10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac
An anxiety-ridden young woman is sent to live with her father in Vancouver and is charmed by a carefree girl as her own life grows more chaotic.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
A young aristocrat in the 1700’s embarks on a quest to live life to the fullest alongside his younger sister and his unrequited crush.
History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
The death of his ex-boyfriend sends a young man into a self-destructive spiral that he must fight to escape by confronting his past.
Luna by Julie Anne Peters
The story of a transgender girl’s struggle for self-identity and acceptance with the support of her sister.)
Canvas is a registered charity in Ontario that provides empathy-based education on 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and consent. Each year, we run programming for over 10,000 youth and youth-serving adults, making communities safer and more inclusive.
This pride month, please support us in creating a society free from homophobia and transphobia through innovative, empathy-based education. Your donation makes a difference in the lives of 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
