Fill your summer reading list with Pride!
June is the perfect time to add fabulous books to your Want-to-Read List, as publishers are releasing shiny new books in time for Pride Month — from memoirs to novels, and picture books to comics. Some of the most interesting releases over the past few years have been in the Young Adult area — books aimed at teenagers — but these are also exciting and relevant to adult readers. There’s nothing quite like a coming-of-age story to stir your feelings, make you laugh or bring new insights to your life.
But how do you know which books to start with? Never fear, Lethbridge Public Library Teenbrarian, Paige McGeorge, is here! Paige has picked some of her favourite new and upcoming books, featuring LGBTQA2S+ writers and characters. There are short stories, comics, a memoir, historical fiction, contemporary romance and even a ghost story. Something on these lists are bound to be perfect for your summer reading — and if not, she’s always ready to make more recommendations!
A few young adult recommendations: All Boys Aren’t Blue (George M. Johnson)
Felix Ever After (Kacen Callender)
The Henna Wars (Adiba Jaigirdar)
Camp (Lev AC. Rosen) Heartstopper (Alice Oseman)
The Fascinators (Andrew Eliopulos)
Cemetery Boys (Aiden Thomas)
You Should See Me in a Crown (Leah Johnson) Belle Révolte (Linsey Miller)
Out Now: Queer We Go Again! (ed. Saundra Mitchell)
The Boy in the Red Dress (Kristin Lambert)
Martin McLean, Middle School Queen (Alyssa Zaczek)
Picture books to share with younger readers, or to brighten up any book lover’s day:
The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish (Lil Miss Hot Mess)
Plenty of Hugs (Fran Manushkin) Uncle Bobby’s Wedding (Sarah S. Brannen)
Pride 1 2 3 (Michael Joosten)
The One and Only Dylan St. Claire (Kamen Edwards)
Ho’onani: Hula Warrior (Heather Gale) When Aidan Became a Brother (Kyle Lukoff)
And, for those looking for more adult fare, we have a selection of newly published memoirs, novels and comics just for you:
Untamed (Glennon Doyle)
The Subtweet (Vivek Shraya)
A History of My Brief Body (Billy-Ray Belcourt)
The Groom Will Keep His Name (Matt Ortile)
Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby) The Prettiest Star (Carter Sickels)
The Fire Never Goes Out (Noelle Stevenson)
Under the Rainbow (Celia Laskey) Vanishing Monuments ( John Elizabeth Stintzi)
Out North: An Archive of Queer Activism and Kinship in Canada (Craig Jennex)
This Town Sleeps (Dennis E. Staples) The Art of Drag (Jake Hall)
All of these titles are available to place on hold for curbside pickup at the Lethbridge Public Library, or to borrow as eBooks from our digital collections. Visit www.lethlib.ca for more information. Happy Pride, and happy reading!