It’s summertime, and many families are about to spend a whole lot more time together than they do during the rest of the year. What better time to search out the best LGBTQ+ audiobooks for the whole family? Road trips, days by the pool, and even sweltering afternoons hunkered down in the AC can all be improved by an excellent audiobook playing in the background.
Why LGBTQ+ audiobooks? Whyever not? My own kids are moving out of middle school and into the nebulous teenage world. Through their stories and the conversations they report overhearing, I’m confronted with an uncomfortable truth. For all our “progress,” human beings often default to small minds, and the need to normalize some people being themselves and other people minding their business is not going to go away. LGBTQ+ books (and representation) are crucial for queer kids and families, but they are needed as windows into other worlds for all kids, full stop. So make it easy: listen to one of these books with the fam this summer! They’re great for everyone.
Obie Is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar
Obie Is Man Enough is a coming-of-age story about identity, athleticism, and the sweetness of first crushes. Following Obie’s transition, he’s adjusting to his new swim team and dealing with bullies, doubt, and new expectations. Written by transgender Division I swimmer Schuyler Bailar, this story is full of important representation in the realms of competitive sports and transgender tweens. The publisher lists the age range as 9-12, and some reviewers point out instances of bullying and hurtful language. These are crucial to the story, but it’s nice to have the heads up.
Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee
Set against a middle school production of Romeo and Juliet, Star-Crossed showcases a girl named Mattie who is balancing the excitement of being in the play with the confusion of having a crush on both a girl and a boy. This is a low-stakes, optimistic queer story. The publisher lists the age range as 9-13.
The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu
Sports and pageant dresses and Kyle Casey Chu! I was instantly intrigued by the comparisons to Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’. Beauty queens disrupting social norms is a plot that never gets old. The Queen Bees of Tybee County takes a fresh look at the story when the star of the middle school boys’ basketball team is introduced to the world of pageants while spending the summer away from home. He likes what he sees! Is he ready to show the world? The publisher lists the age range as 8-12.
Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne
Like many spectacular middle grade books, Noah Frye has first crushes, summer camp scenes, and plenty of rumination on the changing feelings that happen as a friend group reaches tween-hood. Noah feels like she can barely keep up when her friends become obsessed with boys, and before she knows it, she’s said she has a boy crush of her own! Can the scientific method help her grow feelings that outweigh the way she feels about her friend Jessa? The publisher lists the age range as 8-12.
Looking for more great queer middle grade books? Check out this list by Margaret Kingsbury. Happy Pride, and happy reading!
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