LGBT Books for Teens

Today there's a fantastic article on MSNBC.com about a high school sophomore who sought out books told from the viewpoint of teens with whom he could identify--teens who, like him, are gay. It also notes how difficult it was for him to find these titles.

If you, a friend, or a librarian are looking for some great reads, start with some of the books mentioned in the article (I'm a huge fan of Julie Anne Peters and Brent Hartinger, myself!)

Ever since Royally Jacked was published--the first in a series of three comedic books in which the teenaged main character learns her mom is gay, struggles with it, accepts it, and then embraces it--I've gotten tons of requests from teens asking for other titles which feature gay characters, or about characters who learn a close friend or relative is gay. Some requests I get ask about comedies, some readers are looking for more serious reads, but either way, I think the titles and authors mentioned in the article are a great place to start.

What discoveries have you made? Any books about or featuring LGBT characters you'd recommend? Insightful, funny, romantic, scary, doesn't matter--just toss out your suggestions!

World Spirit

While you're shopping online for 2010 World Cup T-shirts (I'm partial to the Italian and American team shirts, myself!), check out the website for Out Of Print Clothing, which offers T-shirts sporting covers of classic books. Popular titles include The Catcher in the Rye, Catch-22, Moby Dick, Tales of the Jazz Age, Atlas Shrugged, and Lolita.

My favorite aspect of the company is that they actively work to promote reading around the world. They partner with Books In Africa to ensure that for each T-shirt sold, a book is donated to a community in need in one of 45 nations.

The World Cup kicks off today in South Africa. Supporting education efforts across our global community is a great way to celebrate!