The list includes includes dozens of fiction and non-fiction books from picture books through young adult titles, selected by the Rainbow Book List Committee of the American Library Association’s GLBT Round Table.
The goal of the list is to help young people find “quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content.” Additionally, it is meant to assist librarians in developing their collections and advising readers. I’d add that it’s also a great resource for parents!
This year, the committee said, it evaluated nearly 270 books from small, independent, and large publishers. There are 53 on the final list, from 24 publishers, including the two winners of this year’s Stonewall Book Award — Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award, and three Honor Book runners-up. (The committee’s website seems incorrect: it says 47 plus three Stonewall winners—but there were five Stonewall winners and that would only add up to 52 in any case.)
The committee observed this about the latest crop:
The committee members would like to note the wider representation of the queer spectrum this year, including more asexual, gender queer, and biromantic characters as well as polyamorous relationships; however, there was a distinct drop in bisexual/pansexual representation. Middle grade fiction books, as well as high-quality non-fiction continue to be sparse. Homelessness, which disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ youth, also continues to be a scarcely addressed, but sorely needed, subject. While there has been an increase in diversity of characters as well as characters of various intersectionalities, the numbers still remain small on the whole.
I’d add that among picture books, gender identity was the prevailing theme. And only one out of the five featured a family with LGBTQ parents, the theme that dominated LGBTQ-inclusive picture books for many years. It’s great to see an expansion of themes—and I’d love to see even more in coming years.
The committee also indicated its Top Ten choices. “books of exceptional queer representation and literary merit to receive particular commendation”:
Picture Books
- Ismail, Yasmeen. I’m a Girl.
- Walton, Jessica. Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship
.
Young Adult Fiction
- Cassidy, Yvonne. How Many Letters are in Goodbye?
- Hutchinson, Shaun David. We Are the Ants.
- McGuire, Seanan. Every Heart a Doorway.
- McLemore, Anna-Marie. When the Moon Was Ours.
- Nowlin, Laura. This Song Is (Not) for You.
- Tilahun, Na’amen Gobert. The Root.
- White, Kiersten. And I Darken.
Graphic Novel
- O’Neill, Katie. Princess Princess Ever After.
For those of you who like a bit of history, here’s my interview with librarian Nel Ward, inaugural chair of the Rainbow List committee, back in 2008 when the List first launched.
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