Bibliography of LGBT Themed Books and Videos for Youth

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NON-FICTION

Becoming Visible: A Reader in Gay and Lesbian History for High School & College Students ed. by Kevin Jennings A comprehensive overview of LGBT history designed to supplement U.S. and other history curricula, complete with classroom activities and discussion questions.

Free Your Mind by Ellen Bass and Kate Kaufman A practical resource guide that helps LGBT youth and their allies understand, accept, and celebrate their sexual orientation; overcome obstacles; and make healthy choices about relationships and sex.

Growing Up Gay/Growing up Lesbian: A Literary Anthology ed. by Bennett Singer This first-ever literary anthology geared specifically to gay/lesbian youth; includes more than fifty stories by James Baldwin, Rita Mae Brown, Jeanette Winterson, Audre Lorde, and others.

In Your Face--Stories From the Lives of Queer Youth by Mary L. Gray In Your Face is a timely collection of first-person accounts of the lives of sexual minority youth.

Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology by Amy Sonnie A literary anthology by and for queer and questioning youth with the writings and artwork of over 50 people ages 14-26.

What If Someone I Know Is Gay? Answers to Questions About Gay and Lesbian People by Eric Marcus No-nonsense answers for kids who have questions about gay people, including: "Does a person just decide to become gay?" and "Does God love gay people?" FICTION

Am I Blue? Coming Out From the Silence ed. by Marion Dane Bauer This collection of stories of growing up gay or lesbian, or with gay or lesbian parents or friends, features works by Lois Lowry, Francesca Lia Block, Bruce Coville, Jane Yolen, and others.

Deliver Us From Evie by M.E. Kerr Her mom is always nagging Evie to act and dress more feminine. When Evie falls in love with Patty, Evie's parents say "it's just a phase" that she'll snap out. But she has always been aware of her sexuality.

Empress of the World by Sarah Ryan 15-year-old Nicola is spending the summer at an institute for gifted youth, where she falls in love with Battle, a lovely dancer. Her feelings for Battle cause a break-up that sends Battle off with a guy.

Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block Meet movie stars, rock stars, pond nymphs, and intergalactic superheroes in this collection of short stories about love: straight, gay, familial and otherworldly.

Love Rules by Marilyn Reynolds Kit decides to come out of the closet and live openly while still in high school. As her best friend struggles to understand Kit, she becomes increasingly aware of the tragic effects of injustice

Lucky in the Corner by Carol Anshaw A newly-uncloseted lesbian mother and her uncomprehending, difficult teenage daughter are the protagonists of this novel about family life and growing up by a two-time Lambda Award finalist.

The Misfits by James Howe Skeezie, Addie, Joe and Bobby are best friends trying to survive the seventh grade in the face of all too frequent taunts based on their weight, height, intelligence, and sexual orientation/gender expression.

Name Me Nobody by Lois Ann Yamanaka At 14, Emi-Lou feels like a "white whale," and a "dorky Jap nobody." Her mother left her, but she's been raised by her tough, loving grandmother, and her greatest support is her best friend, Yvonne. No Big Deal by Ellen Jaffe McClain Exploring the issue of LGBT teachers, No Big Deal is the story of a school as well as an entire town divided by the issue of homosexuality.

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez Three very different high school boys develop crushes, explore friendships, fight for a safer school and discover love in this candid debut novel.

The Year They Burned the Books by Nancy Garden When Jamie writes an editorial for her high school paper in favor of condom distribution and open discussion of homosexuality, she becomes embroiled in a community-wide controversy.

VIDEOS De Colores, produced by Peter Barbosa This 28-minute bilingual documentary explores how Latina/o families and communities are replacing the deep roots of homophobia with love and tolerance.

Dealing With Difference: Opening Dialogue About Lesbian, Gay and Straight Issues, produced by Human Relations Media & GLSEN This video combines dramatizations of anti-LGBT harassment in school with panel discussions amongst teens about their experiences. Comes with a teacher’s guide.

In Other Words, produced by the National Film Board of Canada and directed by Jan Padgett This film uses slang, media images and dictionary definitions to examine how language determines our attitudes towards others; young LGBT people speak about their fears, concerns, anger and pain.

Just Call Me Kade, produced by Sam Zolten This film documents the journey and transition of Kade Farlow Collins, a 16-year-old FTM (female to male transgender person) and his family over two years.

No Dumb Questions, produced by Melissa Regan This documentary profiles three sisters, ages 6, 9, and 11, struggling to understand why and how their Uncle Bill is becoming a woman.

Off the Straight and Narrow, produced by Media Education Foundation This documentary explores the social implications of the growth of gay images on TV through interviews with leading media scholars.

Oliver Button is a Star, produced by Dan Hunt Based on Tomie de Paola’s classic children’s book, this film combines animation, celebrity childhood stories, interviews and choral music in a story about a boy who is ridiculed for being interested in singing and dancing rather than more "boyish" pursuits. Out of the Past, by A Film by Jeff Dupre The history-making experience of a Utah student battling to form a gay-straight alliance in her public school serves as a modern counterpoint to the history of a Human Rights movement. The struggles and triumphs of Bayard Rustin, Barbara Gittings, and other activists are also profiled in this powerful film.

Trevor, a Film by Peggy Rajski and presented by Ellen Degeneres Told narratively as diary entries, the film follows 13-year-old Trevor, who is ostracized for being gay and ultimately attempts suicide, when a young, supportive inspires Trevor to live.

Youth OUTLoud!: Addressing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth Issues in Our Schools, by Sun & Moon Vision Productions This documentary chronicles the stories of several LGBT youth in high school, highlighting the surge of youth activism that initiates change from local school district policies to state and federal laws.