About the Booksellers
We encourage folks to support their local bookstore whenever possible. For quick reference, we've included links where you can view and purchase books from a small Maine bookstore (hello hello books).
hello hello books is an independently-owned bookstore located in downtown Rockland, Maine and has set up their website to include these booklists for easy ordering. hello hello is also a proud supporter of OUT Maine. Clicking the logo below brings you to hello hello's OUT Maine booklist page in its online store.
About Chris by Nina Benedetto (2015)
“This story affirms the dignity and self-worth of a child who knows that he is a boy despite the fact that his body is female. Chris’s story portrays his determination to be his true self, and the lesson his teacher learns. May this lesson open hearts and minds!”
Better Nate than Ever by Tim Federle (2014)
“Nate plans an overnight escape to New York for an open casting call for E.T. The Musical, knowing this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.”
Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope by Jodie Patterson (2021)
“Penelope knows that he’s a boy (and a ninja.) The problem isgetting everyone else to realize it. In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson’s adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope’s frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope’s experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you are.”
Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker (2017)
“When Felix Yz was three he was accidentally fused with a fourth-dimensional being. Now he’s on the brink of a risky procedure that will free him. With an awkward crush on a boy at school, a gender-fluid grandparent, and a Bi mom, family, bullying, and identity are woven into the story.”
George by Alex Gino (2015)
“When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl. George wants to play Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web. Will she be able to?”
Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky (2016)
“Grayson has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: “he” is a girl on the inside. Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher’s wisdom be enough to help Grayson?”
I Am Billie Jean King (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer (2019)
“In this illustrated picture book biography, young readers learn about Billy Jean King and her journey to become a world champion tennis player AND a champion for women’s rights. She’s a great role model for girls, those who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and anyone who feels like the world doesn’t take them seriously and is out to prove them wrong.”
I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings (2014)
“I Am Jazz explores Jennings’ struggle with having “a girl brain but a boy body,” and her family’s confusion over and acceptance of her gender identity.”
It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn (2019)
“Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between. A straightforward exploration of gender identity, providing young readers and adults with the vocabulary to discuss the topic with sensitivity.”
Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (2018)
“While in the subway with his Abuela, Julián sees three women spectacularly dressed up and he wants to dress up just like them, but what will his Abuela think? A story about the power of being seen and affirmed.”
Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk! by Greg Howard (2020)
“Another excellent middle-grade novel from the author of The Whispers, this book follows entrepreneurial 12-year-old Mikey Pruitt as he starts his own talent agency and represents clients in the leadup to the big talent show. Among his roster is eighth-grader Julian Vasquez, drag queen name Coco Caliente, who helps Mikey see that he, too, can be openly gay at school.”
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis (2010)
“Dyson loves pink, sparkly things. Sometimes he wears dresses. Sometimes he wears jeans. He likes to wear his princess tiara, even when climbing trees. He’s a Princess Boy.”
Oddbird by Derek Desierto (2021)
“It’s SO hot outside. All the fancy birds are gathered around the water, wishing they could cool off. But they don’t want to get wet and ruin their fine feathers. Oddbird isn’t worried about his feathers; he wants to go for a refreshing dip. But he doesn’t fit in. He’s not fancy, or colorful. He’s just…different. The other birds don’t want him around. How can he join them?”
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders (2018)
“Young readers can now learn the momentous and inspiring story of the Gay Pride Flag, created in 1978 by social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker. More than a history, Pride vibrantly illuminates the reach and timelessness of the rainbow flag, a global symbol of equality and inclusion.”
Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan (1999)
“A fictionalized account of the true story of Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst who ran away from an orphanage, lived as a boy, moved to California, and became a stagecoach driver.”
The Misadventures of the Family Fletchers by Dana Alison Levy (2015)
“The Fletchers are no different from any modern American family: four brothers, various pets (some possibly imaginary), soccer, plays, and pesky neighbors. The fact that the fathers are gay and a few of the brothers are adopted? That’s just background, showing readers without telling them that there are as many definitions of family as there are families.”
The Moon Within by Aida Salazar (2019)
“Celi Rivera’s life swirls with questions. About her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friend’s exploration of what it means to be genderfluid. But most of all, her mother’s insistence she has a moon ceremony, an ancestral Mexican ritual, when her first period arrives.”
The Pants Project by Cat Clarke (2017)
“Liv knows he was always meant to be a boy but he hasn’t told anyone – even his two moms yet. Now, his new school has a terrible dress code, he can’t even wear pants. Only skirts. The only way for Liv to get what he wants is to go after it himself. But to Liv, this isn’t just a mission to change the policy―it’s a mission to change his life.”
Stonewall: A Building, An Uprising, A Revolution by Rob Sanders (2019)
“Pride author Rob Sanders adds another title to the LGBTQ+ historical canon with Stonewall, the moving story of the 1969 police raid and ensuing protests that played a crucial role in the gay civil rights movement. Narrated by the Stonewall Inn itself, this accessible and empowering book is an essential piece of pride history.”
The Whispers by Greg Howard (2019)
“A fantastic coming-of-age story about loss, friendship, and identity, The Whispers centers around 11-year-old Riley, who believes in wish-granting fairies known as the whispers. Riley embarks on a journey with his friend Gary to find the whispers and ask for his mom to return, and maybe also for his crush Dylan to like him back.”
Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker (2019)
“Zenobia July is a hacking and coding prodigy who’s attending a new school as a girl for the first time. Though she’s recently lost her family of origin, she creates a chosen family in the LGBTQ+ community.”