Middle Grade

In the US and want to get right to shopping, help support the site, and help indie bookstores? Please check out the LGBTQReads Bookshop!

A=Main character is on the ace spectrum
B=Main character is bisexual
* = not yet released
Titles in purple feature MCs of color

Realistic Fiction

Queer Cis Male MCs

Alan Cole is Not a Coward and Alan Cole Doesn’t Dance by Eric Bell
A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Better Nate Than Ever series by Tim Federle
Rick by Alex Gino – A
A-Okay by Jarad Greene – A
The Whispers by Greg Howard
Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk by Greg Howard
Totally Joe by James Howe
*Five Second Violation by George M. Johnson
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali
Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas
Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano
Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz
The Best At It by Maulik Pancholy
*Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy
So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez
The Golden Hour by Niki Smith
Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
*The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor

Transgender Male MCs

Obie is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar
The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean
*Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff

Queer Cis Female MCs

Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow
*Playbook for Imperfect Planets by Erin Becker
Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow – B
Hazel’s Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow – A
Drew Leclair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake
Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender
Star Crossed by Barbara Dee – B
*The Sister Split by Auriane Desombre
*Girls Give Me Butterflies by Dresden Douglas (Graphic Novel)
The Real Riley Mayes by Rachel Elliott (Graphic Novel)
*O&E by Kate Fussner (Verse)
The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan (Verse)
Jo by Kathleen Gros (Graphic Novel)
*Anne by Kathleen Gros (Graphic Novel)
*Carousel Summer by Kathleen Gros (Graphic Novel)
One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock (Historical)
Redwood and Ponytail by K.A. Holt
*Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One by Maggie Horne
*Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne
Where the Heart is by Jo Knowles
In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington
Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff
Fight + Flight by Jules Machias – P
*Reel Love by Nilah Magruder – A
Pepper’s Rules for Secret Sleuthing by Briana McDonald (Mystery)
Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby
In the Role of Brie Hutchens… by Nicole Melleby
How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby
The Science of Being Angry by Nicole Melleby
*The House on Sunrise Lagoon by Nicole Melleby
*Camp QUILTBAG* by Nicole Melleby and AJ Sass
*The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis – B, A
Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee
P.S. I Miss You by Jen Petro-Roy
Spin With Me by Ami Polonsky
The Derby Daredevils series by Kit Rosewater (text) and Sophie Escabasse (illustration)
Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton
Murder Most Unladylike Mystery series by Robin Stevenson
Meow or Never by Jazz Taylor
*Starting From Scratch by Jazz Taylor
The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Transgender Female MCs

Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker
*TBA by Lisa Bunker and Kai Shappley
Melissa by Alex Gino
Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

Non-Binary MCs

*Upstaged by Robin Easter (Graphic Novel)
*Anong and the Ribbon Skirt by Elijah Forbes (Two-Spirit, Graphic Novel)
Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino
*Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon
*Elle Campbell Saves Their Saturday by Ben Kahn
*Identical by Bones Leopard
Both Can Be True by Jules Machias (Genderfluid)
The One Who Loves You Most by medina
*Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer
Spin With Me by Ami Polonsky
*Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley
Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass
Ellen Outside the Lines by AJ Sass
*Camp QUILTBAG* by Nicole Melleby and AJ Sass
The Fabulous Zeb Watson! by Kevin Sylvester and Basil Sylvester
The Best Liars in Riverview by Lin Thompson

There is also significant nonbinary representation in Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff, Twelfth by Janet Key, and Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker.

SFF/Speculative

Queer Cis Male MCs

*Gallowgate by K.R. Alexander
*Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker
*Flicker by H.E. Edgmon
*The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson
Battle Dragons by Alex London
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro (Speculative)
*Untitled Nico/Will Book by Mark Oshiro and Rick Riordan
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry
*Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros
The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan
The Anti-Book by Raphael Simon
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

Queer Cis Female MCs

*Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman
*Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson
Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne (Graphic Novel)
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh (Graphic Novel)
*The Mossheart’s Promise by Rebecca Mix
*The Devouring Wolf by Natalie C. Parker (Paranormal)
A Touch of Ruckus by Ash Van Otterloo
Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese – A
Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens (Paranormal Graphic Novel)
*Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela
*Lulu Sinagtala and the Tagalog Gods by Gail D. Villanueva – B

Trans Female MCs

The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith (Graphic Novel)

Intersex MCs

Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo (Girl)

Non-Binary MCs

*Moonflower by Kacen Callender
Rabbit Chase by Elizabeth LaPensée and K.C. Oster
Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee
*Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
*Sparrow Shines Bright by Ash Van Otterloo
*The Other Woods by Justine Pucella Winans

There is also significant nonbinary representation in major secondaries in the The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan, A Touch of Ruckus by Ash Van Otterloo, and The Moon Within by Aida Salazar.

Gender Non-Conforming MCs