Midsumma Reading

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer    

Whether you have two mums, two dads, one parent, or one of each, there's one thing that makes a family a family... and that's love. 

Who’s Your Real Mum? By Bernadette Green   

When Nicholas wants to know which of Elvi's two mums is her real mum, she gives him lots of clues. Her real mum is a circus performer, and a pirate, and she even teaches spiders the art of web. But Nicholas still can't work it out! Luckily, Elvi knows just how to explain it to her friend. 

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love    

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julian notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julian gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julian sees himself? 

My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart   

This is a beautifully written rhyming story that touches on the subjects of gender identity, self-acceptance, equality and diversity. Inspired by the author's own little boy, Shadow's main character likes princesses, fairies and things 'not for boys'...he soon learns (through the support of his dad) that everyone has a shadow that they sometimes feel they need to hide. This is an important book for a new generation of children which exemplifies the concepts of unconditional love, respect and positive parenting. 

The ABC of Families by Abbey Williams  

A is for Adoption, B is for Brother, C is for Cousin... An ABC of Families celebrates families in every single shape and size, no matter what they look like or whom they include. Whether you have two dads, an adopted brother, three stepsisters or divorced parents, every family is the perfect family. With clear and simple explanations and bright and engaging artwork, this important book helps the youngest children explore complicated concepts in an accessible, fun and memorable way. It opens a whole world of family life to children, celebrating our similarities and our differences. 

The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough  

It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret, a secret he thought he'd locked away for good. 

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz, with his sister and the Veep's genius granddaughter, are the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. Then photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids. The plan for damage control: stage a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex soon discovers that beneath Henry's Prince Charming veneer, there's a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him. As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. -- adapted from back cover. 

Out Now edited by Saundra Mitchell 

A follow-up to the All Out anthology, Out Now features seventeen new short stories from queer YA authors in which vampires crash prom, aliens run from the government, a president's daughter comes into her own, a true romantic tries to soften the heart of a cynical social media influencer, a selkie and the sea call out to a lost soul. 

As Far as You’ll Take Me by Phil Stamper  

Now that Marty is almost 18, he's about to decide what he wants for his future, and finally moving to London is it. He arrives with nothing but his oboe and some savings from his summer job, but Marty is excited to start his new life, where he's no longer the closeted, shy kid who slips under the radar and is free to explore his sexuality without his parents' disapproval. To his friends back in America, Marty's life looks like a perfect fantasy. In the span of a few weeks, he's made new friends, he's getting closer with his first ever boyfriend, and he's even traveling around Europe. But Marty knows he can't keep up the facade. He hasn't spoken to his parents since he arrived, he's tearing through his meager savings, and his homesickness and anxiety are getting worse and worse. Will Marty be able to finally find a place that feels like home? 

Beyond the Gender Binary [electronic resource] by Alok Vaid-Menon  

 Beyond the Gender Binary, Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination. 

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin  

When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend's return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened - while Giovanni's life descends into tragedy. 

Milk Fed by Melissa Broder  

Rachel is twenty-four, a lapsed Jewish woman who has made calorie restriction her religion. By day, she maintains an illusion of existential control, by way of obsessive food rituals, while working as an underling at a Los Angeles talent management agency. At night, she pedals nowhere on the elliptical machine. Rachel is content to carry on subsisting--until her therapist encourages her to take a ninety-day communication detox from her mother, who raised her in the tradition of calorie counting. Early in the detox, Rachel meets Miriam, a zaftig young Orthodox Jewish woman who works at her favorite frozen yogurt shop and is intent upon feeding her. Rachel is suddenly and powerfully entranced by Miriam--by her sundaes and her body, her faith and her family--and as the two grow closer, Rachel embarks on a journey marked by mirrors, mysticism, mothers, milk, and honey. 

Rubyfruit Jungle [electronic resource] by Rita Mae Brown  

Molly Bolt is a young lady with a big character. Beautiful, funny and bright, Molly figures out at a young age that she will have to be tough to stay true to herself in 1950s America. In her dealings with boyfriends and girlfriends, in the rocky relationship with her mother and in her determination to pursue her career, she will fight for her right to happiness. Charming, proud and inspiring, Molly is the girl who refuses to be put in a box. 

Growing Up Queer in Australia edited by Benjamin Law  

Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, 'Growing Up Queer in Australia' assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, genders, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia. 

Real Life by Brandon Taylor 

"A novel of rare emotional power that excavates the social intricacies of a late-summer weekend -- and a lifetime of buried pain. Almost everything about Wallace, an introverted African-American transplant from Alabama, is at odds with the lakeside Midwestern university town where he is working toward a biochem degree. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends -- some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with a young straight man, conspire to fracture his defenses, while revealing hidden currents of resentment and desire that threaten the equilibrium of their community"-- 

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia  

As a young child, Jacob Tobia wasn't the wrong gender, they just had too much of the stuff. Barbies? Yes. Playing with bugs? Absolutely. Getting muddy? Please. Princess dresses? You betcha. Jacob wanted it all. But because they were a feminine kid, they were labelled "a sissy" and things got messy. It took Jacob years to discover that being "a sissy" isn't something to be ashamed of. It's a source of pride. Following their journey, this unforgettable memoir is a deeply personal story of trauma and healing, a powerful reflection on gender and self-acceptance, and a hilarious guidebook for wearing tacky clip-on earrings in our modern world.