10 Queer Books for Back to School Season

Looking for some great queer reads for back to school? Check out my top ten picks! From coming out stories to queer romance, there’s something for everyone in this list. So whether you’re a student, teacher, parent, or just someone looking for a good book, be sure to check out these titles!

*This list consists of titles for High School, College, and Middle School

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College

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother. Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Eric Bittle may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur p tissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It is nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia First of all? There’s checking (anything that hinders the player with possession of the puck, ranging from a stick check all the way to a physical sweep). And then, there is Jack—his very attractive but moody captain.A collection of the first half, freshmen and sophomore year, of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please : #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life. This book includes updated art and a hilarious, curated selection of Bitty’s beloved tweets.

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei – Rivals to lovers hockey romance following Jaysen and Mickey James III in their freshman year of college as they both fight to be the first round pick in the NHL Draft.

The Avant Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes – A comic book series about Charlie, a transfer student joins the queer basketball team after being recruited.

Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli – A novella set in the Simonverse following the characters in college!

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin – Told in text messages, following two friends in their freshman year of college while they’re both away at different schools.

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High School

The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver – If you like fake dating, enemies to friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, or there’s only one bed set at a wedding & boarding school, you NEED to read Mason Deaver’s newest release. This is a T4T (Trans4Trans) romance.

You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman – About a bisexual Jewish boy who is dealing with academic stress. When he’s struggling with a class, he gets a tutor and an Achellian romance blossoms.

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Middle School

RICK by Alex Gino – Rick is starting middle school and discovers he is asexual. If you’ve read Melissa by Alex Gino, the characters from that book have cameos.

The Science of Being Angry by Nicole Melleby –

This is a great middle grade about neurodivergence and mental health following an 11-year old girl, Joey as she tries to learn about the pent up anger she’s releasing causing everyone in her life to view her differently. At least, that’s what she thinks in her head. To Joey, she’s not like her brothers or Mom’s because they don’t hurt people and lash out causing hurt toward them. Thus, Joey is going to make things right by finding the donor her mother’s used to get pregnant. When a project arises in school on genetics, Joey takes this as the perfect opportunity to learn about her genetics. 

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