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LGBTQIA+
Iowa City Public Library celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community in a welcoming and inclusive library space that fosters connections to knowledge and each other. We celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride with a variety of programs, events, and displays throughout each year.
Staff lists
Staff recommend
Homebody
Theo Parish
GRAPHIC NOVEL Parish
Diverse Characters, Graphic Novels, LGBTQ+, Memoir
"In this intimate and defiantly hopeful graphic novel memoir, the author shares their journey to find a home within themself, taking readers through the experiences and everyday moments that all...
Family is family
Melissa Marr
jE Marr
Picture Books, Kids, LGBTQ+
When Little Chick starts school, he discovers that there are lots of different kinds of families, all of them full of love.
Delightful and whimsical illustrations fill the pages along with wonderful text from a child's point of view about how a family is a family no matter what yours may look like. -Angie
Glenn Burke, game changer : the man who invented the high five
Phil Bildner
j796.357092 Burke
Sports, LGBTQ+, Kids, Nonfiction
"An inspiring picture book biography about Glenn Burke, the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay, and the story of how he created the high five, the world's most...
Ever thought about who might have invented the high five? It was 1970s pro baseball player Glenn Burke! This biographical picture book follows Glenn Burke's brief but illustrious career in the major leagues, including the moment he and fellow player Dusty Baker spontaneously invented the high five. For Burke, a unique individual who was always joking, cheering, and dancing in the dugout, it was a natural progression. Burke also happened to be a Black gay man in the 1970s, and, heartbreakingly, he was pushed out of the league and later struggled with homelessness and substance abuse, dying of AIDS-related illness at only 42. These topics are dealt with sensitively but honestly in this picture book biography. I hope readers think of Burke every time they high-five someone after reading this story - a man who only now is being recognized for his legacy, not only in inventing such an iconic gesture, but in paving the way for LGBT+ athletes. If you want more on Burke, there is a middle-grade fiction title also by Phil Bildner that ties together the stories of Burke and a modern-day LGBT+ young male baseball player, also an excellent book. -Anne W
One last stop
Casey McQuiston
FICTION McQuiston, Casey
Fiction, LGBTQ+
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks... "Dreamy, other worldly, smart, swoony,...
The characters in this book feel like family, like a big group of friends that lives in the apartment above you causing good-natured chaos. Jane is one of my favorite characters. I love her hard edges and her drive to fight for her community, and I love that with August, she finally gets to have someone fight for her. -Chelsea
Chain Gang All Stars: A Novel
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
OverDrive Audiobook
Diverse Characters, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Dystopian
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK • NATIONAL BESTELLER • Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom...
A very informative and gripping dystopian novel that will make you think about the U.S. prison system and how we consume modern-day professional sports. -Annie
Carmilla : the first vampire
Amy Chu
GRAPHIC NOVEL Chu
Diverse Characters, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels, Mystery
"Before Dracula, before Nosferatu, there was...CARMILLA. At the height of the Lunar New Year in 1990s New York City, an idealistic social worker turns detective when she discovers young,...
A cool reimagining of the 1872 classic "Carmilla" that takes queer vampire murder mystery to a new level by incorporating Chinese folklore in the heart of 1990s New York. Perfect for the dark season! -Annie
Grandad's pride
Harry Woodgate
jE Woodgate
Picture Books, LGBTQ+, Diverse Characters, Kids
"After Milly discovers a pride flag in Grandad's attic, this adorable pair are motivated by the past to start a pride parade in their small town. Activism and celebration go hand in hand as...
Harry Woodgate continues the story of Grandad's Camper in their second picture, Grandad's Pride. Grandad and Milly are back for another adventure, this time honoring the past and celebrating the future with a pride parade in their community. Woodgate's artwork is vibrant and colorful, making the characters bright and heartwarming. -Angie
If you're a drag queen and you know it
author Lil Miss Hot Mess
jE Lilmissh
LGBTQ+, Picture Books
Drag queens sing verses of this popular song that encourages everyone to express their fabulousness by singing, posing, and twirling along.
I love both of the sing-along picture books by Lil Miss Hot Mess! They are so fun to act out and sing and the illustrations are colorful and so fun to look at! This one was an absolute hit sung and performed by local drag queen Valencia, especially her dramatic twirling of her dress! This book is a staple for Drag Storytimes and an absolute blast to read at any time! -Mari
Sandor Katz and the tiny wild
Jacqueline Briggs Martin
j641.61 Martin
Biographies, Health, LGBTQ+
Welcome to Sandor Katz's no-desk, new-ways school! There are no tests, no rules - just happy, hungry people learning how to make fermented food. All they need are their favorite vegetables, salt...
A cookbook, a history book, a science book, and a biography rolled into one! Sandor Katz is an American food writer, DIY food activist, Jewish LGBT+ man, and haver of cool facial hair who started a school that teaches people how to ferment foods. If you're not sure what fermentation is, then you definitely need to read this book! Learn about Sandor Katz's life and inspiration, how fermentation works, why fermented foods are so healthy for you, get the instructions to try it for yourself, then grow up and start a radical commune in the woods just like Sandor! -Anne W
Miss Rita, mystery reader
Sam (Fashion designer) Donovan
jE Donovan
Picture Books, LGBTQ+, Diverse Characters
"Daddy is the Mystery Reader at Tori's school today, and he's coming dressed as Miss Rita! Tori helps Daddy gloss, glitter, glamour, and glimmer to get ready. It takes time-because...
A great read together story that is reassuring to kids whose families may not fit gender norms or who might be navigating their own feelings about gender identity and affirmation. There is plenty of sparkle and fun to engage all ages throughout the story. The author note at the end is in inclusive language, talkable and presented in an approachable way to learn more about gender and drag queens. -Angie
The chosen and the beautiful
Nghi Vo
SCIENCE FICTION Vo Nghi
Fantasy, LGBTQ+
Immigrant. Socialite. Magician. Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society-she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most...
A fantastical reimagining of "The Great Gatsby"— told from the perspective of Jordan Baker, a queer Vietnamese American. Read while you wait for Nghi Vo’s new novel, “Siren Queen.” -Becky
Meet cute diary
Emery Lee
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Lee Emery
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
(T) "Noah Ramirez thinks he's an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There's just one problem; all the...
Added by Alexander
Last night at the Telegraph Club
Malinda Lo
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Lo Malinda
Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+
"Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a...
A lovely coming of age story about finding oneself and understanding that you contain multitudes. If you ever felt pulled in different directions or on a quest to find where you fit in, you'll recognize thoughts and feelings in this book. Well researched, beautifully written, and a joy to read. -Anne M
What if it's us
Becky Albertalli
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Albertal Becky
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
(G) Told in two voices, when Arthur, a summer intern from Georgia, and Ben, a native New Yorker, meet it seems like fate, but after three attempts at dating fail they wonder if the universe is...
Added by Alexander
My shadow is pink
Scott Stuart
jE/Stuart
Kids, Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+
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...
Added by Alexander
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Saenz Benjamin
LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that...
I'm not sure how this book has escaped my clutches. It is a heart-warming, beautiful, soul-touching reminder that love is love! The sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World is released later this month so you have time for a re-read before it comes out! -Victoria
Ace of spades
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Abike-Iyimide, Faridah
Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, LGBTQ+
At Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka are the only students chosen to be Senior Prefects who are also black, which makes them targets for a series of anonymous texts revealing their secrets...
This is a fantastic page-turner with a delectable plot, well-developed characters and an overall killer debut! Fans of One of Us is Lying, Get Out and Gossip Girl will delight in this read. -Victoria
Loveless
Alice Oseman
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Oseman Alice
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
(A) Georgia has parents who are still in love, two sets of grandparents that are still together, and a brother who married his girlfriend, but at eighteen she has never even kissed someone (not even...
Added by Alexander
None of the above
I. W. Gregorio
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Gregorio, I. W.
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
(I) Kristen discovers that she is intersex and possesses male chromosomes, a diagnosis that is leaked to the whole school, throwing Kristin's entire identity into question.
Added by Alexander
She drives me crazy
Kelly Quindlen
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Quindlen Kelly
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
(L) After an embarrassing loss to her ex-girlfriend in their first basketball game of the season, seventeen-year-old Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with her nemesis, Irene Abraham, head...
Added by Alexander
King and the dragonflies
Kacen Callender
jFICTION Callende Kacen
Read Woke, Kids, LGBTQ+
"In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him beyond the bayous of his backyard, to learn that there is no right way to be yourself"--
An important middle-grade read about a ten-year-old boy working through the grief he feels after his brother’s death and the questions he has surrounding his sexuality. It’s a beautifully written book about coping, identity, friendships, and safety. -Becky
Upcoming events
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Past events
Friday, December 29, 2023 - 11:30am to 12:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
"We are all just trying to find a place to call our own." A beautiful, poetic and visually stunning memoir by artist Theo Parish as they discover their true identity as trans and nonbinary. The analogy of feeling at home in your body is an eloquent explanation for all ages to better understand the way it might feel to not feel like the gender assigned at birth... ‘They say that ‘your body is a temple,’’ Theo writes, ‘but mine has felt more like a rental.’ The flow of the story of Theo's life is seamless, and I devoured this uplifting memoir in one short sitting...but don't forget to admire the lovely drawings in all their calming hues of purple! -Mari