LGBTQ+

Sisters Emmie and Paige are delighted when their parents agree to finally allow them to have a puppy each – Loki and Star. When the sisters’ uncle tells them he is getting married to his partner, Emmie has the bright idea of Loki being the ringbearer at the wedding. It soon becomes apparent that Loki is not quite ringbearer material, but Emmie is determined to keep training him to make the wedding extra special.

NeuroQueer is a welcoming and informative guide put together by ShoutOut, a charity that aims to improve life for LGBTQ+ people in Ireland. It highlights how neurodivergent and queer identities can and often do overlap, and demystifies common terminology associated with both.

This dark, gripping YA fantasy novel follows Alecto, a fierce young woman seeking vengeance for the mysterious death of her brother, who gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself facing a twisted conspiracy in her small town that puts everything and everyone she cares about in danger. From the opening pages, Eve establishes a bleak, tense atmosphere that immerses the reader in Alecto’s relentless pursuit.

This is a fun and exciting story that celebrates family in all its forms, as well as the superhero potential in both children and adults. On Oakley’s birthday, his mums are away battling a super slime monster, leaving him and his Nana Anna to prepare for the party. When the slime from their suits begins to spread through the house, Oakley and little sister Lyla find themselves in the middle of a series of wildly imaginative events.

Simo and Luca are in love. At least, that’s what the noticeboard in the centre of Lombard village is telling everyone on one bright September morning. Best friends for ten years, Luca Dean and Simo Lorca know each other better than anyone else – but Simo doesn’t know that Luca is in love with him, and Luca doesn’t know if he can ever be honest with Simo.

When a new boy joins Pearl’s class in school at first she is surprised to learn that he has two mums. In a refreshingly childlike way, she accepts this fact and goes on to learn more about her new friend and their shared love of art, humour and chocolate cake. This is a simple story with a simple message at its core and will be enjoyed by young artists in particular. The children are relatable and sweet, and the classroom context is one that many will feel familiar with.

This intriguing, fast-paced psychological thriller tells the story of a queer, runaway teenager who, after being caught shoplifting, assumes the identity of Nate Beaumont, a boy who disappeared ten years earlier. What begins as a desperate attempt to escape his past quickly becomes much more dangerous when Nate’s family takes him home, believing him to be their missing son. Bad things begin to happen as someone threatens to reveal who ‘Nate’ really is, and our protagonist starts to fear for his own life.

Max and Ella, Stuck Together is a warm, perceptive and uplifting middle-grade novel about identity, family and finding your voice. Told in alternating chapters from Max and Ella’s perspectives, the story explores what happens when two families are brought together through a shared connection: Max’s mums chose Ella’s dad, Hari, as a known donor, and the children are about to meet for the first time.

Owais seems to epitomise London swagger, whether navigating his extended family, school, or the gangs in his neighbourhood. Committed to his comedic persona, the patter of groan-inducing puns conceals an unfocused, uncertain yet charming teenager, struggling with self-doubt and fear of the future. Failing grades lands Owais in a summer programme and life is further complicated by the disruptive arrival of his moody and troubled cousin Abass into the midst of his stable and loving family.