Books for Young LGBT Folks and Anyone Who Wants to Understand Them

First loves, family problems, compelling discoveries, self-realization, and acceptance during adolescence to adult years are among the things found in this collection of books.

BY Clea Kim

January 31 2013 5:00 AM ET UPDATED: January 31 2013 5:04 PM ET

Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills (Flux, $9.99)

Minnesota Book Award finalist Kirstin Cronn-Mills tells the story of Gabe, who for the last 18 years has been a girl named Elizabeth. Gabe has a job as a radio DJ and has plans to move up to Minneapolis after graduation. He also has a crush on his best friend, Paige, and hopes she will fall in love with him. While Gabe has high hopes for his future, he is learning to become a guy so he can leave the vestiges of Elizabeth behind. However, during his journey, he gets outed as transgender, threatened, and forced to protect himself against brutality. Chapters have fun titles, comparing big names to Elvis Presley (“Adam Lambert is the new Elvis but with eyeliner,” “Katy Perry is the new Elvis because she likes kissing girls, too”), which is an entertaining addition to the book. A definite must-read for trans and genderqueer folks, especially teens going through similar issues as Gabe.