Uplifting LGBQ+ Reads
- shelfsafebooks
- Dec 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
These books highlight stories of self-discovery, friendship, love, and courage. From heartwarming middle-grade tales to emotional YA journeys, each book celebrates identity and connection while offering engaging and memorable stories.
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Rating Summary
🟢 Green – Fully clean, kid-friendly, no graphic content; light and safe for all readers
🔵 Blue – Mild emotional intensity or deeper themes; best for older children or confident middle-grade readers
🟣 Purple – Moderate emotional depth or realistic situations; still fully clean and non-explicit, Good for readers who can handle more heavy themes
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🟢 1. Bloom – Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau
Series: Standalone
A sweet graphic novel about first love, friendship, and working together in a family bakery. Full of warmth, humor, and relatable teen emotions. Written for Middle Grade / Teen readers.
Heads Up: There is a fire, themes of bullying, anxiety and depression.
Buy on Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
🟣 2. The Red Ribbon – Lucy Adlington
Series: Standalone
Set in Auschwitz during World War II, young women working in a fashion workshop find resilience, hope, and unexpected connections amid unimaginable circumstances. Written for Teen readers.
🔵 3. Heartstopper (Vol. 1) – Alice Oseman
Series: Heartstopper Graphic Novel 1 - 6+
A gentle, hopeful story about friendship turning into first love, told with warmth, humor, and emotional honesty. Written for Teen / YA readers.
Heads Up: Bullying, anxiety, depression, Later Volumes: self-harm , eating disorder, Romantic content (fade-to-black).
🟢4. Boy Meets Boy – David Levithan
Standalone
A light, idealized coming-of-age story set in a supportive community where friendship, relationships, and identity are treated with optimism. Written for Teen / YA readers.
Heads Up: Religious conflict, Alcohol use (teen, minor)
🔵 5. Carry On – Rainbow Rowell
Series: Simon Snow, Book 1 of 3 (Complete)
A fantasy novel featuring magic, prophecies, and rivalry that slowly shifts into an unexpected romantic connection between two male characters. Fantasy battles. Written for Teen / YA readers.
Heads Up: Mild language (bloody, hell, damn), Fantasy violence. Later books (2-3) are NOT Shelf Safe and include explicit sexual content and stronger language.
🔵 6. Star-Crossed – Barbara Dee
Standalone
When Mattie, a book-loving middle schooler cast as Juliet in the school play, develops a crush on the girl playing Romeo, she begins to wonder if she might like girls too. Upper Elementary to Middle Grade
Heads Up: Mild anxiety.
🔵 7. Riley’s Ghost – John David Anderson
Standalone
When Riley Flynn is accidentally locked in her middle school overnight, she finds herself facing more than creaky hallways — she encounters actual ghosts, and deeper still, the ghosts of her own fears and isolation. In a suspenseful, emotionally rich story, Riley's long night becomes a journey of self-discovery, courage, and healing. A Chilling read written for Middle Grade readers.
🟢 8. Princess Princess Ever After – Katie O’Neill
Standalone
A kid-friendly fairy tale about two princesses who rescue each other — and fall in love along the way. Lighthearted, empowering, and fully clean. Written for Elementary readers and beyond.
🔴 Not Shelf Safe
After further review, this title does not meet the Shelf Safe Books standards. It is included here for transparency.
🟣 9. Like a Love Story – Abdi Nazemian
Standalone
Set in 1989 New York City, this poignant YA novel follows three teens — a closeted Iranian boy, an outspoken girl, and her best friend — as they explore art, AIDS activism, and first love. written for Middle grade / YA readers.
Heads Up: Grief, identity questioning, historical trauma, Strong Language f--k, sh-t, b--ch, dick, as well as homophobic and racist slurs. While it authentically portrays the AIDS crisis era, this book does not fit the standards set by Shelf Safe Books.
🟣 10. How It All Blew Up – Arvin Ahmadi
Standalone
When a closeted gay teen flees to Rome after a school scandal, he finds queer community, unexpected freedom, and a new sense of self in this lyrical and heartfelt YA novel.
Heads Up: Mild language (hell, damn, crap) with occasional stronger language (sh*t), Being outed, Family conflict/homophobia, Running away, Alcohol use (teen), Romantic content (fade-to-black).
Thanks for visiting Shelf Safe Books! May your day be magical, your reads inspiring, and your smiles plentiful.
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