Here and Queer: A Queer Girl’s Guide to Life

Gr 9 Up–In this delightful illustrated “guide to life,” Ellis and a group of smart and diverse queer contributors have created a truly inclusive primer on some of the key questions youth might have on coming out, sexual intimacy, finding community, self-expression, history, and advocacy. While geared towards girls, nonbinary voices are shared as well, and gender-diverse readers are acknowledged and welcomed; any curious young person who picks up this book up will find themselves included and engaged. Especially effective are the contributors’ essays on snippets from their own lives and journeys; these emphasize the unique experiences and lenses that comprise the queer community, rather than flattening expansive lives with a singular narrative. Appropriate and direct descriptions of sexual acts make this text best suited to a high school collection. Illustrations are stylized, bold, and colorful, and feature all types of diversity.