We’re now into July, meaning that Pride Month is over. But I still have more amazing LGBTQIA+ books to talk about.
Soooooo, we’re going to start with the amazing comic that is Kickflip, by LD Lapinski.
Like Jamie – another of Lapinski’s books – this amazing graphic novel highlights the experiences of a non-binary young person as they learn to navigate an increasingly binary world.
Bullied for not conforming at their girls’ school, and presumed male on account of their hobbies, Elliot finds that neither label properly describes them. After some beautiful conversations with a very supportive mum, Elliot eventually finds the courage to talk about their identity to their closest friends.
Whilst the writing of this book is obviously superb (as is the case with all of Lapinski’s work), Hanning’s artwork in this one really takes it to the next level. The warmth, humour, and subtle storytelling in these comics really is a joy to engage with, and though I’ve only had the book for a few weeks, I’ve returned to it multiple times already, finding something new to love each time.
I’ve spoken before about how amazing the children’s comics scene is becoming, and Kickflip is definitely one to add to the canon.
Have you managed to get hold of this yet? What are your favourite children’s comics? As ever, I would love recommendations!
Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau is an absolutely gorgeous book. It reminded me a little of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, both in terms of character design and artwork, which – since I loved Heartstopper – was a very good thing.
The story follows Ari, who wants to move away from his family bakery to play in a band with his friends. When baking-enthusiast Hector gets hired to help out after Ari is gone, Ari finds himself with a new reason to stay.
This is such a sweet romance – pun intended – and I loved the soft palette of grey-blue used throughout. I thought it really added to the mood. There were some moments where I wished that certain toxic friendships had been dealt with more instructively, but I do get that this is a representation of real-life struggles amongst teens/young-adults rather than a manual for How To Life. And I wish that there had been some more conversation about what happened following a certain altercation towards the end – Hector deserved better damnit – but overall, I thought that all the conflict was wrapped up nicely by the end.
This is another book for older readers, much like Boy Like Me, where it’s super easy to read alongside your child – the graphic novel format makes it quick, and it’s a breezy delight compared to the real world. Goodness knows I appreciated the happy place it provided for a few hours. And now I get to chat about lovely books with my eldest kiddo, which should keep the world at bay for a little longer.
Do you have any favourite graphic novels? Have you read Bloom, or Global, or The Power of Welcome? I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations!
A few weeks back, I took part in a Northodox Pride Party author panel, chaired by the lovely SF Layzell – which was absolutely brilliant for so many reasons. Not only did I get to chat to some other great authors, but I also got to hear about Layzell’s book, Cottonopolis. AND I was lucky enough to get an extract to post here!!
Recently longlisted for the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award 2025, Cottonopolis is a story of family, friendship and first love, with a twist of magic, set in Victorian Manchester. It’s the story of Irish mill girl Nellie Doyle, who works hard to take care of her little brothers, and her growing friendship with Chloe Valentine, who is in search of a better life away from Manchester’s notorious workhouse.
In the extract below, Nellie and Chloe meet for the first time. Both have stepped away from their work, enticed by the sight and smells of a new bakery stacked high with goods neither of them can afford.
I follow the pickpocketing boy through the crowd, hoping to see the bakery for myself. What does the best bread look like? It must be something to bring such a crowd.
A shiver runs through me as the bakery door swings open and a sweet, full smell drifts out. It’s heaven. I can taste it!
I feel like I can almost reach out and grab a handful of it to take home in my pocket. Just imagine the boys’ faces, if I could reach into my pocket and pull out a fistful of this smell, shining like gold, and let my fingers ease apart ever so slightly to let just a little of it out, unfurling and filling their little nostrils.
I’m pressed forward by a sudden rush of people and part of me finds a little pleasure in knowing that some of them will find their purses lighter than they expected when they come to pay. People leaving the shop push in the opposite direction to the rest of the crowd, making me feel like a pebble lost deep in the swirling sludge of the Medlock. As they pass, I get a faint whiff of the sweet smelling delights every one of them carries, wrapped up in tiny individual boxes, each tied with a thin black velvet ribbon.
After what seems like an age (and I’m sure I’m going to be in trouble when I get back, though I can’t seem to pull myself away), I reach the big shop window. The window is a wonder in itself, a smooth clean sheet of glass. A sea of breads and cakes spreads out before me, stretched and cut and moulded into beautiful shapes. There are sticky round buns coated in syrup and dusted with spices, plaits of flaky pastry sprinkled with tiny white nuts and purple flowers made out of sugar, and cut-out golden discs layered with firm custard, fresh red fruits and dollops of yellow cream.
‘Makes you sick, doesn’t it,’ a tight angry voice rings out beside me. I jump back from the window, the spell broken, and find myself staring into the face of a girl about my age. The way she speaks is sharp and quick but full of feeling. English. Like the pickpocket boy. That’s where the similarities end though.
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Sounds brilliant, right? Here’s the blurb, in case you want any more information….
Welcome to 1840s ManchesterTwelve-year-old mill girl NELLIE DOYLE faces eviction and starvation when her father loses his job. But growing up in the notorious Manchester slum of Little Ireland has made her plucky. She befriends CHLOE VALENTINE and has a chance meeting with a circus owner who seemingly grants seven wishes. They embark on a journey to improve their circumstances. Amidst wishes for peace, freedom, and family reunion, Nellie realizes her growing feelings for Chloe, learning that magic doesn’t always work as expected, and sometimes, you must create your own.
Aaaand, here’s some more details about the Little Rebels awards:
I’m waiting for pay day, and then I’m going to grab myself a copy to review. I just wanted to highlight this book as part of the many amazing LGBTQIA+ books that I’m showcasing this June.
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I’ve set up a ‘bookshop‘ of sorts, over on Bookshop.org, so that I can point you to somewhere to buy that isn’t Amazon. I get a small commission for any sales made there. This helps to support me running this blog.
Boy Like Me by Simon James Green is honestly one of the books I remember best from 2023. The narration is sharp and witty, the romance is tender and sweet, and the cutting comments about Section 28 were deeply appreciated by my little 80s-child heart.
Boy Like Me follows Jamie (not thatJamie, or this James) through his final year of secondary school in 1994. With book bans common-place under the rules of Section 28, a kind librarian sneaks Jamie a novel which helps him to make sense of how he’s feeling, and through notes in the margins, helps him to connect with another Boy Like Him (see what I did there? 😉 )
This book is a fantastic YA offering which not only provides a deeply satisfying romance, but also explores life at a time when it was effectively illegal to speak about homosexuality in British schools. It’s something that I feel is more important now than ever, with the UK creating an increasingly hostile environment for the trans community. Looking back at the arguments made for Section 28, it’s clear to see where a lot of the anti-trans rhetoric is coming from; we’ve been here before. Equipping young people with the tools they need to see through this is essential, and Boy Like Me is a great way to open these conversations if you’ve not had them before.
As an adult reading this book, I really appreciated the 90s nostalgia, so if you’ve got older children who are past the point of being read to, this is a great book to read alongside them and discuss. When Eldest kiddo stopped asking for me to read, I found that being able to enjoy the same novels was a key way to stay connected through stories, and this one was a genuine joy.
What books would you recommend to teen readers? Are there any YA books you’ve read along with older children, and if so what are they?
This is a screenshot taken from Ian’s Bluesky feed- you should go and give him a follow if you don’t already
Ian Eagleton, like most children’s authors I’ve spoken to via social media, is actually one of the loveliest people. I remember watching on Twitter, back in the day, when Mariah Carey – yes, ACTUALLY Mariah Carey – praised his book. It was one of – if not the most – magical thing I ever saw unfold on the platform.
Naturally, being a trendsetter, I’d already read Glitter Boy by that point, and I absolutely agreed.
Glitter Boy is a story about grief, and figuring out who you are, and acceptance, and hope. It follows James, who loves dancing to Mariah Carey with his Nan, but who is being bullied at school for being gay, even though that’s not a label he’s attached to himself. While James is very much the main character, the main character arc of the story – to me at least – felt like James’s dad’s. Initially, he spends a good chunk of the book trying to get James to conform, in an effort to make his life easier, but towards the end, he accepts that it’s everyone else who needs to change, and becomes a good advocate for James.
I really love the complex and loving family that Eagleton has written in this book – I love that James’s dad is the primary carer, and that he needs to work through his own ideas of what masculinity means in order to better be there for his son. I love that some questionable actions are coming from a place of good intentions; parents are fallible and in having James’s dad own his mistakes, it almost gives any parents reading permission to do so. And it lets young readers see that change is possible, that grown-ups can be wrong too – and that we can right ourselves. The reasons James’s dad gives for his actions might also help children to understand some of the – admittedly questionable – choices adults make.
I think I said this before, when speaking about Jamie by LD Lapinski, but I’m never really sure how much of myself to put into these reviews. Books are art, and good art elicits emotion, after all. So, I think mentioning my own relationship with my Nan adds something here. My Nan – my best friend – died when I was in my early 20s; I was in the final throes of my dissertation and working an almost-full time job to get by. I didn’t really have time to grieve. My grief came in little waves at inconvenient moments through the later years. Reading this book and getting to grieve along with James was cathartic, even after all this time. So if there has been a death in your family, this might be the ideal book to offer to any child currently grieving.
What are your favourite books with fallible adult characters? Have you read Glitter Boy yet, or did you see Mariah’s post? As ever, I would love to hear from you.
THE INQUISITIVE NEWT 