queerbookshop

Reading level - 5 to 9 years.

In Be Amazing, drag kid Desmond is Amazing walks you through the history of the LGBTQ community, all while encouraging you to embrace your own uniqueness and ignore the haters.

Desmond is amazing, and you are, too.

Throughout history, courageous people like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and RuPaul have paved the way for a safer, more inclusive society for LGBTQ individuals, and it's thanks to them that people just like Desmond can be free to be who they really are.

Featuring illustrations by Dylan Glynn

Reading level - 10 to 14 years.

A rare and inspiring retelling of the LGBTQ+ movement's struggle for civil rights.

From Prejudice to Pride looks at the rise and achievements of the LGBTQ+ movement and the different communities, pioneers and stories of heartbreak and courage that have marched alongside it.

Perfect for readers aged 11 and upwards, this book will inspire courage and pride in young LGBTQ+ people and help answer questions for all readers interested in gender and identity.

Follow LGBTQ+ history from ancient civilisations to the present-day, and learn about key events including the trial of Oscar Wilde, the Stonewall riots, the AIDS crisis, same-sex marriage and changing laws that have impacted on LGBTQ+ life. Gain insight into the shifting attitudes that have challenged lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and the experiences that help us understand what it means to be LGBTQ+ today.

Filled with photographs documenting LGBTQ+ life from the past and present, and from around the world.

‘One of the most important books about gay culture in recent times’ The Quietus

In 1984 the pulsing electronics and soft vocals of Smalltown Boy would become an anthem uniting gay men. A month later, an aggressive virus, HIV, would be identified and a climate of panic and fear would spread across the nation, marginalising an already ostracised community. Yet, out of this terror would come tenderness and 30 years later, the long road to gay equality would climax with the passing of same sex marriage.

Paul Flynn charts this astonishing pop cultural and societal U-turn via the cultural milestones that effected change―from Manchester’s self-selection as Britain’s gay capital to the real-time romance of Elton John and David Furnish’s eventual marriage. Including candid interviews from major protagonists, such as Kylie, Russell T Davies, Will Young, Holly Johnson and Lord Chris Smith, as well as the relative unknowns crucial to the gay community, we see how an unlikely group of bedfellows fought for equality both front of stage and in the wings.

This is the story of Britain’s brothers, cousins and sons. Sometimes it is the story of their fathers and husbands. It is one of public outrage and personal loss, the (not always legal) highs and the desperate lows, and the final collective victory as gay men were final recognised, as Good As You.

Author: Paul Flynn
Format: Paperback
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9781785032936

This inspirational history of the international LGBTQ+ movement will teach readers to accept and have pride in themselves and others, whatever their sexuality.

It details the struggles and successes of LGBTQ+ movements around the world, looking at decriminalisation, the Stonewall riots and their legacy, global Pride movements, the HIV/AIDS crisis and equal marriage.

It also includes profiles of significant LGBTQ+ figures from history and messages from young, modern-day members of the LGBTQ+ community, explaining why they have pride in themselves – and why you should, too.

Author: Stella Caldwell
Format: Hardback
Pages: 128
ISBN: 9781783125500

These thoughtfully selected quotations - illustrated with gorgeous art - are the perfect way to honour the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and the first Pride parade.

Taken from throughout history and from a variety of voices, they celebrate everything the LGBT community has achieved, looking at inclusivity across the board and reminding us that love is one of the world s greatest powers.

This is both the story of the 50-year battle for equal rights and deeply personal accounts from high profile politicians, comedians, actors and others in the public arena.

The book features contributions from David Hockney, Stephen Fry, Julian Clary, Matt Lucas, Matthew Parrish, Simon Callow, Will Young, Sir Derek Jacobi, Tom Robinson, Marc Almond, Sir Elton John, Alain Judd, Simon Callow, Angela Eagle, Baroness Barker, Dan Gillespie Sells, Evan Davis, Jake Graf, Jason Prince, Jon Savage, Lee Tracy, Lord Browne, Lord Cashman, Lord Paddick, Lord Smith, Manny, Mark Mcadam, Mark Wardell, Matthew Todd, Olly Alexander, Paris Lee, Paul Gambaccini, Peter Tachell, QBoy, Shon Faye, Stephanie Hirst, Stephen Amos, Steve Blame, The Reverend Andrew Foreshew-Cain, Tris Penna, Yotan Ottolenhgi and Zoe Lyons and more.

Author: Simon Napier-Bell
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9781911346203

Produced by the British Museum Press.

How old is the oldest chat-up line between men? Who was the first lesbian? Were ancient Greek men who had sex together necessarily gay? And what did Shakespeare think about cross-dressing?

A Little Gay History takes objects ranging from Ancient Egyptian papyri and the erotic scenes on the Roman Warren Cup to images by modern artists including David Hockney and Bhupen Khakhar to consider questions such as these.

Explored are the issues behind forty artefacts from ancient times to the present, and from cultures across the world, to ask a question that concerns us all: how easily can we recognise love in history?

WINNER OF THE 2018 LUCIEN STRYK ASIAN TRANSLATION PRIZE

The English-language premiere of Qiu Miaojin's coming-of-age novel about queer teenagers in Taiwan, a cult classic in China and winner of the 1995 China Times Literature Award.

An NYRB Classics Original.

Set in the post-martial-law era of late-1980s Taipei, Notes of a Crocodile is a coming-of-age story of queer misfits discovering love, friendship, and artistic affinity while hardly studying at Taiwan's most prestigious university.

Told through the eyes of an anonymous lesbian narrator nicknamed Lazi, this cult classic is a postmodern pastiche of diaries, vignettes, mash notes, aphorisms, exegesis, and satire by an incisive prose stylist and major countercultural figure.

Afflicted by her fatalistic attraction to Shui Ling, an older woman, Lazi turns for support to a circle of friends that includes a rich kid turned criminal and his troubled, self-destructive gay lover, as well as a bored, mischievous overachiever and her alluring slacker artist girlfriend.

Illustrating a process of liberation from the strictures of gender through radical self-inquiry, Notes of a Crocodile is a poignant masterpiece of social defiance by a singular voice in contemporary Chinese literature.

Over the last century, many artists have made works that challenge dominant models of gender and sexuality. The results can be sexy or serious, satirical or tender, discreetly coded or defiantly outspoken.

This beautiful book illustrates the wide variety of queer art from around the world exploring bodies and identity, love and desire, prejudice and protest through drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and installation.

70 outstanding works from 1900 to the present reveal how queer experiences have differed across time and place, and how art has been part of a story of changing attitudes and emerging identities.

Featuring works by, among others, Egon Schiele, Duncan Grant, Claude Cahun, Hannah Höch, Frida Kahlo, David Hockney, Glenn Ligon, Zanele Muholi, Allyson Mitchell and Tomoko Kashiki all of whom subverted the norms of their day via bold, new forms of expression, A Queer Little History of Art is a celebration of over 100 years of queer creativity.

The first lesbian and queer historical geography of New York City

Over the past few decades, rapid gentrification in New York City has led to the disappearance of many lesbian and queer spaces, displacing some of the most marginalised members of the LGBTQ+ community. In A Queer New York, Jen Jack Gieseking highlights the historic significance of these spaces, mapping the political, economic, and geographic dispossession of an important, thriving community that once called certain New York neighbourhoods home.

Focusing on well-known neighbourhoods like Greenwich Village, Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Crown Heights, Gieseking shows how lesbian and queer neighbourhoods have folded under the capitalist influence of white, wealthy gentrifiers who have ultimately failed to make room for them. Nevertheless, they highlight the ways lesbian and queer communities have succeeded in carving out spaces-and lives-in a city that has consistently pushed its most vulnerable citizens away.

Beautifully written, A Queer New York is an eye-opening account of how lesbians and queers have survived in the face of twenty-first century gentrification and urban development.

'Uplifting and triumphant, each story is a feat of bravery and courage.' - Juno
Dawson
'A must-read for anyone grappling with coming out.' - Riyadh Khalaf

"He told me being gay was nothing to be ashamed of." - Bill

"I put my hands over my eyes as I told her, as I couldn't bear to see her reaction." - Olivia

Based on the hugely popular Coming Out Stories podcast, this empowering, humorous and deeply honest book invites you to share one of the most important moments in many LGBTQ+ people's lives.

From JP coming out to his reflection in the mirror, to Jacob coming out to their Mum over email, from Christine knowing she was trans as a young child, to Kerry coming out as a lesbian in her late thirties, all of the real life stories in this book show you there is no right or wrong way to come out, whatever your age and whatever your background.

Whether you're gay, pan, queer, bi, trans, non-binary, or an ally, this uplifting go-to resource is filled with helpful advice and tips on what to expect, and inspirational quotes from leading LGBTQ+ figures, to help you live your very best self. Welcome to the family!

'These 27 inspirational personal stories reveal the breadth and diversity of coming out experiences from people of different ages, eras and cultural backgrounds, including both their triumphs and the tribulations. But the common thread is courage, honesty, self-acceptance and dignity. This book is a must read for LGBT+ teens and their families and teachers.' - Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner

'None of us are born with prejudice, sadly it's something that is learned - with more books like this usualising queer people there is hope for a future of inclusion and social justice where we simply become part of the fabric of our communities and coming out becomes a thing of the past.' - Dr Elly Barnes MBE, CEO & Founder of Educate & Celebrate

Author: Emma Goswell & Sam Walker
Format: Paperbook
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781787754959

A witty and empowering graphic novel following members of a diverse LGBTQ+
community as they navigate their evolving identities and relationships.

'We don't just come out once. We have to come out continually throughout our
lives. And as we grow and change and reach a newfound understanding of who
we are, we come out once again in a whole new way.'

Following the interconnected lives of a diverse queer community - including asexual, polyamorous, trans and autigender people - this empowering graphic novel explores the multitude of ways a person's identity and relationships can be expressed and can change over time. From Lily coming out as a lesbian after coming out as a trans woman, to Leanne embracing their genderqueer identity in later life, to Ty navigating their queerness with their autistic identity, these stories illustrate how life lived at the intersection of gender, sexuality, race and class is often a journey with many chapters.

Full of love and pride - as well as tips and advice - these witty, tender and inspiring narratives prove there is no wrong way to be who you are, so long as you are being true to yourself.

'Coming Out, Again is a brilliant mix of the whimsical and serious sides of LGBT+ and neurodiverse identities, breaking through the polite façade we often wear and exposing how wonderful and silly we can be in private spaces. It's a privilege to read and to love the characters, they spring off the page, and it is all too easy to find yourself within them. Handled with obvious care and love, this book is a breath of fresh air."' - Poe Charlotte, author of 'How to Be Autistic'.

'I Highly recommend this beautifully crafted and intelligently scripted novel of so many diverse and divergent experiences that many autistic individuals face, daily. This graphic novel is both entertaining, enlightening, inclusive and challenging. It's all too easy to stay hidden in one's arrogance and preconceived notions of 'Other'.' - Wenn B. Lawson (PhD) CPsychol AFBPsS University of Birmingham, UK. Honorary Researcher, Macquarie University & Curtin University, Australia.

'I absolutely loved this book. It covers a range of issues around gender, sexuality, race and neurodiversity in an inclusive, affirming and engaging way. This book would be great for Queer and questioning young - and not so young - people. As an autistic and non-binary person I found the book very empowering. Highly recommended.' - Yenn Purkis, non-binary and autistic advocate and author.

Author: Sabrina Symington
Format: Paperbook
Pages: 144
ISBN: 9781787752405

Reading level : 14 and up

I am Cal Adams what does that mean?

Sixteen years old.

Black hair.

Blue eyes.

Short.

Gay.

For Cal, coming out is explosive, but that is nothing compared to the fallout from his family, friends and foes. When events in Cal's life reach critical, he is shaken to his core. Can he rely on his loved ones to help avoid meltdown?

'A devastatingly raw reminder that some LGBTQ+ kids still face prejudice, hate and a daily struggle just to live their lives. But Fall Out is also full of hope, humour and the promise that things will, eventually, get better.' SIMON JAMES GREEN (author of Noah Can't Even and Alex in Wonderland)

In nineties small-town Surrey, watching Top of the Pops was Malcolm's only escape from boredom and the bullies at school ... until a phone call from a pop star changed his life forever. Before long, he was getting compliments from Beyoncé, hanging out at award ceremonies with Posh Spice's mum and sneaking onto All Saints' tour bus.

Freak Like Me is the true story of one teenage pop fan who, with a group of like-minded outcasts, witnesses the disposable music industry of the late nineties and early noughties first-hand. Tracking down A-lister itineraries, he gets to meet the real personalities behind the Smash Hits posters adorning his bedroom walls.

This hilarious memoir is packed with scandalous gossip and poignant memories from the era of Nokia 3310s and dial-up Internet, when chart positions meant everything and, if you wanted to know what your idols were up to off-screen, you had to track them down yourself!

PRAISE FOR FREAK LIKE ME

"Devoured it ... so, so fun. Brought back so many memories of pop music as an escape as a lonely gay teen. Loved all the insight into how late 90s/00s popstars were with fans." - Conor Behan, DJ (RTÉ 2FM) and Popsessed podcast

"Freak Like Me is like slipping into a warm bath of memories of watching my favourite groups on Top of the Pops, Live & Kicking and SM:TV/CD:UK, taping songs off the radio and reading Smash Hits ... I haven t come across any book, TV show or website that has taken me back quite so completely ... reading this book felt a lot like exchanging memories with a friend. McLean strikes exactly the right balance between the good and bad of the 90s, and brings the era back to life just as I remember it. His snarky humour made me snort out loud at times, my heart warmed when he found friends who shared his obsessions, and his anecdotes were so, so relatable ... I would love to see more books like this."- Dr Alice Violett (book blogger)

"Freak Like Me has you hooked from the opening chapter ... a laugh out loud, and endearing coming of age novel about a young teen finding himself, coming out and how the celebrities of the 90s helped him figure out and accept who he was. An absolute must-read, for lovers of 90s and early 00s pop music, and those who have ever wondered what it would be like to meet their idols." - Fuzzable

"Malcolm's memoir of his time as a teenage superfan around the turn of the millennium offers a fascinating, funny and often unexpected journey through several shifts in pop, as he views the changing world through a life of pop fandom." - CMU (Complete Music Update)

With an introduction by Alan Hollinghurst.

It was his power that stupefied me and made me regard my knowledge as nothing more than hired cleverness he might choose to show off at a dinner party.

A Boy's Own Story traces an unnamed narrator's coming-of-age during the 1950s. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as he fills his head with romantic expectations. The result is a book of exquisite poignancy and humour that moves towards a conclusion which will allow the boy to leave behind his childhood forever.

Originally published in 1982 as the first of Edmund White's trilogy of autobiographical novels, A Boy's Own Story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. Lyrical and powerfully evocative, this is an American literary treasure.

NAMED IN THE GUARDIAN AND GQ MAGAZINE'S BEST BOOKS OF 2020

'This is the story of a family's love, a battle with shame and a long journey to acceptance. It is deeply moving and profoundly important and it made me cry,' Elizabeth Day, author of How to Fail

Discover a powerful coming of age memoir about growing up queer in a strict Muslim household.

Mohsin grew up in a poor pocket of east London, in a devout shia Muslim community. His family were close-knit and religiously conservative. From a young age, Mohsin felt different but in a home where being gay was inconceivable he also felt very alone.

Outside of home Mohsin went to a failing inner city school where gang violence was a fact of life. As he grew up life didn't seem to offer teenage Mohsin any choices: he was disenfranchised from opportunity and isolated from his family as a closet gay Muslim.

But Mohsin had incredible drive and became the first person from his school to go to Oxford University. At university came the newfound freedom to become the man his parents never wanted him to be. But when he was confronted by his father and a witch doctor invited to 'cure' him Mohsin had to make a difficult choice.

Mohsin's story takes harrowing turns but it is full of life and humour, and, ultimately, it is an inspiring story about breaking through life's barriers.

'This is a fiercely important book with a big beating heart-Mohsin Zaidi has delivered to us a deeply personal story that is an urgent manual for our times.' Tope Folarin, Author of A Particular Kind of Black Man

'A Dutiful Boy delivers an intimate account of the anguish of one man's gay, Muslim, coming-of-age story, and reveals something important about us all in the process,' Afua Hirsch

'I can't recommend A Dutiful Boy enough, I couldn't put it down. A journey of self-discovery, longing, triumph and hope. I fell in love with Mohsin, I imagine you will too,' Suzi Ruffell

David Norris is one of Ireland’s most popular, colourful and charismatic public figures. Not a man to shy away from controversy, he has spent most of his adult life challenging the establishment, whether as a leading campaigner for gay rights, a passionate conservationist, an unconventional academic and Joycean scholar, a brilliant raconteur, or, since 1987, a fiercely independent Senator and outspoken defender of human rights.

Born in the Belgian Congo to an English father, who died when he was six years old, and an Irish mother, who died when he was twenty-one, David has been a Dubliner all his life, and the city of Ulysses remains one of his great passions. He spear-headed the revival of Georgian Dublin, particularly through his campaign to save North Great George’s Street, where he has lived for the last thirty-five years.

But it is David Norris’s campaign to decriminalise homosexuality that will stand as his major legacy. Over a long sixteen years, he fought a difficult battle to overturn the Victorian law, finally winning a historic victory in the European Court of Human Rights in 1988.

David’s decision to run for President of Ireland in 2011 was not lightly taken, but it proved to be the most bruising period of his life. His popularity and the public affection in which he is held saw him quickly established as the front-runner. However, a sustained and hostile media campaign forced him out of the race; although he re-entered it in the autumn, the momentum had been lost. In these pages, David Norris reveals for the first time the full, no-holds-barred story of his presidential campaign, and of how he recovered from the turmoil.

A Kick Against the Pricks is a brilliant, deeply revealing autobiography, a remarkable journey from the margins to the centre of Irish society.

`I must find my own complicated junkie to have violent sex with. In 1994, nothing seemed like a better idea, save being able to write about it later. 'Michelle Tea is our exuberant, witty guide to the hard times and wild creativity of queer life in America. Along the way she reclaims SCUM Manifesto author Valerie Solanas as an absurdist, remembers the lives and deaths of the lesbian motorbike gang HAGS, and listens to activists at a trans protest camp.

This kaleidoscope of love and adventure also makes room for a defence of pigeons and a tale of teenage goths hustling for tips at an ice creamery in a `grimy, busted city called Chelsea'. Unsparing but unwaveringly kind, Michelle Tea reveals herself and others in unexpected and heart breaking ways. Against Memoir is the winner of the 2019 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay.

Best known as writer of fiction and memoir, this is the first time Tea's journalism has been collected. Delivered with her signature candour and dark humour, Against Memoir solidifies her place as one of the leading queer writers of our time.

Includes a new foreword by the author and a preface by Douglas Hofstadter.

Alan Turing was the extraordinary Cambridge mathematician who masterminded the cracking of the German Enigma ciphers and transformed the Second World War. But his vision went far beyond this crucial achievement. Before the war he had formulated the concept of the universal machine, and in 1945 he turned this into the first design for a digital computer.

Turing's far-sighted plans for the digital era forged ahead into a vision for Artificial Intelligence. However, in 1952 his homosexuality rendered him a criminal and he was subjected to humiliating treatment. In 1954, aged 41, Alan Turing committed suicide and one of Britain's greatest scientific minds was lost.

50 Drag Queens Who Changed the World is a tribute to the hugely influential pioneers who have shaped the fantastic world of drag, as well as the queens of today that we all know and love. 

Learn about the wild and brilliant lives of Mama Ru and the best-loved Drag Race superstars, including Alaska, Bianca Del Rio and Courtney Act, as well as legends like Divine and Lady Bunny, and the new scene of radical contemporary drag artists, such as Amrou Al-Kadhi and Victoria Sin.

Drag queens have been sissying that walk for a lot longer than you think, and this book is a sparkling celebration of the high-heeled, hairsprayed, punk-rock art form that has influenced pop culture for as long as it has been around.

Author: Dan Jones
Format: Hardback
Pages: 112
ISBN: 9781784883225

Alright Darling? is a visual celebration of the uninhibited, unapologetic and unafraid wonderland of contemporary drag.

Showcasing the world’s fiercest drag queens, along with their wild fashion – and the wit, realness, backstage antics and outrageous shade of drag culture – the book includes fresh shots of the ringleaders of this world, including:

Adore Delano, Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Act, Detox, Francois Sagat, Manila Luzon, Sharon Needles, Trixie Mattel, Willam Belli, Latrice Royale, Raja Gemini, Milk and many, many more…  

All images are taken by Greg Bailey, founder and editor of Alright Darling – the zine at the centre of the recent explosion of drag.

Not today, Satan.

The cheeky, larger-than-life drag queen and outrageous comic - 'The Joan Rivers of the Drag World' (New York Times) - who isn't afraid to shock or offend brings her trademark acerbic wit and sharp commentary to the page in an uproarious illustrated collection of advice.

When it comes to insult comics, Bianca Del Rio is in a class by herself. Fierce, funny, and fabulous - a would-be love child sired by John Waters and birthed by Joan Rivers - Bianca sandblasted her name in the annals of pop culture on RuPaul's Drag Race. Thanks to her snarky frankness, impeccable comedic timing, and politically incorrect humour, she became the show's breakout star, winning its sixth season.

In Blame It On Bianca Del Rio, Bianca shares her opinions loudly and proudly, offering raucous, hilarious, no-holds-barred commentary on the everyday annoyances, big and small, that colour her world, and make it a living, albeit amusing, hell for anyone who inhabits it. A collection of biting advice filled with vibrant photos from Bianca's twisted universe, Blame It On Bianca Del Rio will shock you and keep you laughing. But be warned: it is not for the faint of heart!

Reading age 12 and up.

Fall wig first into a world of big hair, high heels and even higher stakes in George Lester's debut novel Boy Queen.

Life's a drag until you try . . .

Robin Cooper’s life is falling apart.

While his friends prepare to head off to University, Robin is looking at a pile of rejection letters from drama schools up and down the country, and facing a future without the people he loves the most. Everything seems like it’s ending, and Robin is scrabbling to find his feet.

Unsure about what to do next and whether he has the talent to follow his dreams, he and his best friends go and drown their sorrows at a local drag show, where Robin realises there might be a different, more sequinned path for him . . .

With a mother who won't stop talking, a boyfriend who won't acknowledge him and a best friend who is dying to cover him in glitter make up, there's only one thing for Robin to do: bring it to the runway.

Longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize 2020

Life's a drag... Why not be a queen?

'Stories like the one where you shagged a 79-year-old builder and knocked over his sister's ashes while feeding him a Viagra. Or the time you crashed your car because you were giving a hand job in barely moving traffic and took your eye off the car in front. That's the kind of dinner-party ice-breaker I'm talking about.'

Northern, working-class and shagging men three times her age, Crystal writes candidly about her search for 'the one'; sleeping with a VIP in an attempt to become a world famous journalist; getting hired and fired by a well-known fashion magazine; being torn between losing weight and gorging on KFC; and her need for constant sexual satisfaction (and where that takes her).

Charting her day-to-day adventures over the course of a year, we encounter tucks, twists and sucks, heinous overspending and endless nights spent sprinting from problem to problem in a full face of make-up.

This is a place where the previously unspeakable becomes the commendable - a unique portrayal of the queer experience.

Author: Crystal Rasmussen
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9781785039508

This children's picture book helps adults to explain gender identity and expression to 4 to 8 year olds using simple language and engaging, diverse characters, covering the entire spectrum of gender. Includes a guide for parents and professionals and a lesson plan at the end of the book.

At lunchtime, all of Tom's friends gather at school to work together building their house. Each one of them has a special job to do, and each one of them has a different way of expressing their gender identity.

Jackson is a boy who likes to wear dresses. Ivy is a girl who likes her hair cut really short. Alex doesn't feel like 'just' a boy, or 'just' a girl. They are all the same, they are all different - but they are all friends.

A very simple story that challenges gender stereotypes and shows 4 to 8 year olds that it is OK to be yourself. An engaging story that is more than just an educational tool; this book will assist parents and teachers in giving children the space to explore the full spectrum of gender diversity and will show children the many ways they can express their gender in a truly positive light.

'In this era of gender revolution, A House for Everyone reminds us that gender isn't two boxes but a rainbow with room for children of every gender. Jo Hirst's brilliant book teaches all our children about gender identity and gender expressions while celebrating gender acceptance--let's bring it to every classroom and household.'
- Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D. Author of The Gender Creative Child and Gender Born, Gender Made, Director of Mental Health of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center

'A vibrant, up-beat story about inclusion and acceptance, looking past stereotypes and embracing human differences. It's a much-needed resource in the Gender Identity category.'
- Rebecca Seymour, Little Parachutes

Author: Jo Hirst, illustrated by Naomi Bardoff
Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781785924484

Reading level - 13 to 17 years.

Archie, a snarky genderqueer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace.

The longtime best friends team up in this short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them. They also include what to do if you make a mistake, and some tips-and-tricks for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world.

A quick and easy resource for people who use they/them pronouns, and people who want to learn more!

Reading level - 8 to 12 years.

When twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning the U.S. Juvenile Champion in figure skating, learns that they'll be portraying a princess in their new skating program, they're less than thrilled, to say the least. Ana's just not a frilly -- dress kind of girl, after all! Nevertheless, Ana's determined not to let anything derail the dream of achieving another national title-not after all these years of hard work and Mom's many sacrifices.

But when Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, Ana's thoughts about gender identity throw her for a loop she wasn't expecting. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana decides not to correct him, and soon settles into a comfortable, boyish identity whenever he's around. But as their friendship develops, Ana soon realises that it's not easy to juggle two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether the truth is worth risking everything they've trained for.

Ana on the Edge is a contemporary #ownvoices novel that offers a behind-the-scenes look into the world of competitive figure skating, while also giving readers a nonbinary protagonist to root and cheer for along the way.

Reading age 3 - 7 years.

Tiny prefers not to tell other children whether they are a boy or girl. Tiny also loves to play fancy dress, sometimes as a fairy and sometimes as a knight in shining armour. Tiny's family don't seem to mind but when they start a new school some of their new classmates struggle to understand.

'A lovely, sensitive, much-needed book that helps all children ask the big questions about identity and gender.' - Juno Dawson, author of This Book is Gay

Tiny loves costumes! Tiny likes to dress up as an animal, or a doctor, or a butterfly. Tiny also prefers not to tell other children whether they are a boy or a girl. Tiny's friends don't mind, but when Tiny starts a new school their new friends can't help asking one question:

"Tiny, are you a boy or are you a girl?"

This brightly illustrated book will open a dialogue with children aged 3+ about gender diversity in a fun and creative way. Featuring a gender neutral protagonist, the book imparts an important message about identity and being who you want to be. Tiny's story will assist parents, family and teachers in giving children the space to express themselves fully, explore different identities and have fun at the same time.

'Books on gender identity for young children are still very few and far between. Children who do not identify as boys or girls will find Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl? immensely reassuring. It will be extremely valuable too in schools, in families, and in other settings - for helping young children understand gender diversity and question gender stereotypes. At the end there are a number of useful discussion starters, for example 'Does it matter if Tiny is a boy or a girl?' and 'What would you ask Tiny if you met them?', followed by information about organisations that provide support on gender identity issues. A sensitive and important book, written by campaigners for transgender rights.'
- Anne Harding

'The real value for children and parents in this book stems from its simplicity, it puts the story across in a grounded manner and invites open discussion. The authors, Fox Fisher and Sarah Savage have collaborated to produce what I feel is an amazing book.'
- Sophie Smallman

Author: Sarah Savage and Fox Fisher, illustrated by Fox Fisher
Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781785922671

A “scrupulously honest” (O, The Oprah Magazine) debut memoir that explores one man’s gender transition amid a pivotal political moment in America.

Becoming a Man is a “moving narrative [that] illuminates the joy, courage, necessity, and risk-taking of gender transition” (Kirkus Reviews). For fifty years P. Carl lived as a girl and then as a queer woman, building a career, a life, and a loving marriage, yet still waiting to realise himself in full.

As Carl embarks on his gender transition, he takes us inside the complex shifts and questions that arise throughout—the alternating moments of arrival and estrangement. He writes intimately about how transitioning reconfigures both his own inner experience and his closest bonds—his twenty-year relationship with his wife, Lynette; his already tumultuous relationships with his parents; and seemingly solid friendships that are subtly altered, often painfully and wordlessly.

Carl “has written a poignant and candid self-appraisal of life as a ‘work-of-progress’” (Booklist) and blends the remarkable story of his own personal journey with incisive cultural commentary, writing beautifully about gender, power, and inequality in America.

His transition occurs amid the rise of the Trump administration and the #MeToo movement—a transition point in America’s own story, when transphobia and toxic masculinity are under fire even as they thrive in the highest halls of power. Carl’s quest to become himself and to reckon with his masculinity mirrors, in many ways, the challenge before the country as a whole, to imagine a society where every member can have a vibrant, livable life.

Here, through this brave and deeply personal work, Carl brings an unparalleled new voice to this conversation.

Reading level - 4 to 8 years.

HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a children's picture book about a Very Special boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny.

Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence - the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever...

With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming bunny book for kids explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this better Bundo book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different.

Reading level - 5 to 7 years.

This series shines an informative light on the difficult realities faced in today's world and illuminates healthy ways for children to process and understand them.

Children living with same-sex parents shouldn't have to explain their families, but often they do.

This title explores same-sex parents, equips children with the confidence to answer questions and shows all families are different, but equally loving. 

Reading Age: 2 - 5 years.

A wonderful book for your children about Your family accepting who you truly are and has parallels with the trans community coming-out stories.

Meet Herbert: the rabbit who knows he was born to be a fox. When his mummy isn’t looking, he puts on pointy fox ears, makes himself a bushy tail, and asks his sister to paint him orange, just like a fox. But Mummy doesn't understand: why can't he just be a good rabbit?

A Fox Called Herbert is a true celebration of being ourselves and supporting our loved ones. Let this joyful tale inspire you to be who you are and follow your dreams.

Author: Margaret Sturton
Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781783448708

This children's picture book helps adults to explain gender identity and expression to 4 to 8 year olds using simple language and engaging, diverse characters, covering the entire spectrum of gender. Includes a guide for parents and professionals and a lesson plan at the end of the book.

At lunchtime, all of Tom's friends gather at school to work together building their house. Each one of them has a special job to do, and each one of them has a different way of expressing their gender identity.

Jackson is a boy who likes to wear dresses. Ivy is a girl who likes her hair cut really short. Alex doesn't feel like 'just' a boy, or 'just' a girl. They are all the same, they are all different - but they are all friends.

A very simple story that challenges gender stereotypes and shows 4 to 8 year olds that it is OK to be yourself. An engaging story that is more than just an educational tool; this book will assist parents and teachers in giving children the space to explore the full spectrum of gender diversity and will show children the many ways they can express their gender in a truly positive light.

'In this era of gender revolution, A House for Everyone reminds us that gender isn't two boxes but a rainbow with room for children of every gender. Jo Hirst's brilliant book teaches all our children about gender identity and gender expressions while celebrating gender acceptance--let's bring it to every classroom and household.'
- Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D. Author of The Gender Creative Child and Gender Born, Gender Made, Director of Mental Health of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center

'A vibrant, up-beat story about inclusion and acceptance, looking past stereotypes and embracing human differences. It's a much-needed resource in the Gender Identity category.'
- Rebecca Seymour, Little Parachutes

Author: Jo Hirst, illustrated by Naomi Bardoff
Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781785924484

Reading level - 3 to 6 years.

An aadorable and funny love story between aardvarks.

Aardvarks Aalfred and Aalbert both need a pal. But Aalfred sleeps in the day, and Aalbert sleeps at night. How will they ever get the chance to meet?

Bird conjures up a series of sillier and sillier schemes to get the two aardvarks into the same place, but their paths simply refuse to cross. Until one day, when they find each other in the most unexpected way – and now Aalfred and Aalbert will never lose each other again.

Aalfred and Aalbert is as funny and memorable as Morag Hood's previous books, Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea, I Am Bat and The Steves. With its sweet and natural portrayal of love accidentally blooming between two aardvarks, it makes a brilliant gift for a loved one.

From Two Hoots, and the fabulous author-illustrator Morag Hood, there’s the adorable aardvark story of Aalfred and Aalbert, whose different sleep cycles have doomed them never to meet, much to the frustration of a small avian matchmaker. Whether snoozing curled up in their burrows or following their passions of broccoli, cheese and flowers, these aardvarks, and their happy ending, make for ear-to-ear smiles. -- Imogen Russell Williams ― Guardian

With an introduction by Alan Hollinghurst.

It was his power that stupefied me and made me regard my knowledge as nothing more than hired cleverness he might choose to show off at a dinner party.

A Boy's Own Story traces an unnamed narrator's coming-of-age during the 1950s. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as he fills his head with romantic expectations. The result is a book of exquisite poignancy and humour that moves towards a conclusion which will allow the boy to leave behind his childhood forever.

Originally published in 1982 as the first of Edmund White's trilogy of autobiographical novels, A Boy's Own Story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. Lyrical and powerfully evocative, this is an American literary treasure.

'An utterly gorgeous novel. It will forever hold my heart in its pages' Pandora Sykes, co-host of The High-Low podcast

Grace loves a woman. Annie loves a man. Violet isn't quite sure. But you'll love them all...

Grace has what one might call a 'full and interesting life' which is code for not married and has no kids. Her life is the envy of her straight friends, but all this time she has been waiting in secret for love to hit her so hard that she runs out of breath, like the way a wave in a rough sea bowls you over, slams you into the sand, and nearly drowns you.

When Grace meets a beautiful woman at a party, she falls suddenly and desperately in love. At the same party, lawyer Annie meets the man of her dreams - the only man she's ever met whose table manners are up to her mother's standards. And across the city, Violet, who is afraid of almost everything, is making another discovery of her own: that for the first time in her life she's falling in love with a woman.

A Love Story for Bewildered Girls is a moving and exquisitely funny novel about love, sex and heartbreak.

'Exquisitely tender, beautifully written, funny and sad' Daisy Buchanan, author of How to Be a Grown-up

'Funny, honest, brilliant' Nina Stibbe, bestselling author of Love, Nina

'I absolutely loved this book by Emma Morgan which follows 3 women's very different love lives... I inhaled it' Emma Gannon, Sunday Times best-selling author and host of the podcast Ctrl-Alt-Delete

'Funny, touching, uplifting, thoroughly modern' Lauren Bravo, author of What Would the Spice Girls Do?

'I was transfixed by this funny and moving story of three women navigating their way through the complexities of love, life and the search for personal fulfilment' Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus, a Richard & Judy Book Club Pick

'A charming modern romance' Glamour

'Beautifully written, Morgan's novel is a seriously impressive debut' Stylist

'Emma Morgan is an author to look out for' Julie Cohen, author of 'Louis & Louise'

LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI PRIZE 2020

'Intense, gorgeous, troubling, seductive - a novel that has to be surrendered to rather than read' Sarah Waters

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF AN ENGLISH PEN TRANSLATES AWARD

All Men Want to Know traces Nina Bouraoui's blissful childhood in Algeria, a wild, sun-soaked paradise, with hazy summer afternoons spent swimming, diving, and driving across the desert. Her mother is French, her father Algerian; when racial tensions begin to surface in their neighbourhood, her mother suffers an unspeakable act of violence that forces the family to flee the country.

In Paris, eighteen-year-old Nina lives alone. It's the 1980s. Four nights a week she makes her way to The Kat, a legendary gay nightclub, where she watches women from the sidelines, afraid of her own desires, her sudden and intoxicating freedom. In her solitude, she starts to write - and finds herself writing about her mother.

All Men Want to Know is a haunting, lyrical international bestseller about mothers and daughters, about shame and sexuality, about existing between two cultures and belonging to neither. A phenomenon in France, this is a defining portrait of womanhood from one of Europe's greatest living writers.

'Blown away by the power and lyricism of All Men Want to Know. What a book. Read it' Niven Govinden, author of THIS BRUTAL HOUSE

'Intense yet gorgeous and deeply moving, All Men Want to Know is a defining portrait of womanhood that grips at the heart of the immigrant experience, about existing between two cultures yet belonging to neither' Dazed

'It's easy to see why this novel dominated the bestseller charts for so long in France' Monocle

'A compelling story of love and betrayal in the divided Berlin of the 1980s' Sunday Times Best Books of 2019

'A beautifully written, evocative literary thriller set in Berlin shortly before the fall of the Wall' Financial Times Best Books of 2019

'A powerful and moving love story by a writer at the top of his game' John Boyne

In West Berlin in 1989, eighteen-year-old Ralf has just left school and is living a final golden summer with his three best friends. They spend their days swimming, smoking and daydreaming about the future, oblivious to the storm gathering on the other side of the Berlin Wall.

But an unsettling discovery about his family and a meeting with the mysterious Oz shatters everything Ralf thought he knew about love and loyalty. And as old Cold War tensions begin to tear his life apart, he finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, forced to make impossible choices about his country, his family and his heart.

The Irish contemporary classic in a beautiful new edition. 'Weren't you never out for an easy dip?' he asked . . .

'I don't mean the baths, I mean with a pal. For a lark like.' Out at the Forty Foot, that great jut of Dublin rock where gentlemen bathe in the scandalous nude, two boys meet day after day. There they make a pact: that Doyler will teach Jim to swim, and in a year, they will swim the bay to the distant beacon of the Muglins rock, to raise the Green and claim it for themselves.

As a turbulent year drives inexorably towards the Easter Rising of 1916 and Ireland sets forth on a path to uncertain glory, a tender, secret love story unfolds.

Written with verve and mastery in a modern Irish tradition descended from James Joyce and Flann O'Brien, At Swim, Two Boys is a shimmering novel of unforgettable ambition, intensity and humanity.

'One of the greatest Irish novels ever written' David Marcus

'The music of Jamie O'Neill's prose creates a new Irish symphony' Peter Ackroyd

'Heartachingly beautiful' Independent on Sunday

'A vivid picture of human freedom' Sunday Times.

Over the last century, many artists have made works that challenge dominant models of gender and sexuality. The results can be sexy or serious, satirical or tender, discreetly coded or defiantly outspoken.

This beautiful book illustrates the wide variety of queer art from around the world exploring bodies and identity, love and desire, prejudice and protest through drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and installation.

70 outstanding works from 1900 to the present reveal how queer experiences have differed across time and place, and how art has been part of a story of changing attitudes and emerging identities.

Featuring works by, among others, Egon Schiele, Duncan Grant, Claude Cahun, Hannah Höch, Frida Kahlo, David Hockney, Glenn Ligon, Zanele Muholi, Allyson Mitchell and Tomoko Kashiki all of whom subverted the norms of their day via bold, new forms of expression, A Queer Little History of Art is a celebration of over 100 years of queer creativity.

This ad is gender neutral , proclaimed a 2016 poster for the fashion brand Diesel; I resist definitions , announced a Calvin Klein ad in the same year, while a Louis Vuitton shoot featured Jaden Smith, son of actor Will Smith, wearing a skirt like a natural.

Fashion magazines have printed countless features on the blurring of gender barriers, while brands including Yves Saint-Laurent, Gucci, Burberry, Givenchy and Dolce & Gabbana have all interpreted the concept girls will be boys and boys will be girls in their own individual style.

The previous turn of the century was as obsessed with androgyny as this one, as seen in the art of Edward Burne-Jones and Gustave Moreau, and the writings of Oscar Wilde and the mystic Joséphin Péladan.

From the late 19th to the early 21st century, the genders have blended: from Berlin in the 1920s to Hollywood of the 1930s with Garbo to Dietrich; from the 1940s Bright Young Things to the androgynous pop stars of the 1970s, and beyond.

What do these variations on a theme have in common? What has caused the dizzying rise of androgyny? Why has this concept, a staple of ancient myth that was first discussed in Plato s Symposium, been revived today?

Accompanied by a striking selection of contemporary photographs, Patrick Mauriès presents a condensed cultural history of androgyny, drawing on the worlds of art and literature to give us a deeper understanding of the strange but timeless human drive to escape from defined categories.

A revised, updated edition of the acclaimed historical overview of Queer art – available for the first time in paperback

Art & Queer Culture  is an unprecedented survey of visual art and alternative sexualities from the late nineteenth century to the present. Beautifully illustrated and clearly written, this special edition has been updated to include the art and visual culture that has emerged since the publication of its acclaimed first edition in 2013.

A group of new contributors – themselves gay, lesbian, queer and trans – join the primary authors in emphasising the global sweep of queer contemporary art and the newfound visibility of gender non-conforming artists. In a compact, reader-friendly format, this revised volume packs over 130 years of queer art history.

Art and Queer Culture   features work by famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Robert Mapplethorpe alongside that of AIDS activists, lesbian separatists, and pre-Stonewall photographers and scrapbook-keepers who did not regard themselves as artists at all. The volume traces a spectacular history of queer life and creativity in the modern age.

MarsArt after Stonewall reveals the impact of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender civil rights movement on the art world.

Illustrated with more than 200 works, this groundbreaking volume stands as a visual history of twenty years in American queer life. It focuses on openly LGBT artists like Nan Goldin, Harmony Hammond, Lyle Ashton Harris, Greer Langton, Glenn Ligon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Catherine Opie, and Andy Warhol, as well as the practices of such artists as Diane Arbus, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Karen Finley in terms of their engagement with queer subcultures.

The Stonewall Riots of June 1969 sparked the beginning of the struggle for gay and lesbian equality, and yet fifty years later, key artists who fomented the movement remain little known.

This book tells the stories behind their works which cut across media, mixing performance, photographs, painting, sculpture, film, and music with images taken from magazines, newspapers, and television.

Reading level - age 16 years and up.

This book is for anyone who wants to learn about asexuality, and for Ace people themselves, to validate their experiences.

Asexuality is often called The Invisible Orientation. You don’t learn about it in school, you don’t hear “ace” on television. So, it’s kinda hard to be ace in a society so steeped in sex that no one knows you exist. Too many young people grow up believing that their lack of sexual desire means they are broken – so writer Molly Muldoon and cartoonist Will Hernandez, both in the ace community, are here to shed light on society’s misconceptions of asexuality and what being ace is really like. This book is for anyone who wants to learn about asexuality, and for Ace people themselves, to validate their experiences. Asexuality is a real identity and it’s time the world recognises it. Here’s to being invisible no more!

Molly Muldoon is a former scholar and bookseller, current librarian and writer, and always demisexual fanfiction enthusiast. Her works include The Cardboard Kingdom, Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, and the forthcoming The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast. Although she’s spent the past ten years globetrotting, she currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her ridiculous cat, Jamie McKitten.

Will Hernandez is a lifelong artist, and a first-time published comic creator/ co-author. Though a passionate storyteller and draftsman, Will is also on an endless journey of discovery, looking to learn more about the world and, in turn, themself. Through ups and downs, they've discovered themself to be on the asexual spectrum, growing ever more curious of the role sexuality and gender play in society, and fond of the culture it creates.

Molly Muldoon is a former scholar and bookseller, current librarian and writer, and always demisexual fanfiction enthusiast. Her works include The Cardboard Kingdom, Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, and the forthcoming The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast. Although she’s spent the past ten years globetrotting, she currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her ridiculous cat, Jamie McKitten.

Reading level - 13 to 16 years.

In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G and JR Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world!

Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples.

A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!

An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that's obsessed with sexual attraction, and what the ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity.

What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, about romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that aces face-confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships-are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the "A" of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy.

Journalist Angela Chen creates her path to understanding her own asexuality with the perspectives of a diverse group of asexual people. Vulnerable and honest, these stories include a woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that "not wanting sex" was a sign of serious illness, and a man who grew up in a religious household and did everything "right," only to realise after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Disabled aces, aces of colour, gender-nonconforming aces, and aces who both do and don't want romantic relationships all share their experiences navigating a society in which a lack of sexual attraction is considered abnormal. Chen's careful cultural analysis explores how societal norms limit understanding of sex and relationships and celebrates the breadth of sexuality and queerness.

Author: Angela Chen
Format: Hardback
Pages: 184
ISBN: 9780807013793

A witty and empowering graphic novel following members of a diverse LGBTQ+
community as they navigate their evolving identities and relationships.

'We don't just come out once. We have to come out continually throughout our
lives. And as we grow and change and reach a newfound understanding of who
we are, we come out once again in a whole new way.'

Following the interconnected lives of a diverse queer community - including asexual, polyamorous, trans and autigender people - this empowering graphic novel explores the multitude of ways a person's identity and relationships can be expressed and can change over time. From Lily coming out as a lesbian after coming out as a trans woman, to Leanne embracing their genderqueer identity in later life, to Ty navigating their queerness with their autistic identity, these stories illustrate how life lived at the intersection of gender, sexuality, race and class is often a journey with many chapters.

Full of love and pride - as well as tips and advice - these witty, tender and inspiring narratives prove there is no wrong way to be who you are, so long as you are being true to yourself.

'Coming Out, Again is a brilliant mix of the whimsical and serious sides of LGBT+ and neurodiverse identities, breaking through the polite façade we often wear and exposing how wonderful and silly we can be in private spaces. It's a privilege to read and to love the characters, they spring off the page, and it is all too easy to find yourself within them. Handled with obvious care and love, this book is a breath of fresh air."' - Poe Charlotte, author of 'How to Be Autistic'.

'I Highly recommend this beautifully crafted and intelligently scripted novel of so many diverse and divergent experiences that many autistic individuals face, daily. This graphic novel is both entertaining, enlightening, inclusive and challenging. It's all too easy to stay hidden in one's arrogance and preconceived notions of 'Other'.' - Wenn B. Lawson (PhD) CPsychol AFBPsS University of Birmingham, UK. Honorary Researcher, Macquarie University & Curtin University, Australia.

'I absolutely loved this book. It covers a range of issues around gender, sexuality, race and neurodiversity in an inclusive, affirming and engaging way. This book would be great for Queer and questioning young - and not so young - people. As an autistic and non-binary person I found the book very empowering. Highly recommended.' - Yenn Purkis, non-binary and autistic advocate and author.

Author: Sabrina Symington
Format: Paperbook
Pages: 144
ISBN: 9781787752405

DISCOVER the BESTSELLING GRAPHIC MEMOIR behind the 2019 Olivier Award nominated musical.

‘A sapphic graphic treat’ The Times

A moving and darkly humorous family tale, pitch-perfectly illustrated with Alison Bechdel's gothic drawings. If you liked Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis you’ll love this.

Meet Alison's father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the family's Victorian home, a third-generation funeral home director, a high-school English teacher, an icily distant parent, and a closeted homosexual who, as it turns out, is involved with his male students and the family babysitter. When Alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescence, the denouement is swift, graphic, and redemptive.

Interweaving between childhood memories, college life and present day, and through narrative that is equally heartbreaking and fiercely funny, Alison looks back on her complex relationship with her father and finds they had more in common than she ever knew.

'A groundbreaking masterpiece' The Independent

'A finely woven blend of yearning and euphoric fantasy' Evening Standard

**ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**