Introduction to the 2010 Bibliography

Click here for the full 2010 bibliography with annotations.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association have released the 2010 Rainbow Project Bibliography of recommended titles for youth from birth to age 18 that contain significant and authentic gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (GLBTQ) content. The third bibliography from the ALA Rainbow Project represents the increasing range of GLBTQ titles for youth from board books to titles published for adults with appeal to teen readers. Books published between July 2008 and October 2009 were considered for inclusion in the final selection.

Of the 46 recommended titles, four stood out to the selection jury for their impact on the body of GLBTQ literature of interest for youth: How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity, edited by Michael Cart (HarperTeen); Ash, by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown); Into the Beautiful North, by Luis Alberto Urrea (Little, Brown); Finlater, by Shawn Stewart Ruff (Quote Editions).  In addition, the group commended the groundbreaking pair of complementary board books from Lesléa Newman, Daddy, Papa, and Me and Mommy, Mama, and Me (Tricycle Press/Ten Speed).

Although a wealth of timely nonfiction has been published for youth during the past 18 months, Project members perceived a noticeable void in the area of GLBTQ nonfiction, including history and memoirs. Lack of subject headings that lead to GLBTQ content may have been a factor in Project members not finding eligible books until after the nomination deadline, for example Eon:  Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman (Viking, December 2008).

The 2009-2010 ALA Rainbow Project jury consisted of John Andrews, Chair-elect (Washoe County Library System, Reno, NV); Michael Cart; Lynn Evarts (Sauk Prairie High School, Prairie du Sac, WI); K.T. Horning (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI); Arla Jones (Lawrence High School, Lawrence, KS); Michael Santangelo (Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY); Victor Schill (Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX); Laurie Spurling (Denver Public Library, Denver, CO); and Nel Ward, Chair.