Gay characters in Children's Fiction - eg for 11 year olds?

[MrsTaraPlumbing]

For the past 3 years I have been enjoying the Percy Jackson books - and got my reluctant reading son hooked on them too (i'm 45, BTW!).

The 9th book in the series was published only a few weeks ago and we find that one of the main male characters (aged 14) has a crush on an older boy.
BTW, this is so well written in to the story.

Now, this book will be widely read by 10-11-12 year olds. Are there any other POPULAR, mainstream books specifically for this age group that has any gay characters?

I don't mean where adult readers may think a character might be gay - such as Dumbledore - but their sexuality is confirmed in the story?

DD (also 11) has a series by James Howe, the first one is The Misfits - they're American and I think very popular there but not so known here - one of the main characters (Joe) is gay. Would definitely recommend them for 11 y/os, they are lovely books.

Also, I believe the hero of The Name of this Book is Secret lives with two grandpas? Haven't read it though

I read it about 25 years ago but I think A Proper Little Nooryeff" byJean Ure dealt with a ballet dancing boy being called gay.

Excellent book regardless.

Two Weeks with the Queen by Morris Gleitzman. A young Australian boy in London seeks help for his little brother who has an incurable blood cancer. In the course of his travels he becomes friends with a gay couple, one of whom is dying of full blown AIDS. Given the subject matter it's unavoidably sad but it's also very moving and funny. Written in the 90s when the outlook for people with HIV related illness was generally much worse than it is today.

www.amazon.co.uk/Weeks-Queen-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/014130300X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383571100&sr=8-1&keywords=two+weeks+with+the+queen

Handrags - weirdly I reread that this weekend as my mum wanted to give lots of my old books to DS. It is still a really good book! (Though v dated - had forgotten the concert was to raise funds for "the Spastics")

I can give you a list of YA books with lesbian characters coming out....but mostly ALL the focus is on the fact that they're gay and this has to be dealt with and it comes with all the contextual baggage of what lesbian/gays have to face IRL. Not sure if that's what you're after.....

But, in my sixth form library there was this fantastic book about a girl whose mother had died, and in the end she goes to live with her mum's (lesbian) partner. I don't think they ever mention that they're gay, it just seems completely natural and the girl herself doesn't even acknowledge the fact. Don't want to give much away I've had a google but just can't find the name! Think it might be by Anne Fine? or a writer like her. The girl likes to read, used to read Diary of a Nobody with her mum....argh this is annoying me now. They probably have it at the library.

One of the more major characters in the Cherub series is openly gay. I think he's called Kyle. The main character has initially a bit of a "yuck" reaction to finding this out, but then (I think) the others tell him he's being ridiculous. They're still friends at the end of the series 1 anyway.

Takver Fri 01-Nov-13 11:49:49
Also, I believe the hero of The Name of this Book is Secret lives with two grandpas? Haven't read it though

Yes - Cas has a pair she calls her Grandfathers who live in an old fire station with an ancient dog. She lives with her mum (no father at all). The book series is simply superb. How the Grandfathers come to be together is explained within the stories.

I recommend them to all who will listen ... www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secret-Series-Complete-Collection/dp/0316219819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384614318&sr=8-1&keywords=the+name+of+this+book+is+secret+box+set

Depends on how narrowly you define "popular".

The So You Want To Be A Wizard series features a gay couple of senior wizards who mentor the heroine -- it was popular in the 90s and fondly remembered by those who read it then, but I think it's out of print now (though available used and on Kindle).

How about the boy in silk pajamas

Actually I think Clarisse in the early Percy Jackson books is implied to be bisexual as well - she's the Achilles character.

Go onto the stonewall website. It had fabulous book lists for all age children and a wealth of information for all x

Www.stonewall.org
Then type books into search at the top then you can choose primary or secondary books. An amazing site x

Look into Mary Renault in a 2-4 years.