Fantasy stories allow us to escape into another world of possibilities—one where we can put ourselves in the shoes of characters who do things like battle evils, fall in love and save the world. Everyone deserves to experience reading this kind of tale about characters that represent their own unique selves.

The LGBTQ+ community should feel welcome in all literary genres. Our Collection Development experts have put together this list of their favorite LGBTQ-inclusive fantasy books that you should consider adding to your classroom library!

1. Witch Boy series
by Molly Knox Ostertag

Interest level: 3-7

“This series of middle grade graphic novels explores themes of gender identity in a fully realized fantasy world.” -Michelle

In thirteen-year-old Aster’s family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross those lines is exiled. Unfortunately for Aster, he still hasn’t shifted, and he’s fascinated by witchery, no matter how forbidden it might be. When a mysterious danger threatens the other boys, Aster knows he can help—as a witch. It will take the encouragement of a new friend to convince Aster to try practicing his skills. And it will require even more courage to save his family and truly be himself.

2. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series
by Rick Riordan

Interest level: 5-9

“In this Stonewall Award-winning series based on the Norse gods, Magnus must try to save the world from Ragnarok. The cast of characters is incidentally diverse in many aspects. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy romance and loved watching Magnus fall for gender-fluid Alex, while both are battling monsters and saving the day.” -Brandi

Magnus Chase, cousin to Annabeth in the Percy Jackson series, discovers he is the child of a Norse god. These action-packed books will keep readers on the edge of their seats and also introduce them to Norse mythology.

3. Lumberjanes chapter books
by Mariko Tamaki

Interest level: 5-9

“Join your favorite campers from Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types in this series of original adventures.” -Michelle

Bringing the beloved Lumberjanes characters into a novel format for the first time, the series features original adventures that reveal stories of the scouts and introduces a host of new supernatural mischief-makers around the camp. It is written by New York Times bestselling author and Printz Honor winner Mariko Tamaki, and illustrated with black-and-white art throughout by Brooke Allen, one of the original creators of the Lumberjanes comics.

4. Pet
by Akwaeke Emezi

Interest level: 7-12

“This National Book Award finalist book is not afraid of tackling tough topics. Despite many heavy subjects being included, the fact that the protagonist is trans is a complete non-issue throughout the entire book. Many different family structures are also celebrated.” -Brandi

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their lives. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption’s house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth, and the answer to the question: How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist? In their riveting and timely young adult debut, acclaimed novelist Akwaeke Emezi asks difficult questions about what choices you can make when the society around you is in denial.

5. Call Down the Hawk
by Maggie Stiefvater

Interest level: 7-12

“This series by Maggie Stiefvater is all kinds of amazing! I love the world that she created, and I wouldn’t mind visiting this one again. A blend of beautiful writing with intriguing plots that seem separate, but come together. Dreamers, art forgery and a mysterious voice calling out to Ronan in his dreams!” -Brian

The dreamers walk among us and so do the dreamed. Those who dream cannot stop dreaming—they can only try to control it. Those who are dreamed cannot have their own lives—they will sleep forever if their dreamers die. And then there are those who are drawn to the dreamers. To use them. To trap them. To kill them before their dreams destroy us all. Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality. Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it. Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed.

6. Carry On
by Rainbow Rowell

Interest level: 9-12

“Within just a few chapters, this became my new favorite series about a misfit boy wizard finding his way in the magic world. Simon and Baz’s complicated relationship is only one part of this exciting series. Perfect for fantasy fans that know that no matter what sort of world you find yourself in, doing the right thing often takes a tremendous amount of courage and help from friends!” -Brandi

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen. That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right. Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

7. Lumberjanes graphic novels
by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, illustrated by Allen Brooke

Interest level: 9-12

“This series of fantasy graphic novels features a diverse cast of characters attending Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. Campers include a number of different LGBTQ+ characters that find true friendship while battling yetis, three-eyed wolves, giant falcons and more.” -Michelle

Best friends Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley spend a fun summer at Lumberjane scout camp where they encounter yetis, three-eyed wolves and giant falcons while solving a mystery that holds the fate of the world in the balance.

8. We Set the Dark on Fire
by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Interest level: 9-12

“This book is set in a fantasy world heavily influenced by Latinx culture, where men in the upper class get two wives: a “Primera,” trained to be a stoic and practical wife to help her husband conduct business and a “Segunda,” trained to be a nurturing wife and mother. When Primera Dani is married off to one of Medio’s top politicians, she finds herself entangled with a grass-roots resistance group who are attempting to overthrow the government, while realizing she may have feelings for her husband’s other wife.” -Stephanie

In this daring and romantic fantasy debut, society-wife-in-training Dani has a great awakening after being recruited by rebel spies and falling for her biggest rival. At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband’s household or raise his children, but both are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico’s son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme.

9. You Brought Me the Ocean
by Alexander Hitz-Sanchez, illustrated by Julie Maroh

Interest level: 9-12

“Jake Hyde can control water but not his feelings about Kenny. Unable to confide in his mother nor his best friend, Jake feels like he is drowning in secrets. Jake becomes determined to figure out who he is and live his truth, even if it means defying his mother’s wishes to stay away from the ocean and discovering who his father really is. It is set in the DC Universe, but stands alone well.” -Brandi

Jake Hyde doesn’t swim, not since his father drowned. Luckily, he lives in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which is in the middle of the desert. And yet he yearns for the ocean and is determined to leave his hometown for a college on the coast. But his best friend, Maria, wants nothing more than to make a home in the desert, and Jake’s mother encourages him to always play it safe. But there’s nothing “safe” about Jake’s future, not when he’s attracted to Kenny Liu, swim team captain and rebel against conformity. And certainly not when he secretly applies to Miami University. Jake’s life becomes a reflection of the name of his small town. Does he live his truth and face the consequences? Jake is full of secrets, including the strange blue markings on his skin that glow when in contact with water. What power will he find when he searches for his identity, and will he turn his back to the current or dive headfirst into the waves?

10. The Mermaid, The Witch, and the Sea
by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Interest level: 9-12

“This complex fantasy adventure will hook readers from the very first paragraph! Florian (born Flora) is trying to survive on a pirate ship by the only way he can—by becoming as blood thirsty as the rest of the crew. When the cruel pirate captain captures nobles to sell as slaves, Florian couldn’t care less about their safety. He is tasked with keeping the Lady Hasegawa safe and valuable, but find himself falling in love with her. As their complicated relationship unfolds, Florian must decide if he is a hero or a pirate and what he is willing to sacrifice to keep his true love safe.” -Brandi

In a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic, a desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial lady find a connection on the high seas. The pirate Florian, has always done whatever it takes to survive—including sailing under false flag on the Dove as a marauder, thief and worse. Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, a highborn Imperial daughter, is on board as well, accompanied by her own casket. But Evelyn’s one-way voyage to an arranged marriage in the Floating Islands is interrupted when the captain and crew show their true colors and enslave their wealthy passengers. Both Florian and Evelyn have lived their lives by the rules, and whims, of others. But when they fall in love, they decide to take fate into their own hands, no matter the cost. Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s sweeping fantasy debut, full of stolen memories, illicit mermaid’s blood, double agents and haunting mythical creatures conjures an extraordinary cast of characters and the unforgettable story of a couple striving to stay together in the face of myriad forces wishing to control their identities and destinies.

11. Are You Listening?
by Tillie Walden

Interest level: 10-12

“This surreal graphic novel straddles the line between fantasy and magical realism. Tillie Walden’s distinctive illustrations will draw readers into this unique and hard-to-forget story. Due to some mature content, this one is recommended for high school and older.” -Brandi

An emotionally soaring graphic novel of friendship and grief by the Eisner Award-winning creator of Spinning traces the intimate healing bond between two young women on the run in the wake of wrenching betrayal, sexual assault and loss.

12. Girls of Paper and Fire
by Natasha Ngan

Interest level: 10-12

“Lei, member of the lowly Paper caste, has become the king’s consort. When she falls in love with another woman, their forbidden romance becomes part of a larger plot that could destroy the kingdom and everything Lei holds dear. Contains mature content.” -Michelle

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for, and the most demeaning. This year, there’s a ninth, and instead of paper, she’s made of fire. In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back and this time it’s Lei they’re after, the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king’s interest. Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit a king’s consort. There, she does the unthinkable; she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she’s willing to go.

While all Booksource collections are curated with diversity and inclusion in mind, these collections are frequently requested by educators looking to improve representation in their classroom libraries.

For more LGBTQ+ titles, check out our blog post, 15 Titles to Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

What fantasy books are your students reading lately? Tell us in the comments below!