Trans boys | Queer Books for Teens

Jaya and Rasa

By Sonia Patel

Jaya is 17, trans, born into wealth and privilege, while Rasa is the daughter of a sex worker and thinks of sex as a commodity. The two struggle beneath the pressure their family and society place on them, turning to each other for comfort and love.

Publisher’s Description

Seventeen-year-old Jaya Mehta detests wealth, secrets, and privilege, though he has them all. His family is Indian, originally from Gujarat. Rasa Santos, like many in Hawaii, is of mixed ethnicity. All she has are siblings, three of them, plus a mother who controls men like a black widow spider and leaves her children whenever she wants to. Neither Jaya nor Rasa have ever known real love or close family―not until their chance meeting one sunny day on a mountain in Hau’ula.

The unlikely love that blooms between them must survive the stranglehold their respective pasts have on them. Each of their present identities has been shaped by years of extreme family struggles. By the time they cross paths, Jaya is a transgender outsider with depressive tendencies and the stunningly beautiful Rasa thinks sex is her only power until a violent pimp takes over her life. Will their love transcend and pull them forward, or will they remain stuck and separate in the chaos of their pasts?

Genre: Contemporary

Representation:
Gender:
Cis girls: Rasa
Trans boys: Jaya

Sexual Orientation:
Heterosexual: Jaya, Rasa

Romantic Orientation:
Heteroromantic: Jaya, Rasa

Race/Ethnicity:
South Asian: Jaya
Multiracial (Tupi-Portuguee-African): Rasa

Religion
Hinduism

Disability
Mental illness: eating disorder

Note: Discussion of colonialism

Trigger warnings: sexual assault/rape, eating disorders, substance abuse or alcoholism, abuse, attempted suicide, sex work, colonialism, pedophilia, parental neglect, transphobia, homophobia

Own voices: Indian, queer, living in Hawaii

The Pants Project

By Cat Clarke

Liv is a trans boy, and goes to a school where girls have to wear skirts and boys have to wear pants. He begins protesting this policy.

Publisher’s Description:

Whoever wrote the uniform policy decided (whyyy?) that girls had to wear skirts, while boys were allowed to wear pants.

Sexist. Dumb. Unfair.

“Girls must wear a black, pleated, knee-length skirt.”

I bet I read those words a hundred times during summer vacation. The problem wasn’t the last word in that sentence. Skirt wasn’t really the issue, not for me.
The issue was the first word. Girls.

Here’s the thing:
I may seem like a girl, but on the inside, I’m a boy.

Genre: Contemporary

Representation:
Gender:
Trans boys: Liv

Sexual Orientation:
Not explicitly addressed.

Romantic Orientation:
Not explicitly addressed.

Race/Ethnicity:
White: Liv

Trigger Warnings:
Transphobia/Transmisia (called out)

Stranger Than Fanfiction

By Chris Colfer

Four teen fans of the world famous actor Cash Carter jokingly invite him on a cross-country road trip– and he says yes. The five take off on a once-in-a-lifetime journey and learn a lot about him and each other.

Publisher’s Description:

Cash Carter is the young, world famous lead actor of the hit television Wiz Kids. When four fans jokingly invite him on a cross-country road trip, they are shocked that he actually takes them up on it. Chased by paparazzi and hounded by reporters, this unlikely crew takes off on a journey of a lifetime–but along the way they discover that the star they love has deep secrets he’s been keeping. What they come to learn about the life of the mysterious person they thought they knew will teach them about the power of empathy and the unbreakable bond of true friendship.

Genre: Contemporary

Representation:
Gender:
Cis boys: Topher, Cash, Joey
Trans boys: Sam (Sam is not out at the start of the book. The author refers to Sam using he and him pronouns but the characters continue to misgender Sam.)
Cis girls: Mo

Sexual Orientation:
Gay: Joey (Joey is not out at the start of the book)
Heterosexual: Cash, Sam, Mo
Queer: Topher

Romantic Orientation:
Not explicitly addressed.

Race/Ethnicity:
White: Topher, Cash, Sam
Japanese: Mo
Black: Joey

Religion:
Christian: Joey

Trigger Warnings:
Alcohol/Substance abuse. Joey’s parents are very homophobic. Topher’s brother has cerebral palsy and is described as being somewhat of a burden to Topher. Cancer/Death. They come across a racist gas station owner in one chapter.

Ownvoices: Queer