The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes Balzer + Bray Publication Date: May 17, 2022 ISBN: 9780063060234
Yamilet Flores is doing the best she can. She’s working part-time to be able to afford the tuition at her new fancy private school and she’s trying to keep her brother on the straight and narrow. But it’s hard when you’re the new girl, with a supposedly difficult to pronounce name who also happens to be Mexican and queer but just wants to blend in. Add in a really nice, cute, and smart, openly queer girl named Bo and it becomes even harder.
Due to the large number of nominees, not all titles are shown here. See full list below.
Each quarter, the Selected Lists teams compile the titles that have been officially nominated to date. These books have been suggested by the team or through the title suggestion form, read by multiple members of the team, and received approval to be designated an official nomination. At the end of the year, the final list of nominations and each Selected List’s Top Ten will be chosen from these titles.
The Apothecary Diaries, v.1. By Natsu Hyuuga. Art by Nekokurage. 2020. Square Enix Manga, $10.99 (9781646090709).
Maomao is a palace servant who was sold into service to the Emperor. After saving one of the Emperor’s heirs, she is promoted to food taster, where she is able to use her skills as an apothecary.
Artie and the Wolf Moon. By Olivia Stephens. Lerner Publishing Group / Graphic Universe, $16.99 (9781728420202).
Artie discovers that her mother is a werewolf and that she has abilities of her own. While attempting to discover what happened to her missing father, she comes across other supernatural enemies.
Asadora, v.3.By Naoki Urasawa. VIZ Media / VIZ Signature, $14.99 (9781974720118).
When she was young, Asa survived a devastating typhoon, but on the same day saw a mysterious footprint in the town where she lived with her family. Now older, Asa becomes involved in a mission to stop the creature who made the footprint.
Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote BOOM! Box / BOOM! Studios Publication Date: December 1, 2020 ISBN: 9781684156115
Meet Juliet, a queer Puerto Rican college student from the Bronx eager to begin her internship in Portland with white feminist author Harlowe Brisbane. Unfortunately, Juliet quickly feels overwhelmed and frustrated as she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about women’s history, feminism, or even her own identity. Compounding her misery are a break-up with her girlfriend Lainie and a fight with her mother, who refuses to accept that Juliet is a lesbian. When Harlowe uses Juliet’s internship to justify her own racism, Juliet is forced to look elsewhere for community. She finds love and support in her extended family, a writing group for queer women of color, and a very cute library intern named Kira.
Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Illustrated by Jenn St. Onge and Joy San Image Comics Publication Date: February 20, 2018 ISBN: 978-1534307506
In 1963, teenager Hazel met new girl in town, Mari, while playing bingo with her grandmother. The next day at school, the two sit with each other and quickly become the best of friends. When they finally admit their feelings for each other, they are torn apart by families and a society that is not accepting. Almost 50 years later, after marriages, children and even grandchildren, Hazel and Mari reconnect at another bingo night and realize that those feelings have never gone away. Although the times have changed, are they willing to tear their families apart in order to finally be together and happy?