The Muse & The Marketplace 2024

LGBTQIA+ stories have often been reserved for adult and, more recently, young adult audiences. Younger readers have too often been warned, "You're too young for that topic." But more and more, middle grade and even picture book audiences are beginning to see more queer stories told. At the same time, certain considerations need to be made for middle grade audiences. In this session, we will engage with a variety of texts from different queer middle grade authors and explore the ways early identity development–including questioning identities– can drive plot, character development, and emotional arcs. We will also consider how secondary queer characters may positively influence and de-stigmatize young readers' identity experiences in a variety of ways. We will be looking at excerpts from authors such as Leah Johnson (she/her), Caroline Huntoon (they/them), Kyle Lukoff (he/him), and Ronnie Riley (they/them).