The old adage goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words” and I don’t think it has ever been truer. Graphic novels are the perfect example of this. What can sometimes be lost and missed in the jumble of words can be found perfectly clear on the pages of a graphic novel. We get to see characters just as the author intended from their hair and smile to their style and quirks. Settings are beautifully painted for us and overall the experience is unique to that of reading a traditional novel. I can can go on and on about how great graphic novels are but something about seeing marginalized communities explicitly represented on a page is just unexplainable.
These three books have a couple things in common: they're all graphic novels and they're all gay! Experience young queer love like never before with these books. Prepare to laugh, cry and jump with joy with these picture perfect books.
As the title suggests, prepare to have your heart stop and skip a few beats while reading this story. Nick is a shy boy who has not had the best time after being outed as gay. Charlie is a popular, easygoing rugby player. When the two boys meet, an unexpected friendship happens which then turns to something much more. Alice Oseman perfectly illustrates queer joy and will leave you wanting more of Nick and Charlie.
Check, Please first started as a webcomic back in 2013 and with a huge following made it to physical format in 2018 (as it deserves!). This book follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle as he lands a hockey scholarship because of his amazing figure skating skills. Navigating college and hockey as a rookie is tough enough but when your team captain is dreamy Jack Zimmermann the whole experience gets that much more difficult. Bitty must explore whole new terrain in his life including his sexuality.
Hiroki is hiding a secret from his family: he’s gay. However, his mother, Tomoko, already knows this and she has nothing but love and support for her son! This book follows Tomoko as she tries her best to make her son feel comfortable with his sexuality but without explicitly letting him know that she in fact knows. The book is filled with so many heartwarming scenes that you'll constantly be melting.
-Ray
