Read Rec Rachel: Book Rainbows, by Teen Librarian Rachel Strolle

Welcome to Read Rec Rachel, where today I’m going to be giving you a bunch of new titles for your upcoming pride month displays (all books should have released between January of 2024 through the end of May). I’ve sorted by cover color (though I have not seen spines for every title, and sometimes spine color is different than main cover color) and tried to give you as many titles as possible so that you can grab ones your library already owns. 

Pink

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste (Sourcebooks Fire, April 30, 9781728251950)

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole (Little Brown, January 16, 9780316534635)

Extra Rachel Note: This dragon book is so absolutely delightful and inventive, it really does feel like one of the best debuts of the year!

We Got the Beat by Jenna Miller (Quill Tree Books, February 20, 9780063243385)

We Are Mayhem by Beck Rourke-Mooney (Feiwel & Friends, March 19, 9781250836595)

Red

No Time Like Now by Naz Kutub (Bloomsbury, February 6, 9781547609284)

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe (Little Brown, May 14, 9780316574914)

Extra Rachel Note: This is a follow up to The Girls I’ve Been, which is at some point being made into a Netflix film!

Orange

The Summer Love Strategy by Ray Stoeve (Abrams, May 7, 9781419764967)

Extra Rachel Note: Ray Stoeve also has two other queer books you can use for book rainbows, one in pink/red and one in a tealish gray!

Hot Boy Summer by Joe Jiménez (MTV Books, May 7, 9781665932059)

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall (Athenum, March 5, 9781665939812)

Yellow

King Cheer by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm & Jamie Green (Disney Hyperion, February 6, 9781368081115)

Extra Rachel Note: I hope you were looking for a King Lear retelling thats a graphic novel with cheerleading because boy do I have one for you

A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind (Duet, March 5, 9781641609500)

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter (Simon & Schuster BFYR, April 23, 9781665926072)

Green

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (Feiwel & Friends, January 16, 9781250869807)

The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton (Peachtree, February 6, 9781682634929)

Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise (Viking, April 23, 9780593464526)

Extra Rachel Note: This graphic novel reads like a zine, it’s very cool and the art style is unbeatable.

Teal

Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver (Scholastic PUSH, January 2, 9781338777697)

Extra Rachel Note: Deaver’s I Wish You All the Best is a 2024 film, which had it’s premiere at SXSW!!

Blue

My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy (Balzer + Bray, January 23, 9780063085718)

Thirsty by Jas Hammonds (Roaring Brook Press, May 14, 9781250816597)

Extra Rachel Note: No surprise to anyone who read Hammonds’ debut, We Deserve Monuments, (which would also fit in this color slot) that this is one of the best books of the year and is a can’t miss title. 

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L. L. McKinney (HarperTeen, January 16, 9780062986269)

Saint-Seducing Gold by Brittany N. Williams (Abrams, April 23, 9781419758669)

Extra Rachel Note: Sequel to That Self-Same Metal

Otherworldly by F. T. Lukens (Margaret K. McElderry, April 2, 9781665916257)

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel & Friends, May 28, 9781250869630)

Purple

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender (Tor Teen, February 6, 9781250890252)

The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram (Dial, April 2, 9780593616390)

This is Me Trying by Racquel Marie (Feiwel and Friends, April 16, 9781250891389)

Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao (Feiwel and Friends, April 16, 9781250885005)

Extra Rachel Note: This is a must for any Pride Month displays, how epically exciting to have a great aroace book in YA!!

The Diablos Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa (Random House BFYR, February 20, 9780593378052)

Queerceañera by Alex Crespo (HarperTeen, May 7, 9780063257405)

White

Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia (HarperTeen, January 2, 9780063216570)

Extra Rachel Note: Another favorite of mine released this year!

Just Another Epic Love Poem by Parisa Akhbari (Dial, March 12, 9780593530498)

Black

Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story by Nicole Maines (DC, April 2, 9781779510457)

Extra Rachel Note: I may be the most excited about this one? I think it’s excellent that the writer of this graphic novel is the one who originated the character (on Supergirl!) and was also the first out trans superhero on TV!

Filed under: Pride