Gay Characters in MG

This came up once before. Do you know how to use the forum search tools?

The general conclusion of that discussion was that it's a marketable book, but it's a very niche market.

I'm not sure how well it fits with MG expectations, especially if it's lower MG. MG tends to focus less on relationships than YA.

I wouldn't think anything of a character being gay, though. During middle school, kids often find out what sexual preference they have. From what I remember, though, it wasn't really until high school that people became known as gay. At least at my school.

Funny you should ask, I just read this article this morning, about Better Nate than Ever: http://www.slj.com/2014/04/authors-...first-boy-kiss-and-his-second-cocktail-guide/. I haven't read the book, but I think others here on the board have really enjoyed it.

Jacky Wilson's book 'Kiss' is one of (AFAIK) several of her (100!) MG books featuring gay characters.

Ryan is right. There are probably a few out there, which is totally awesome, but 8-12 year olds aren't particularly at the sexual relationship age. Their minds are typically somewhere else until puberty strikes.

As mentioned, BETTER NATE THAN EVER and its follow up FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, NATE feature a probably-gay-but-still-figuring-things-out main character. But if you meant all characters, not just main characters, there are also side-character adults in MG books who are gay. There's a kid with two moms in Laurel Snyder's PENNY DREADFUL. I'm reading a really recent debut called WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE, and the main character has an uncle with a partner. I'm sure there are more. Yes, it's allowed.

Of course it's "allowed." MG literature, like all literature, reflects the world we live in. The character's sexual orientation doesn't have to be the focus of the book. Adding to the other suggestions, I recommend See You At Harry's by Jo Knowles.