In the book Fair, almost everyone who visited the stand of the publisher that publishes the graphic novel in Spanish left carrying a copy of it. The author’s only novel published in Spanish sold out its first printing, forcing the publisher to release another one to meet the demand of the public at the fair. It seems that the universe heartstopper, where everything seems to be possible for those who were always left behind by classic romantic stories, only leaves everyone wanting more. More of the series, more of the story, more of some universe where any person is valid and worthy. Today, recommendations that will leave you with the same feeling.
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I am Simon by Becky Albertalli
This list begins with the classic red book that first fell in love with a generation of teenagers whose voice seemed not to be reflected in youth literature. With such important questions as “Don’t you think everyone should come out of the closet?” “Why is heterosexuality considered the norm?” knew how to put us in the shoes of Simon, a 16-year-old boy who finds himself being blackmailed by Martin, a classmate, who tells him that he will reveal his sexual identity to everyone if he does not “hook up” him with one of his best friends. . Simon is not yet ready to come out of the closet, but he seems to have less and less choice, since coming out means that Blue, a boy at his school with whom he exchanges emails anonymously, recognizes his identity. How will Simon get out of this mess without anyone getting hurt?
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I am Simon by Becky Albertalli
Loveless by Alice Oseman
This novel is by the same author of Hearstopper, and it is the only one available in Spanish, although I hope that the novels from the Heartstopper universe (Solitaire, This Winter and Nick and Charlie) will be published soon. This book is about Georgia, a teenager who is about to start college, and who, despite being a hopeless romantic, has never kissed anyone. She hopes that in college she can find her true love, however, things don’t seem to happen. She feels that something doesn’t fit, that it seems too forced. Could it be that she is destined to never love? A growth book that shows that romantic love is not the only way to love.
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The Prom by Saundra Mitchell
Adapted on Netflix, the tender story of a girl who just wants to go with her girlfriend to the prom. Two famous artists, in a desperate attempt to recover their careers after a disastrous show, decide to try to help Emma, an openly lesbian teenager, attend the prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa. In a fairly closed community, with a parents’ association willing to silence the difference, this seems impossible. What began as a publicity stunt by two actors will end up being a fight for the right to be oneself, marking the importance of friendship and love in the lives of all people… even two cynical Broadway stars.
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The Prom by Saundra Mitchell
What if it were us? By Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli
Another Becky Albertalli story on the list, but accompanied by the incredible Adam Silvera; in which together they tell us the story of Ben and Arthur, two young people who are quite different from each other but whose paths practically cross because the universe, sometimes, is a magical place. Arthur is in New York with his parents, doing an internship during the summer, while Ben lives in the city, and is attending summer classes while trying to get over his ex. They cross paths by chance at the post office, and their paths separate, leaving them with the feeling that, maybe and just maybe, the universe has something in store for them. A story that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, which is impossible to forget.
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What if it were us? By Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
One of the most incredible novels I have ever read. Told by the voices of that generation that lost the battle against AIDS, it tells the story of several young people struggling to express who they are without being judged by others. The common thread of the story is Harry and Craig, two 17-year-old teenagers who decide to embark on the challenge of breaking the world record for the longest kiss in history. They also want to show that there is nothing wrong with two boys kissing. Surrounded by cameras and a crowd, both those who support them and those dedicated to repudiating them, they will come into the lives of many young people who are trying to discover and accept themselves for who they are, searching for their place in society.
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Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan