Recs if you like Speak Up!...

LGBT*+ graphic novels / comics / manga +

Fluff to smut, including 18+ etc aka not exclusive to anything specific other than being queer content (queer & queer-rep inclusive stories). I have read a good handful of the ones now at the bottom of the list. Includes intended middle-grade-ish-level youth content to adult audience content.

In progress / updated over time

(recs highly welcome) Attempting a highly exhaustive list.

Graphic Medicine is… (an actual term) graphic novels, manga, comics, and visual representation engaging with health and healthcare - from health diagrams visual pamphlets to a graphic novel including health story or rep.

Note: I have NOT read all of these. It’s more a collection of a genre than intended as a recommendation. Do your research! :)

Mostly adult, YA, MG, and some other youth/ all ages titles

In-progress / updated over time Reccomendations welcome

We need more disabled characters in media so here's a bunch of examples of good representation

Mostly children, middle grade, and ya books with autism representation. Strongly featuring autistic characters that aren’t only young white boys. It’s also strongly concentrated on own voices works, as much as possible, although that’s private information if the authors do not choose want to share publicly.

YA books featuring characters with diverse backgrounds / sexualities / gender identities / ethnicities / religions / disabilities / neurodiversities

The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children between Grades 2-12 to read quality literature and vote for their favorite of the listed nominees. These books (selected for Grades 4-6) are a collection of diverse stories and authors with powerful stories that are difficult to put down.

Use to be a middle school library para, so here’s some books I’ve read that are appropriate for middle school :)

(I am only gonna put the first one since there's a lot of series that are longer. I have removed those who are sequels)