Annie On My Mind
This book tells the coming-of-age love story between two high school seniors, Liza and Annie. The girls meet one day at the museum when Liza hears Annie singing and is immediately taken by her beautiful voice and free spirit. The girls go to very different schools in New York. Liza attends a small, wealthy private school while Annie attends a rough public school in the inner city. They find themselves wanting to spend every free moment together and a deep bond and friendship develops. Soon, though, they both realize that their love for each other is not strictly platonic. Problems begin to arise as they navigate what this means for their relationship as well as what it means about who they each really are. As they learn about each other and the ramifications of coming out as gay in their worlds, they both deal with fear and doubt. The climax of the story is when the girls are caught by a school secretary and fellow classmate of Liza's after a physical encounter and realize they can't keep their relationship hidden. The discovery also ends up hurting others they are close to and the girls must decide if their relationship is worth the risks.
I found this to be a beautifully written love story. I found myself focusing less and less on the fact that it was between two females and more on their deep bond. I think this book is excellent for young adults to realize the LGBT community is made up of individuals with real feelings and emotions. After reading the author's interview in the back of the book, I also realized how important LGBT fiction is for young adults who so desperately need to read about others like them.
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Other YA books featuring gay protagonists:
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