this book is an excellent resource for lgbt young people. The cover, although beautiful, is not very useful for discreet reading.

Queer, 2nd Edition is a guide for LGBTQ teens offering advice on everything from coming out to beginning your first relationship. It covers topics such as finding a safe friend group, dealing with bullies, LGBTQ rights at school, and ways to begin discovering your identity. This is such an important topic, especially for teens, and there was a lot of great topics. The book was well organized and it covered a lot of ground, but there were several issues.

While this book is meant for older teens, the writing style is more fitting for elementary students. There were some sexualities that were not properly represented (i.e. Ace/Aro, Bi/Pan). This could be harmful for teens who are reading this book to satiate their own curiosity as well as for those outside of the LGBTQ community who are trying to educate themselves. Finally, there were a lot of areas that contained outdated slang, questionable advice, and just short of accurate information. I think this book had a lot of potential, but it missed the mark.

This book could have been so great and at times it was but then the incorrect information on bisexuality and some confusing/unclear info on ace vs aro just brings this book right down.

In its attempts to describe the difference between being bi and pan the book says, “…pansexual people are attracted to all genders across the spectrum, beyond just men or women.” *sigh* How many bi people are going to have to yell that they too are attracted to all genders beyond just men or women before people actually listen!? Yes, there are bi people who are attracted to only men and women, but there are so many who are attracted to just women and non-binary people, or their own gender and all other genders, or any combination of people. There are so many ways to be bi and sometimes that overlaps with the definition of being pan and people choose the label that fits right for them (or sometimes both labels like I do!). I’m so tired of people refusing to listen to bi people.

And then we get the short paragraph where asexual, aroromantic, and demisexual gets all lumped together. The first sentence of this paragraph goes, “An asexual or aromantic person is someone who is not sexually attracted to other people, no matter their gender.” Yeah, that only describes asexuality, there was no need to have aromantic in that sentence. A few sentences later the books does describe being aromantic correctly but why the hell was it lumped in with asexuality in that first sentence. The last sentence is about demisexuality which is described correctly but there is absolutely no mention of the term demiromantic which is frustrating. Also no mention of gray-ace or gray-romantic.

Thankfully the later sections of this book have some great things to offer. There are sections on dating, coming out, sex, and just in general being queer. I think a lot can be gained from those sections, especially if you are a teen or somebody who is just their identity or coming out. But if you want a resource for different identities and their definitions this is not the book. I would highly recommend The ABC’s of LGBT+ by Ash Hardell (published under the name Ashley Mardell).

I always like getting these kinds of books and reading them to make sure I am up to date with what people’s are telling the new generation! This one was good but seemed kind of scattered. Some info was for the younger crowd but then some was for the older crowd. It should have the same throughout. I did like how it was written though... like it was a conversation between them and the reader!

This book is exactly like the title says. It is the ultimate guide to queerness, perfect for teens. It delves into statistics, definitions, and real life stories from queer people. I'd highly suggest thing to teens that are anywhere on the spectrum from straight to questioning to queer. Everyone could learn something from this book.

This is a terrific guide that offers answers to questions teens might not feel comfortable asking about, especially if they're in a conservative rural area like where I grew up. It offers helpful advice on coming out, answers questions teens might have about correct terms, pronouns people might go by, and how to be safe and comfortable as an LGBTQIAP person. I highly recommend this as a resource for libraries, especially in communities where there aren't many resources for LGBTQIAP teens. I also think it would be a good thing for parents to pick up to educate themselves so they can be better informed and supportive.

This is a book that every LGBTQ student should have access too. Although it is more of a brief overview of topic pertaining to the teenaged LGBTQ person, it covers topics that are rarely discussed in the open: sex, coming out, SAFE sex, oh, did I mention sex? I feel like this is important because there are so many "HERE ARE YOUR RESOURCES" ads but never any that really give answers needed. I felt that this book did a great job tackling the overview of each of these subjects. While they could not cover ALL topics, there really was a wide variety of information. I did see some complaints about the lack of gender neutral pronouns, and I understand that argument entirely, but I feel like the authors really took the time to be sensitive and cover as much as possible. I would rate this 4/5 stars, and I will DEFINITELY have copies available for my kids!

I can't stress enough the importance of books like this. Invaluable resource for teens questioning and exploring their identity. What I appreciate most is the sincere effort to stress the importance of being yourself and that no matter what you feel-- you are exceptional just as you are. Some really importance advice and resources are included for those that feel they have nowhere to turn. I only wish there had been books like this available in my teen years as I was struggling with my own identity and feeling isolated. No one is truly alone, there are many people willing to help. Identity can be a difficult role to maneuver- here is a fine place to start.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

a vital book I think everyone needs to have in their library. Being educated on queerness is essential and as a queer person I appreciate having books that I can relate to or to further educate me on my sexuality and other sexualities.

Queer (2nd Edition) is an informative guide for teens/young adults navigating through the lgbtq world. It offers advice on situations such as coming out, safe sex, gender vs. sexuality, etc. This is a good beginning book for any age due to its accessibility and real-world stories. Some things I noticed were a little outdated such as the concept of the gender binary which is less like a sliding scale and more like a graph. Also throughout the book the examples used gendered pronouns when it could have easily used "they" to make it more inclusive. I did enjoy that throughout the book there were small stories from adults about their teen years dealing with different situations in the lgbtq community. Overall a decent staple for lgbtq youth.

This is an exceptionally valuable book for any teenager, questioning or not. Queer covers a range of topics, like how to start figuring out your sexuality, how to come out, finding your community, dealing with queerphobia, dating, relationships, and sex. While it’s informational and doesn’t sugarcoat the bits about sex or abuse, the anthology manages to have an overall light tone that’s inviting for all teens. Queer reinforces the idea that it’s okay to question your identity, and even more, it’s okay to not have everything all figured out. Positive messages like “be authentic to your true self” are laced throughout the book. This book would do well in any classroom, library, or bookshelf. Family, educators, and teens alike will benefit from reading Queer.

First of all, I want to express how excited I am to have a book like this out in the world! It is a fast read with adorable illustrations and informative content. I didn’t really learn anything new from it (other than some LGBTQ+ history), but it’s all important information that should be available for the questioning teen.

The topics covered include queer identities and their definitions, how to come out, relationships, and safe sex. I didn’t anticipate the section on relationships, and was surprised (but incredibly delighted) to find out that it included information on how to ask someone out, how to break up, what constitutes a healthy relationship, and how to know when you’re ready for sex.

There were several things that I wanted to see covered in this book because of my own identity and experiences. I was not disappointed! It defines Asexuality, Demisexuality, and Pansexuality very well and has a whole section on being queer and religious (with a whole bunch of books recommended in the bibliography!). I wished there was slightly more info on how to deal with religious relatives (such as Bible verses that you can say when coming out). However, the authors acknowledge that they are not religious experts and provide many different websites for queer believers in several different religions.

There was only one thing that I had a problem with. Often the authors would say “he or she” where they easily could’ve added or substituted the gender neutral “they”. It would’ve cut down on a lot of extra words and made it more gender inclusive. I also really wished they addressed coming out to a current partner (it happens and is more difficult than coming out to your friends and family in some cases) and that you are still valid as a queer person even when you’re in a heterosexual relationship (some of us are bi, ace, trans, or pan and wind up with someone of the opposite gender).

Despite lacking a little bit on these fronts, I think that this book is wholesome and informative. It should definitely be out there for queer kids of all ages to read! I wish I had this when I was younger. It encourages the reader to think for themselves and figure out who they are. It can also be a valuable resource for allies and parents who want to learn just a little bit more about what it means to be Queer.

4 out of 5

**OMG! I cannot believe that these reviews haven't been done! I am so sorry they are so late!!!**

"Queer" is a resource for teens to turn to rather than furtive internet searches, or worst of all, not asking questions for fear or embarrassment. This book belongs in GSA clubs and libraries for high schools where teenagers will find this easy to read, illustrated dictionary/guide. The chapters cover a wide arrange of topics including dating, family dynamics, and helpful advice with the author's anecdotes sprinkled throughout. There is a matter-of-fact to most of the book with breaks of humor/levity that add appeal to teen readers.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I wish there were books like this when I was growing up. Being a teenager is hard enough with the angst, hormones, and growth spurts. Add in confusing feelings of sexuality and you have a recipe for true hardship. As a bisexual identifying female who often questioned my own sexuality many times through my teenage and adult years, I found this book to be refreshing. I spent so many years as a young adult feeling like an outsider and like something was indefinitely wrong with me because I wasn't like everybody else. I feel this book will help so many young people in the acceptance of themselves as well as others.

I really enjoyed the stories. I felt I could really connect with the characters and resonate with their stories. I feel this is one of those books that is important to the society we live in now.

I am giving this book 4 stars because it was truly a work of art. I enjoyed everything about it and I think it will help many of our youth accept themselves. I also believe this would be a fantastic book for parents of the LGBTQIA+ youth in understanding what their son, daughter, or genderless child may be going through.

Overall I really liked this non-fix book. I especially appreciated that it talked about sex for queer people and safe sex. I do wish it talked more about the romantic scale for example being bisexual but hetero romantic or bi but homo-romantic. As it is important and can be confusing to people exploring their sexuality.

*I received an e-ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Queer, by Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke, is a comprehensive guide for LGBT teens.

This book is something that i feel every queer teen should have in their lives. With its sound advice and witty commentary, this guide does wonders explaining the mystery of coming out, dating and even s*x. I enjoyed reading this book and i think many teenagers will in the future.

I would like to first thank NetGalley, Zest Books, and Lerner Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I received this in return for an honest review. This book is coming out on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.

This book is definitely an interesting one. Though, I am not the audience they intended. I'll grant that. I did like this book and I think that this should be available widely to teenagers. I rated it a 4/5 stars because it was good, but it wasn't perfect. There were a few times that I definitely didn't agree with what they were saying. The first one that stuck out to me was their definition of transgender. I have many transgender friends. None of them also identify as bigender/genderfluid/nonbinary. Transgenderism is going from one gender to another. Then bigender is feeling like you are both genders at the same time. You are not male or female. You are male and female. Genderfluid is shifting back and forth between multiple genders on what you happen to feel that day. Genderfluid people could feel male/masculine on Tuesday, and female/feminine on Wednesday. Nonbinary people do not feel like they are any gender (they are also the gender set most commonly using the they/them and ze/zer pronouns and other gender-neutral ones that I have forgotten at the moment.).

Now then, onto my proper review:

Being queer as an adult is a challenge, being queer as a teen is just about impossible in certain communities. This book is a guide for teenagers who are at the minimum questioning their own sexual or gender identities and want to just read up on the spectrum of those identities that is out there. Some teens don't know really what gender they are or what gender they are interested in. This book is a guide to help teens figure that out and learn something about themselves along the way.

While a lot of information in this book is sound, and I definitely agree with a good number of the helpful hints, there are a few places where things could have been different. Sections could have been expanded upon and turned into their own chapters. Example: the internet section. There is so much more to it than just what they put. People these days, even teenagers, try to coerce one another into sending nudes, looking for hook-ups, sexually explicit role plays (I participate in a few of these myself, but I'm a legal adult and I only participate with other legal adults of at least 21 years old not just 18 to protect myself).

I would have liked to see more detailed information and less artwork in some of the sections. There were places where the art didn't even make sense to me. I wasn't sure what two men in tuxedos had to do with not giving out personal information on the internet.

Even though I disagree with some of the things in the book, they were mostly due to my own upbringing. This book is actually a really good guide for teens and maybe even some adults who are questioning their gender or orientation. I would recommend that it is read with an open mind. Also teens reading this should keep in mind that information changes constantly with the definition of some words in the LGBT+ community.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Although the book was brief and didn't dive into any particular topic much, it did offer a pretty good overview of what LGBTQ+ encompasses. Compared to the previous edition, which according to its reviews, had some language and phrasing problems, such as the definition of pansexual, the language in this edition was overall much more friendly and validating. It offered really great resources that were geared specifically toward the LGBTQ community, such as The Trevor Project. One thing I did notice was that all the examples used "she" or "he." It's a small thing, but using "they" would be so much more inclusive and it wouldn't be necessary to have little disclaimers about changing pronouns to match yours or your partner's.

I wanted so badly to like this book. However, a lot of the information felt pretty outdated (for example, saying bisexual means attracted to both men and women--but not acknowledging that for many people, bisexual is used in the same way others use pansexual and queer, to acknowledge the possibility of being attracted to more than just two genders), and it felt like more or a rule-book at points than a guidebook.

There were a lot of topics covered, and I appreciated the breadth of content discussed, but it felt like it needed to be researched more first.