Swimming in the Monsoon Sea

Reach for this book when your adolescent is grappling with the dizzying, often painful confusion of a first crush, especially when those feelings are complicated by jealousy or a sense of being different. Set in 1980s Sri Lanka, it follows fourteen-year-old Amrith as his stable life is upended by the arrival of his Canadian cousin. This is a masterful exploration of emerging identity, the shadow of family secrets, and the intensity of teenage emotions. It is a sophisticated choice for older middle schoolers and high schoolers who are ready for a realistic, atmospheric, and deeply empathetic look at LGBTQ identity and the transition from childhood innocence to the complexities of adulthood.