“I like girls”

This article focuses on three contemporary middle-grade novels published in the United States: Small Town Pride (2022) by Phil Stamper, Hazel’s Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (2019) , and In the Key of Us (2022) by Mariama J. Lockington. The novels have protagonists who come out as queer over the course of the narratives. I use labeling theory and queer theory related to identity formation to analyze the moments of coming out in terms of the use of labels. While the texts use labels for sexuality, they are not utilized in the initial moments of coming out. Rather the characters express themselves in terms of which kinds of people they might (or might not) desire. The openness with which the preteens express themselves leads to the building of queer community in the novels and also allows for an articulation of potential queer futures.