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Quick answer: If you loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, try Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, Heartstopper, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, They Both Die at the End, Felix Ever After and I'll Give You the Sun. Each one offers a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, identity and first love.
Benjamin Alire Sáenz's novel follows two Mexican American teens in 1987 El Paso who meet at a swimming pool and slowly realize their friendship is something deeper. Readers love its quiet, lyrical voice, its loving parents and its honest look at figuring out who you are. These books share that warmth: queer coming-of-age stories, novels about family and identity and a few adult picks for older readers who want more of the same feeling.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World | Benjamin Alire Sáenz | 14+ | readers who want to stay with Ari and Dante |
| Heartstopper | Alice Oseman | 13+ | readers who want a gentle graphic novel |
| Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Becky Albertalli | 13+ | fans of funny, heartfelt YA |
| They Both Die at the End | Adam Silvera | 14+ | readers who want an emotional story |
| Felix Ever After | Kacen Callender | 14+ | readers looking for a story about identity |
| I'll Give You the Sun | Jandy Nelson | 14+ | readers who love lyrical writing |
| Darius the Great Is Not Okay | Adib Khorram | 13+ | readers who like quiet friendship stories |
| Cemetery Boys | Aiden Thomas | 13+ | readers who want romance with a supernatural twist |
| Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo | 14+ | fans of historical fiction |
| We Are Okay | Nina LaCour | 14+ | readers who like quiet, reflective books |
| What If It's Us | Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera | 13+ | readers who want a feel-good romance |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Stephen Chbosky | 14+ | readers who love a confessional voice |
| Leah on the Offbeat | Becky Albertalli | 14+ | fans of Simon's friends |
| Call Me by Your Name | André Aciman | 17+ | older readers |
| The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | 16+ | readers who want an epic love story |
1. Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The sequel picks up right where the first book ends and follows Ari and Dante as they navigate their relationship, family and the AIDS crisis of the late 1980s. A must for anyone who wanted more.
Best for: readers who want to stay with Ari and Dante.
2. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Charlie, a shy, openly gay student, becomes friends with rugby player Nick at their British school, and their friendship turns into first love. Sweet, hopeful and quick to read.
Best for: readers who want a gentle graphic novel.
3. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon is blackmailed by a classmate who discovers his anonymous emails with another closeted boy. A warm story about coming out on your own terms.
Best for: fans of funny, heartfelt YA.
4. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
In a world where people get a call telling them they will die that day, two strangers meet and spend their last day together. Bittersweet and moving.
Best for: readers who want an emotional story.
5. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Felix, a Black transgender teen at an arts school, is targeted by a cruel online campaign and starts a revenge plan that leads him to rethink love and himself.
Best for: readers looking for a story about identity.
6. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Twins Noah and Jude tell their story from different points in time, revealing how grief, art and first love pulled them apart. Vivid and emotional.
Best for: readers who love lyrical writing.
7. Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Darius, an Iranian American teen with depression, visits Iran for the first time and makes a close friend named Sohrab. Gentle, funny and true.
Best for: readers who like quiet friendship stories.
8. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Yadriel, a trans boy, summons a ghost to prove he is a brujo, but he gets the wrong one: Julian, the school's bad boy. Heartfelt and fun.
Best for: readers who want romance with a supernatural twist.
9. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
In 1954 San Francisco, seventeen-year-old Lily Hu falls for a classmate and discovers a lesbian bar in Chinatown during the Red Scare. A moving historical romance.
Best for: fans of historical fiction.
10. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Marin, alone at college over winter break, waits for her best friend Mabel to visit and finally faces her grief. Short and deeply felt.
Best for: readers who like quiet, reflective books.
11. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Arthur and Ben meet by chance at a New York post office and try to give their connection a real chance. Charming and funny.
Best for: readers who want a feel-good romance.
12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie writes letters about his first year of high school, the friends who take him in and the memories he has buried. A classic of teen fiction.
Best for: readers who love a confessional voice.
13. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Simon's friend Leah is a bisexual drummer who has not told her friends about her identity, and senior year brings her feelings to the surface.
Best for: fans of Simon's friends.
14. Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
Seventeen-year-old Elio falls for a graduate student staying with his family on the Italian Riviera. A sensual adult novel about longing and first love.
Best for: older readers.
15. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Miller retells the Trojan War through the bond between Achilles and Patroclus. A lyrical, heartbreaking love story for older teens and adults.
Best for: readers who want an epic love story.
How to Choose
For the closest match, start with the sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World. If you want something gentle and hopeful, choose Heartstopper, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda or What If It's Us. For more emotional depth, try I'll Give You the Sun, We Are Okay or They Both Die at the End. Readers who loved the 1980s setting may like the 1950s San Francisco of Last Night at the Telegraph Club. Call Me by Your Name and The Song of Achilles are better for older teens and adults.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age is Aristotle and Dante for?
It is usually recommended for ages 14 and up because of mature themes, some violence and strong language.
Is there a sequel to Aristotle and Dante?
Yes. Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World was published in 2021.
Is Aristotle and Dante a romance?
It is a coming-of-age story with a slow-building romance at its heart, but friendship and family are just as important.