Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. Grades 8+ 368 pages. Balzer + Bray, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

How do I love Felix? Let me count the ways. This is one of my favorite books of the year and I keep pressing it on readers at any opportunity. Felix Love has never been in love (ironic, huh?) and he's desperate to know what it feels like and why it seems to happen so easily for everyone but him. Black, queer, and trans, Felix worries that he doesn't fit anywhere and that he'll never find love. After an anonymous person starts sending him transphobic messages, Felix is convinced he knows who's doing it and comes up with a plan to get revenge. The one thing he's not prepared for his catfishing scheme to land him in a quasi love triangle.

This is a wonderful queer teen love story about finding yourself and really embracing your identity and declaring yourself worthy of love just as you are. Felix is trans, but still questioning his identity, even after transitioning and top surgery. Something about "boy" just doesn't always fit. He's obsessed with applying to Brown University and just as obsessed with the idea that he might not get in. His home life is okay, but his mom left and left behind some big scars. Felix starts out the book believing that he's unworthy of love. He's desperate to fall in love and be loved in return, but he's equally afraid of even trying.

I just loved Felix so much. He felt so real to me in that he was not always making the best choices and couldn't always see things that were right in front of his face. And this is a book written for all kinds of readers. Readers who may not be super familiar with the queer community will definitely get an education, but it mostly feels organic, written through the lens of Felix still questioning his own identity and learning about his community. And readers looking for trans stories should definitely pick up this own voices book. 

You Should See Me in a Crown

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson. Grades 7+ 328 pages. Scholastic, 2020. Review copy provided publisher. 

Liz Lighty who would never have been caught dead in her school's cut-throat competition for prom queen. However, due to unfortunate circumstances, she finds that she needs the scholarship prize given to prom queen, so enter the race she does. Is her school ready for a queer, Black, poor, nerdy prom queen? Well, ready or not, here Liz comes!

I absolutely loved this book and I keep recommending it over and over again to anyone who will listen to me at my library. This is the gay prom story that you always wanted and it's an absolutely perfect summer read. There's plenty of humor as Liz feels her way through this prom competition with the help of her loyal best friends, but the book also touches on some serious subjects. Liz is intersectionally diverse and trying to figure out how much of herself she wants to show to the world. 

Author Leah Johnson is from Indiana and the book's set in a small Indiana town, making this an especially delightful read for those of us in Indiana. Hand this one to fans of The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding or Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. 

Heartstopper

Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman. Grades 7+ 288 pages. Graphix, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Oh, this book, it did make me squee. This delightful graphic novel is the story of two high schoolers, Charlie and Nick. On the surface, they're complete opposites. Charlie's a brooding, openly gay drummer and Nick is a popular, athletic rugby star. They meet by chance, seated next to each other in class, and when Nick sees how fast Charlie can run in PE class, he invites him to join the school's rugby team. And although Charlie's best friend teases him for liking a straight, rugby player, Charlie agrees. 

One thing to know is that this is the first volume of the story and it ends on a cliffhanger that actually make me say "Noooooo" out loud. The next volume is due out in the US in November. But a further thing to know, which is possibly a slight spoiler, is that the entire graphic novel trilogy is a prequel to a teen novel starring Charlie's older sister, so if you're concerned about Charlie & Nick, you can go look that one up. There's a reason I'm filing this under "romance", is what I'm saying. 

Hand this to fans of Rainbow Rowell's Pumpkinheads or Kevin Panetta's Bloom. 

King and the Dragonflies

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender. Grades 5-8. Scholastic, 2020. 272 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Booktalk:

King's brother is a dragonfly. 

At least, he's pretty sure. After Khalid died and a dragonfly alit on the coffin, King just had the strongest feeling that he knew where his brother was. Khalid has shed his first skin and is now living as a dragonfly. At least King can go down to the swamp near his house and visit. 

Things might be easier if King could talk to his best friend Sandy about how he's feeling. But right before Khalid died, he warned King to stay away from Sandy. Sandy had told King he might be gay and King didn't want other people to think he was gay, too, did he? King wasn't brave enough to stand up to his beloved brother and now the last conversation they had is eating at King's soul. 

But when Sandy disappears and the whole town shows up to search, King is the only one who can find Sandy and help him escape his abusive father... if he's brave enough. 

My thoughts: 

Oh, my heart. King's going to be with me for a long, long time. This book is a layered painting of emotion: King's grieving the death of his brother and dealing with how his family has changed in the face of grief. He's also dealing with his guilt over betraying his best friend and the pain and uncertainty of figuring out his own identity - and whether or not his parents will accept him. He thinks he knows what Khalid would have thought and that's another kind of pain and guilt. 

But although that's a lot of big emotions, the story never feels mired in them. King is a bright and loving kid and he keeps putting one foot in front of the other, even when he's not sure where the path will lead. The way that Callender looks at homosexuality through the lens of race is pretty unique in children's fiction, particularly in middle grade fiction. And this is a story that a lot of readers are going to relate to. It's ultimately a hopeful coming out story. 

The Louisiana bayou is a character in itself here. From King's forays to the edge of the swamp to wait for Khalid (and to cry, let's be honest) to the hiding place King arranges for Sandy, you can feel the muggy air and hear the buzz of insects. Readers who love a strong sense of place will be right at home alongside King here.

I know it's early in the year, but this is one of my favorite reads so far. Don't miss it. 

Readalikes:

I would hand this book to fans of Jewell Parker Rhodes, particularly Ninth Ward for its evocative Louisiana setting. While Ninth Ward has more magical realism, there's a bit of it in King's story, as well. These stories both feature African American kids in Louisiana dealing with emotionally intense situations.

For another story of a gay tween boy dealing with the grief of losing a family member in the rural South, turn to The Whispers by Greg Howard. Here's another Southern tale with a touch of magical realism as Riley searches for magical wood creatures that will bring his mother back to him. 

And if the rich bayou setting draws you in, don't miss The Healing Spell by Kimberley Griffiths Little, a tale about Livie who blames herself for her mother's accident and seeks to find a spell that will help heal her mom. 

The Summer of Jordi Perez

This book is just what I wanted to kick off summer: a light, fun romance with enough meat on its bones to keep it interesting and great characters. I would definitely recommend starting this season with The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding. I mean, just look at that bright rainbow cover and you know what a fun book you're getting into.

When Abby scores the fashion internship of her dreams at a boutique store near her home, she's determined to do a good job. She's heard that this summer internship usually leads to a part-time paid position in the fall and Abby is determined to get the job and start her career in fashion. She has no idea she's going to meet the girl of her dreams, fellow intern Jordi Perez. Abby goes to school with Jordi and rumors fly about how Jordi committed arson and went to Juvie, but all Abby can think about is how good it feels to earn a rare Jordi smile. Oh, and the fact that they're competing against each other to earn the fall job.

And Abby's got abundant free time to obsess over Jordi since her best friend is newly in a relationship and her older sister is not coming home for the summer for the first time ever. Luckily, a new unlikely friend, lacrosse-playing Jax, recruits Abby for a quest to find the best burger in Los Angeles. And Jax is a ready sounding board for Abby's pursuit of her crush. 

The combination of summer romance, a quest for burgers, and Abby's passion for fashion made this a really fun read that's perfect for light summer reading. I really appreciate Abby's body positive attitude - she's defined vaguely as "plus sized" - and her quest to enjoy and promote fashion fun at all sizes. I also think this was a very realistic portrayal of a bigger girl being body positive but also being unsure about some things. Abby doesn't love having her photo taken and refuses to post her own photo on her fashion blog. She's self-conscious about being in a swimsuit, even just with her friends. Even though Abby's on the path to body acceptance and she's an advocate for enjoying fashion at any size, she's still got her hangups and that's very realistic.

This is a light romance without a lot of physical action, so a good choice for teens who like romance but don't want graphic physical scenes. Hand it to teen romance fans looking for a breezy, fun summer read.

Readalikes:

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour is another teen lesbian romance that has a similar light, romantic tone and gives a peek into the world of film production much like Jordi gives a peek into the world of boutique fashion.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo is another light teen romance with an upbeat, breezy tone and that doesn't have a lot of physical romance.

Book info: 

The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding. Grades 7+ Sky Pony Press, April 2018. 224 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

#MiddleGradeMay: Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Crushes. Remember how confusing it was to figure out crushes? Maybe you had them and didn't know how to talk about it. Maybe your friends had them and suddenly could talk about nothing else. Maybe you had a crush that seemed like it was "wrong". Maybe you never had any crushes and wondered why everyone else seemed to. Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake (Little, Brown, 2018) is a great book about first crushes and that unique ache that middle school love can bring.

There's been a lot changing recently in Ivy's life: Ivy's mom had twin boys, Ivy's suddenly feeling a rift between her and her older sister, Ivy's feeling like she doesn't matter very much to her family. And there's this big thing that she can't tell anyone, not her mom, not her sister, not her best friend. Ivy's never had a crush, but when she imagines herself having a crush, she imagines it with a girl. She doesn't know any other girls or women who have relationships with other girls or women. She knows that girls her age are supposed to like boys. And... she doesn't. So she keeps it to herself, letting her art journal be her only outlet for her feelings.

At the beginning of the book, a tornado descends upon her rural Georgia town and destroys Ivy's house. Her family escapes with their lives, but not much else. And suddenly Ivy's life is truly thrown into tumult. In the aftermath of the storm, June, a girl from Ivy's class, shows up with her doctor mom to help victims of the storm. And suddenly Ivy's imagined crush has a name.

But what do you do about a crush that's such a big secret you can't tell ANYONE? And what do you do if you're not sure and if making a decision about who you like might change your life forever?

Can I tell you that I am so glad that middle grade LGBTQ lit is blossoming? There have been a handful of great titles published over the past couple of years and I'm so excited to purchase it and put it on my library's shelves to reflect our diverse community. These books are so needed. As mentioned by this book's editor in a forward note in the galley, middle grade is when many kids start identifying their preferences with regards to relationships. As gatekeepers, we need to be certain that we're providing mirrors to all kinds of different experiences. And when it's a great, moving story with unforgettable characters, that's just all the more reason to put Ivy Aberdeen on our library shelves.

Ivy's a great tween character, dealing with being stuck in the middle of her family and being stuck in that "tween" place - no longer a child, not yet an adult. She's thoughtful and sensitive and wants to help more than anything, but she's afraid that her family sees her as a bother, a burden when they have so much else going on. I love the use of the physical storm as a catalyst to the story that represents the emotional storm going on within Ivy's mind. And Ivy's pain and confusion is palpable as she tries to navigate after the storm, feeling unsure not only about her place in her family (the unwanted middle child), but about her place in society.

Readers who look for stories about the tween experience or stories about first crushes will find much to love in Ivy.

Readalikes:

There have been some great LGBTQ middle grade novels that have come out in the past couple of years. Readers looking for more lesbian or questioning characters should pick up P.S. I Miss You by Jen Petro-Roy and Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee.

Readers who want additional realistic books that really GET how it feels to be a tween might enjoy P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia.

And readers looking for more middle grade books about exploring first crushes might like Shug by Jenny Han.

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to  the World by Ashley Herring Blake. Grades 5-8. Little, Brown, 2018. 320 pages. Reviewed from ARC snagged at ALA Midwinter.

Love, Simon

Have you seen Love, Simon yet??




My husband and I went to see it this weekend and I L-O-V-E loved it.

And, confession: I have not (yet!) read the book. If you aren't aware, the movie Love, Simon is based on the YA book Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (Balzer + Bray, 2015).

I'm sure you're all aware of this movie and this book; librarians can't stop talking about it. When I told my husband we were seeing it this weekend and that everyone I knew said it was great, he said, "Are they all librarians?" Umm...... yes.

But afterwards, he agreed with all my librarian friends that this was an excellent weekend viewing choice. More than just entertainment, it's so important that this movie was made, that this movie exists for today's teens and future teens. That more teens than before can see themselves in the media and know that others have experienced first love many different ways. But it's also just a great movie.

I laughed and I cried. I cried so much. I had all the feels. For Simon, for Simon's parents, for Simon's friends. This movie got how people (teens, yes, but all people) can manipulate their friends, that feeling when your back is against the wall and you do something that you know isn't right, but you do it anyway because it feels like your only choice.

I feel like a cheater-pants for posting about this movie without having read the book (yet!), but I couldn't keep it inside. I laughed, I sobbed, I just want to see it again AND read the book. And probably all of Becky Albertalli's books.

If you haven't seen it, I urge you to go! And then pick up the book (which I will be doing, too) to experience more of Simon's world.

Star-Crossed

Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee. Grades 5-8. Aladdin, March 2017. 277 pages. Review copy provided by my local library.

Middle grade GLBT for the win, guys. Don't miss this one.

(Mild spoilers below - be aware!)

At its heart, this is a story of Mattie, an eighth grade girl, dealing with first crushes and playing a role in the class play. It just so happens that one of those crushes is on a girl, Gemma the new student from England who is cast as Juliet in the class production of Romeo and Juliet. This is confusing for Mattie - does she like Gemma just a lot as a friend or is it more than that? Could Gemma feel the same way? What will her classmates and friends think? Does this mean Mattie's a lesbian? Can she still like boys, too?

All of these questions are explored in a middle-school-appropriate way. There's no action except a couple of kisses in the play, but Dee still manages to craft a swoony love story (remember how those middle school crushes felt?!). Mattie's friends and family are all supportive and positive as she starts to reveal her feelings, and there's a scene where Mattie's teacher calls out a kid for using "gay" as an insult, so it's a supportive class environment, too. This is maybe idealistic, but I was fine with that. Let's give kids and teachers some ideals to aspire to. And the story is not at all about Mattie dealing with fallout from coming out or anything, but a much more introspective look at having a first same-sex crush, which again felt realistic for the age of the characters.

I appreciated Dee's choice of having the class play be Romeo and Juliet - there are a lot of parallels here between Mattie's feelings and Romeo's feelings, which he thinks he can't share because of his family's rivalry. There are secrets and layers of trust in both stories.

Hand this to tweens who like reading love stories and/or tweens interested in theater.

If I Was Your Girl

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (Grades 7+). Flatiron Books, May 2016. Review copy provided by my local library.

Amanda is starting over. She's moved to a small town in Tennessee to live with her dad and fly under the radar as she completes her senior year of high school. She dreams of getting into NYU and leaving the South for good. She doesn't plan on making friends or going to football games or bringing any attention to herself whatsoever.

If the other kids at her high school knew the truth about her, Amanda's pretty sure she knows how it would go. If everyone knew that she was assigned male at birth and had only recently transitioned to female, she's pretty sure everyone would freak out. So she keeps her secret. And stays under the radar.

But it's not that simple. This is, after all, Amanda's first chance to really live the way she was meant to live. To live without being bullied, to live as her true self. And she finds herself making friends and going to football games and falling in love... knowing that as easy as anything it could all fall to pieces around her.

This is a powerful and important book. I know that Amanda's story is going to stick with me for a long time. At its heart, it's a book about first love, a book about finally finding the place where you fit in and you feel free. It's a book about being the new kid, albeit with a complication that most new kids may not have to worry about. It's also a book about a girl connecting with her father, the father who she never really related to, a father who is imperfect but trying to accept this new situation.

The author of this book is a trans woman and pieces of the story are based on her own experiences. Meredith Russo is able to incorporate some "teachable moments" (for lack of a better term) in a way that seems organic to the story. For example, when she eventually confides in a friend, Amanda is very clear about a few types of questions NOT to task (don't ask about genitals - it's none of your business, etc.).

I appreciate that Russo leaves us with two notes - a note to cisgender readers explaining that this book about a trans experience does not stand for ALL trans experiences and particularly outlining some points where she stretched reality to make the story work more smoothly. And she includes a note to trans readers, reaching out to let them know they are not alone.

This is Meredith Russo's first novel and I hope to see much more from her.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves realistic, contemporary fiction. I would also recommend it to folks interested in reading about the trans experience. This is an important book for us to have on library shelves and to display and to share with teens.

Readalikes:

Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings. In her memoir, Jazz shares her story of growing up as a transgender teen.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills. Elizabeth was assigned female at birth, but she has always known she is a boy. When she gets the opportunity to do her own late night radio show, she decides to take the plunge and host the show as her true self, Gabe.

George

George by Alex Gino. Grades 4-6. Scholastic Press, August 2015. 195 pages. Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher. 

Summary: When George's fourth grade class puts on the play Charlotte's Web, she wants nothing more than to play the part of Charlotte. When they read about Charlotte's death in the book, it made George cry, and she knows that she can do justice to this part, this role that means so much to her. 

George has a secret. A secret that no one knows about - not even her mom or her best friend. And she's hoping that if her classmates and her mom see her playing a girl's part in the play, it might make it easier to tell her secret and easier for them to accept the truth that George has accepted about herself. 

George is a girl. She is in a boy's body, but she is a girl. 

It won't be easy to convince her teacher and classmates that she should play Charlotte. It might be impossible. But George has to try. 

My thoughts: 

This is a book that's been talked about a lot (at least in my bloggity teacher/librarian circles) and it's certainly one that people should know about. We need more books about the GLBT experience and this hits the right notes for upper elementary students. The experience of being in a class play is something that many kids will identify with, and I think George is a heroine that kids will root for. 

Because the author immediately starts out using the pronoun "she" to describe George, it was impossible for me to see George as anything but what she is - a girl. This is an effective way to introduce our protagonist, and as the narrative continues, the reader starts to understand the problem: that George, a girl, is living in a boy's body. 

I appreciated that George has done her research and that the word "transgender" is used in this book, along with some information about what that means. The information is not presented in a didactic way, and it definitely makes sense that a fourth grader curious about what she is experiencing would have done some research and be at least somewhat knowledgeable about what is going on. 

I also appreciated the range of characters in the book, some surprisingly supportive and others not as supportive of George's wishes. I do not have firsthand experience to speak to the authenticity of this, but it felt realistic to me. 

This book is an important addition to our library shelves and deserves to be widely read and shared. Don't miss it. 

Readalikes:

For readers interested in reading more about the transgender experience in middle-grade lit, check out Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky. 

The tone of this book reminds me of other school stories, such as Andrew Clements's wide cannon or maybe Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea. 

Ask the Passengers

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King. Grades 9 and up. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, October 2012. 293 pages. Review copy provided by my local library.

Astrid Jones is not gay.
Astrid Jones is gay.
Astrid Jones is in love with a girl, but she's not sure if that makes her gay or not.

Since love is so complicated for Astrid, she often finds herself laying on the picnic table in her backyard, watching planes flying by high above and sending them her love (since at least then her love will be free). As she navigates junior year with a girlfriend? (sorta?), a boyfriend? (not really), a closeted best friend, and a family that seems to be falling apart since they moved from New York City to a small town, a philosophy class and the nameless passengers that Astrid sends love to are her only solace. But as Astrid starts to question the world around her and to demand answers to her own questions, she'll slowly start to figure everything out.

This is a coming out story, but more than that, this is a story about questioning. It's a story about paradoxes. It's a story about the pressure Astrid feels to put herself in a neat, labeled box. And it's about Astrid's fight to break down those walls.

Astrid is messy. Astrid is unsure. Astrid is telling lies, sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose. And that's what makes Astrid such a real character. Astrid is Everyteen, a girl dealing with pressure from her family, from her friends, from her girlfriend. She's in love, but she's not ready to have sex. Being gay is not all about the sex. She knows that her best friend is gay and might be able to help her through this, but Astrid needs to come out on her own time, her own schedule.

I just loved the characters. I loved that Astrid was questioning, not only herself but eventually everything around her. I loved that secondary characters get fleshed out well, too, especially Astrid's family. They may be a mess, but it's easy to see why, and it's easy to see that they're all trying (even if they fail sometimes).

This is a compulsively readable contemporary novel that will appeal to thinking teens as well as teens looking for GLBT (and especially "coming out") stories. But don't put this one in a GLBT box. It would make a great readalike for The Sky Always Hears Me and the Hills Don't Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, but I would also suggest it to teens who love John Green, Libba Bray, and other literary YA.

Check out a dual-review of Ask the Passengers by Kim & Kelly at STACKED.

Ask the Passengers is on shelves now!

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kristin Cronn-Mills. Grades 9 and up. Flux, October 2012. 288 pages. Reviewed from egalley provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Gabe is finally embracing his B side. Born Elizabeth, Gabe has always known he was a boy. Now that graduation is looming, he's decided to live as Gabe full-time. His parents are having a hard time dealing with it, but he's got the support of his BFF (and, incidentally, his crush) Paige. Plus, there's his weekly radio show, Beautiful Music for Ugly Children, where he connects with a community of listeners, despite the late air time. Not everyone in his small Minnesota town is supportive, though, and when people start to threaten his family and friends, Gabe starts to question whether being true to himself is worth what might happen to his loved ones.

This is a beautifully written story that shows the pain of being caught between two lives, of having to make decisions when there aren't really any choices to be had. It's a story of finding beauty and love where you'd never expect it. And it's a story about the B side in everyone.

This book wasn't even on my radar, but then I got an email from Kelly basically demanding that I request the title from Netgalley. She, however, neglected to mention the author. Guys, this book had me at Kristin Cronn-Miller. I was a big fan of Cronn-Miller's The Sky Always Hears Me and the Hills Don't Mind and I was eager to pick up her next book. It doesn't disappoint.

First of all, the writing's gorgeous. Kristin Cronn-Miller is a lady who knows how to turn a phrase. She's also a master of voices. Not once did Gabe's guy voice ring false. He's an incredibly real character, complete with self-doubt (crippling, sometimes) and an incredibly determination.

Gabe tells his story through the lens of the music he's selecting and playing for his radio show. Music is a huge part of Gabe's identity, so it's fitting that his late-night radio show is one of the few places where Gabe can truly be himself. No one can read him over the air and he's free to experience his "new" identity with no holds barred. One of his first radio shows explores B sides, the often unplayed second sides of single record releases, and this is a theme that carries throughout the book.

This is a book for music lovers, a book for anyone who's had a secret, a book for anyone who's ready to embrace their B side (c'mon, we all have a B side). This is a book for anyone who's looking to fall into a great story.

Of course, teens interested in GLBT stories might have a special interest in this book and I'd hand it to fans of Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger and Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children will be on shelves October 8.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. Grades 9 and up. Balzer + Bray, February 2012. 470 pages. Review copy provided by my local library.

Cameron Post kissed her first girl, her best friend Irene, when she was twelve. Almost immediately after that, her parents died in a car crash, leaving Cameron to live with her grandmother and her conservative, religious Aunt Ruth. Growing up in small town Montana, Cameron has to hide the fact that she's gay, but that's not a huge problem until beautiful Coley Taylor moves to town. Coley Taylor seems perfect - with a perfect boyfriend to match - and immediately Cameron is smitten. What happens next will change everything.

This book was vaguely on my radar, but it was after I heard some teens talk about it at the BFYA teen input session that I decided to pick it up. I'm glad it was teens that encouraged me to pick it up because otherwise I might doubt the teen appeal of this book. Yes, it's a story featuring a teen protagonist as she discovers her sexuality and deals with the seeming conflict between her sexual nature and the religion she's forced to participate in. But it's told with a certain distance and reflection that is not typical of most YA books and the early-90s setting is going to resonate more with adults than teens. Although it's being published as YA, it reads like an adult book featuring a teen character.

That's not at all to say it's BAD, but it's just something to consider as you pick up this book. It reminded me most of Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone, which is an adult book that I loved as a teen. For this reason, I think this is a YA book that has a lot of crossover appeal for adults.

The book is well-written with some very striking imagery. I've never been to Montana, but Emily Danforth brings the sunbaked Montana summers and the bitter Montana winters to life. Even though there's a distance between the reader and the protagonist, I felt very much invested in Cameron's story. I'm not surprised to find that parts of it are based on the author's adolescence. I also loved the supporting characters... Coley, Cameron's first love, the kids she meets at Promise, her Aunt Ruth who truly believes she's doing right by Cameron, Cameron's grandmother who sneaks sweets at every opportunity despite her diabetic diet.

This isn't going to be a book for every reader. I think the style might turn off some teen readers, although it's also what might attract certain readers. I'd hand this one to your teens (GLBT or not) who are starting to turn their noses up at YA books and reach for stuff in the adult section.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is on shelves now!

The Letter Q Giveaway

Part of my job (a huge part) is to make the library a safe and welcoming place for all people. And I want the kids and teens at my library to know that I value them for whoever they are. It is essential that we have books like The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes to Their Younger Selves on our shelves.

So, I'm very happy to announce that Scholastic is providing two copies of this book for me to give away!

About the book:

In this anthology, sixty-four award-winning authors and illustrators such as Michael Cunningham, Amy Bloom, Jacqueline, Woodson, Terrence McNally, Gregory Maguire, David Levithan, and Armistead Maupin, make imaginative journeys into their pasts, telling their younger selves what they would have liked to know then about their lives as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people. Through stories, in pictures, with bracing honesty, these are words of love, messages of understanding, reasons to hold on for the better future ahead. They will tell you things about your favorite authors that you never knew before. And they will tell you about yourself.


To enter, just fill out this form (once!). You must be at least 13 years old to enter. This giveaway is open to US residents only. I will not share your information with anyone (except the two winners - I will send your mailing info to Scholastic) and all information will be deleted after the giveaway is over. Two winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, June 7.

The giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

Happy Families

Happy Families by Tanita S. Davis. Grades 8 and up. Alfred A. Knopf, May 2012. 237 pages. Reviewed from digital ARC provided by NetGalley.

Twins Ysabel and Justin have a pretty good idea about where their lives are headed. Ysabel is an artist and aiming to show her glasswork in some upcoming shows and ultimately go to art school. Justin is master of the debate team and his five-year plan includes getting in to Stanford. But nothing could prepare them for the curveball their dad throws them: he's a transgender person, enjoys dressing in women's clothing, and he's moving out. When Ysabel and Justin are forced to spend their spring break with him, they'll meet some other transgender people and start to heal their family. They say that all happy families are the same... but what if you had thought your family was happy all along?

This is a sensitive portrayal of a family going through some tough changes. It will explicitly appeal to teens who might be dealing with a parent coming out (either as a gay person or a transgender person), but Justin and Ysabel's struggle for acceptance translates to a wide range of family problems. The twins feel like control has suddenly be wrested from them and they're not sure where to turn. Ysabel tries to bury herself in her art, but she can't shape her own family the way she can shape her glasswork. Justin reaches out on a social website for kids of transgender people, finding his only solace even as his mom laments how antisocial he's being, on the internet day and night. 

I liked the metaphors built into each twin's primary hobby. Ysabel is constantly forging new objects in her art just as her family is being molded into something new. Glass is still glass, even if its shape is changed. And eventually Ysabel will discover that her family is still her family, even if some things have to be different. Justin, so practiced in seeing all sides of an argument for his debate team, will have to put his skills to the test. He finds himself unable to see his dad's side in this rift, but as he learns more and starts to process his feelings, maybe he will. 

The dual narrative didn't really work for me, as I found Justin's and Ysabel's voices to be too similar. It was hard for me to tell them apart. I think the story might have been better served by choosing one narrator, although I did like the twins' relationship with each other. They have their arguments like any siblings, but they really lean on each other when things get tough. 

Not just a book for kids dealing with family problems, this is also a great book for expanding teens' understanding of what it means to be transgender. For that, I hope it is widely read. Ms. Davis includes a nice section at the end that explains what terminology to use and what words and phrases are considered offensive. 

Readalikes: From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson, Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher, Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger, Luna by Julie Ann Peters and the adult nonfiction books She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan and Dress Codes by Noelle Howey.

Happy Families will be on shelves May 8!

#48HBC: Rainbow Boys

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez. Grades 9+ Simon & Schuster, 2001. 233 pages. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Kyle's always known he was gay, but he's not out yet, terrified about what his parents will think and what he'll have to face at school. Better to hide behind his best friend Nelson and dream about the sports star Jason from afar...

Nelson is out and proud and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Except he really cares what Kyle thinks because Nelson just might be in love with him...

Jason knows he's not gay because he has a girlfriend and they have sex. But then why does he think about guys sometimes? And how would he deal if anyone ever found out?

Told in alternating perspectives, Rainbow Boys is the story of three very different guys coming to terms with their sexuality.

What I love about this story is that we have three guys with very different situations trying to figure out their feelings and how to fit in at the same school. Nelson's mom is extremely supportive, vice-president of the local PFLAG chapter. Jason's dad is an alcoholic who flies into a rage at the very thought of anyone gay coming into his house.

And besides being a story about coming out and dealing with homosexuality, this is a story about a love triangle. It's a story about first times, crushes, and new love. The way Kyle feels about Jason - hyperaware of where he is at all times, tongue-tied whenever they get a chance to talk - is something that a lot of teens (gay or straight) can identify with. Likewise, Nelson's growing feelings for his best friend with strike a chord with many readers. So, yeah, this is a story about gay boys, but readers will find that they're going through a lot of the same things as straight kids.

I'm glad I finally picked up this book and I'm really excited to meet Alex Sanchez in a couple of months and hear what he has to say!

Update on the 48-Hour Book Challenge


I'm starting to close in on my time with just about 6.5 hours to go until my deadline.

Time spent reading: 19.75 hours
Time spent blogging: 3 hours
Time spent social networking: 2.75 hours
Total challenge hours logged: 25.5 hours

Books completed: 5
Pages read: 1679

If you've crossed your finish line, congratulations! If you're still going, keep up the good work!!

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner.  (Grades 7+)  Dial, June 2010.  259 pages.  Review copy provided by my local library.

A car crash.
Julia died in a car crash.
No one saw it coming, least of all Cass.  Julia was her best friend.  Julia was the one she shared inside jokes with.  She loved Julia.  And now that Julia's gone, Cass is not sure where she fits in.  Yeah, she's kind of got theater friends, but they were Julia's friends, really.  And after they decide to put on the musical Julia had been writing, Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad, and Julia's boyfriend casts the evil Heather Halloway as the lead, Cass has to get away.

When she returns, Cass works on the musical, designing sets and catapults and booby traps.  And Heather works on costumes next to her in the theater basement.  Cass is sure she can never forgive Heather for the horrible way Heather treated her in middle school... but then they start getting to know each other.  And Cass starts to fall for Heather.

Alternating between Cass's present, working on the musical, and her past, biking to California in memory of Julia, A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend pieces together Cass's path from grief to acceptance to moving on with her life.

Note: This book is not about zombies!  I guess I don't know why I kind of thought that it was.  But it's not!  At all!  There is not even one single zombie in this book (I don't think...).  And as a member of Team Unicorn, I appreciate that. :)

Ohhh, there were many things I loved about this novel.  First of all, I love the title and the cover.  They're eye-catching and will definitely attract teens to pick up the book.  I love Cass's circle of theater friends and their devotion to Julia.  I love the musical that they're putting on.

One of the things I love most is that it's a GLTB love story that doesn't center on the experience of coming out.  And it's more than a love story - it's about friends and grief and finding your place in the world.  The love story is just a part of what this book is.

Here's the thing, though.  I felt like Cass did not have a strong voice.  She kind of reminded me of DJ Schwenk from Dairy Queen in her self-deprecating way, but where DJ has a voice you can identify anywhere, I never really felt like I heard Cass's voice.  I kept getting the dialog between Cass and Heather mixed up and I didn't have a strong connection with Cass.

Bottom line: I think that Emily Horner is definitely an author to watch and I hope to see more from her in the future.  If she keeps the geeky-cool humor and intriguing situations and adds a more distinctive voice for her characters, we're all in for a treat.

Check out more reviews at The Story Siren, The Happy Nappy Bookseller, The Compulsive Reader and Forever Young Adult (among others).

And don't miss Emily's guest post at The Story Siren, part of her GLBT Lit Days feature that ran earlier this year.

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend is on shelves now!

Love Drugged

Love Drugged by James Klise.  (Grades 9+)  Flux, September 2010.  304 pages.  Reviewed from purchased copy.

Someone at his high school knows Jamie's secret.
It's not his best friend.  It's not his girlfriend.  It's not his teacher.
Someone at his high school knows that Jamie's gay.  And before the secret spreads all over school, changing everything, Jamie's determined to fix the problem.  He's determined to be straight.  He has the miracle pill that will help him.  If it doesn't kill him first.

First of all, I have to give a shout-out to Lisa Novak who designed the cover.  The book's got a wildly intriguing premise, but the cover caught my eye before I knew what the book was about.  I saw the cover and I thought I want to read that book.  I just love the cover.

I also love what's inside the book.  I love the characters, especially Jamie.  He's a kid who's trying to figure out what it means to be who he is.  I was rooting for him the whole time, even when he was making bad decisions.  He's down-to-earth and I could understand why he chose the path he did.  Jamie felt very real to me, even when some of the plot elements went over the top a little bit.

To me, the tone of this book was perfect.  It's funny and light enough to differentiate the book from the scores of depressing YA novels, but it's serious enough that it gives the reader something to really think about.

The plot goes a little bit over the top in some places, and I wish that more of the secondary characters had been a bit more fleshed out.  Dr. Gamez, the developer of the pill, for example.  He's pretty much painted as a bad guy, and it would have been really intriguing if we'd seen another side to him.  I'm not saying that I want to be besties with a doctor who would develop a pill to "cure" homosexuality, but he would have been a more three-dimensional character if he'd had some good intentions.  Celia, too.  I get that we're seeing the story from Jamie's perspective, but it didn't seem like Celia had any faults (or if she did, they were faults that Jamie blamed himself for).

Oh, but those are minor things that didn't prevent me from really enjoying this debut novel.  I will certainly be looking for more from James Klise (a librarian!).  I think this would make a great book discussion selection.  It's certain to start conversations.

Read another review at The Bibliophilic Book Blog.

Love Drugged is on shelves now!

Book Review: Almost Perfect

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher. (Grades 9-12.) Delacorte Press (Random House), October 2009. Review copy provided by publisher.

High school senior Logan was crushed when his girlfriend Brenda dumped him. He was having a really hard time getting over it. Enter Sage. Sage is a new girl in his school, in itself a rarity in a small Missouri town where Logan has known all his classmates since Kindergarten. And Sage is kind of stunning. She's tall with wild curls and she seems to like him. Logan starts to think he can forget about Brenda.

But then Sage tells him a secret: she's actually a transgendered boy. And Logan will have to decide what to do. He knows Sage needs a friend. But is he strong enough to stand beside her, knowing what people would say and do if they found out?

The first thing I really liked about this book was Logan's realistic voice. I felt like he really came to life and I could really believe that he was telling me this story of something that happened to him. Here's how he describes Sage on the first day they met:

Maybe it was the way she obviously worked so hard to give the impression she didn't care how she dressed. Or the tiny lines radiating from her green eyes, lines that a teenager would get only from constantly smiling. And what a smile! When she grinned at us, I got the strangest feeling, like she was smirking at something foolish I'd just done but it was okay because she thought it was cute. (pg 18 - quote is from ARC and may appear differently in final copy)

The next thing I really liked about this book was the unique perspective. There are a couple of YA novels about transgendered teens (Luna and Parrotfish come to mind), but this was the first tale I'd seen told from the perspective of the heterosexual partner. Logan's in a hard spot in this book. He knows that his conservative community would never accept Sage if they knew the truth about her. But he's also a good guy. As much as he'd like to, he can't leave Sage to fend for herself.

And then there are his own confused feelings. If he's still attracted to Sage, does that make him gay?

Almost Perfect is a great addition to the cannon of GLBT YA literature. I'd recommend it to any teen with an interest in the subject.

Read more at Reading Rants!

Book Review: Ash

Ash by Malinda Lo. (Grades 8+)

Aisling has lived all her life on the edge of the Wood, a dark and magical place where fairies roam, or so the stories say. When her mother and father die and she's forced to work for her stepfamily, Aisling longs for the fairies to take her away. She sneaks away as often as she can to walk in the woods with the fairy Sidhean, beautiful and brooding. But when Ash meets the king's huntress Kaisa, everything begins to change. This retelling of Cinderella features a lush fantasy world where the old magic still flourishes, even if most people deny its existence, and a thrilling new love story - one where the prince doesn't get the girl... the huntress does.

The first thing that really struck me about Ash was its atmospheric setting. It's dark. It's brooding. The forest is alive with magic that can be beautiful and dangerous at the same time. People are warned not to tarry with the fairies, not to eat any of their fairy foods, not to join the fairy hunt. If they do, they might never come back. Or they might come back but waste away, longing to return to the fairy lands.

And how are people warned? Through the stories that are told throughout the novel. Stories have a prominent place in this world. They warn children not to stray too far into the woods. They celebrate heroes of the past. They hold power because they hold the knowledge of the old world, of the magic that still runs through the trees. Ash loves hearing and reading fairy tales and one of her prized possessions is a book of tales her father brought her. To Ash, the stories have an extra dimension because she believes in fairies and treats the stories like they're truth.

The book reminded me of A Curse Dark as Gold for its detailed, dark setting and atmosphere. This is a book that's not all about the plot, but more about descriptions and world-building. This isn't a bad thing, but it started a little bit slow. Also, I felt a bit removed from the characters, like I could see what was happening to them but it wasn't like I was right there with them. The huntress Kaisa, in particular, was a closed book. I'd love to see another tale from her point of view.

That said, I love, love, love that Aisling fell in love with the female huntress instead of the prince. And I also love that it wasn't "OMG Ash is in love with a girl!" with the townspeople freaking out. An issue book this is not. (Yay!) It's a refreshing new look at the Cinderella story and one that is sure to please fans of fairy tale retellings.

Add it to your TBR list because it's due out September 1.

PS: How much do I love this cover? It's different and dark and I feel like it perfectly reflects the story within.