The Boy in the Dress--"It would be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it?"

Title: The Boy in the Dress

Author: David Walliams (with illustrations by Quentin Blake)


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Dennis's life hasn't been the same since his mother left him, his dad, and his brother John two years ago (and Dad instituted a "no hugging" rule). Dennis finds joy in playing soccer and looking at his secret Vogue magazine. When Lisa discovers Dennis's passion for fashion, she dresses Dennis up in an orange sequinned dress, and Dennis discovers that he not only likes admiring the beautiful dresses, he enjoys wearing them also.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  I picked this book up by judging its cover (literally--hardcover edition is yellow, and I needed yellow for the website cover photo). When I read the title, I realized that it had the same illustrator as the Roald Dahl books I'd grown up on. It was like discovering a new Dahl book!

What if it's Us--"The universe wouldn't get us together for just one summer, right?"

Title: What if it's Us

Authors: Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Arthur is working as an intern in New York City for the summer when he meets Ben, a New York native, at the post office. Arthur believes in fate and the power of the universe. Ben is a more jaded--after all, he was at the post office to mail back his ex-boyfriend's stuff. When they reconnect via mixed connections, they begin dating. Are they destined for a great summer romance, or a short forgettable fling?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I read and enjoyed all of Albertalli's other books, which made me feel warm and fuzzy. I enjoy following Silvera on Twitter, but his books are so sad--one upset me so much I couldn't even; one I'm scared to read because of THE TITLE, and the third is in my TBR pile, but I'm determined.

I fully admit I am procrastinating reading some wonderful, well-written Silvera books because I know how much I cry, and I cry at almost everything. It's exhausting!

Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity--"Stay away from online comments sections for anything having to do with gender nonconformity"

Title: Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity

Author: Kristin Elizabeth Clark


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Jess has been estranged from her father since he left her mother (for her mom's best friend!) and was not supportive of Jess's transition from male to female. Now Jess's dad is getting remarried, and Jess decides to drive cross-country with her friend Chunk to crash her dad's wedding--and force her dad to accept her as the girl she knows she is. Along the way, Jess and Chunk learn more about themselves and their friendship.


What I think: Road trip books are so fun because real road trips (in my experiences) are boring, and book road trips always become extended metaphors for becoming mature. Seriously, who hasn't gone on a road trip that you've secretly wanted to be like Perfect Summer? (Probably none of you, but I've never outgrown my love of that particular SVH story.)

Debbie Harry Sings in French--"Dépêches-toi, dépêches-toi et attends" OR "I'm sure the gay community will recover"

Title: Debbie Harry Sings in French

Author: Meagan Brothers


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Johnny's life has not been easy, but he has persevered and does not want to leave Florida to live in South Carolina. However, Johnny finds that living with  Uncle Sam is better than he thought it would be, especially when he discovers and falls in love with Debbie Harry and Blondie's music at the local music store. Together with his girlfriend, Maria, Johnny learns that he also enjoys dressing up as and *being* Debbie Harry.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I have so much respect for Johnny: he runs the household after his father's death when his mother is too depressed to deal with it and he successful completes a stint in rehab for alcohol abuse all before he turns seventeen. And my summary above is a bit out-of-order: Johnny discovers Blondie while still in rehab, then moves to SC, where he idolizes Debbie Harry even more.

Last Seen Leaving--"Sweat prickled like a rash across my scalp, and my heart chugged like the engine of an ocean liner"

Title: Last Seen Leaving

Author: Caleb Roehrig


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The police are certain Flynn knows something, especially when they discover that January was pregnant when she disappeared. Forced to come out the closet to clear his name, Flynn vows to find out what happened to January--did she run away, or was she murdered? And if she is dead, will her killer strike again?


What I think: Last Seen Leaving has been in my TBR pile for months, and I finally got around to it thanks to . . . Twitter.

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)--"You're a girl and you date girls. You have all the girl knowledge someone could possess"

Title: The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

Author: Amy Spalding


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Abby is super excited when she lands an internship at one of her favorite boutiques; finally, she can get her start working in fashion beyond writing a plus-sized-fashion themed blog. Abby does not plan on falling for her fellow intern, photographer Jordi; or becoming friends with Jax. But will Abby's insecurities cost her her relationship with Jordi and jeopardize a possible paid-position with the boutique?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): When I was a junior high teacher, I would have my students write "a class constitution" together. The list of classroom rules and norms would always include something about behavior, and when I would ask a new class about behavior, one student would say "The Golden Rule!" and everyone would nod, knowing that the Golden Rule is the end-all of behavior rules, and then I would say "but the Golden Rule is actually extremely naive and selfish."

Lord of Shadows--"Lex malla, lex nulla" OR "I brought chocolate"

Title: Lord of Shadows, Book #2 of The Dark Artifices

Click here for Lady Midnight, Book #1 of The Dark Artifices
Book #3, Queen of Air and Darkness, coming out December 4! NEXT WEEK!

Author: Cassandra Clare


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): After the events of Lady Midnight, Emma begins fake-dating Julian's half-faerie brother Mark, in order to make Julian fall out-of-love with her so that they can escape the Parabatai curse. Meanwhile, the Unseelie King is tired of the cold peace and refuses to follow the Shadowhunters' demands, the Seelie Queen is trying to get the Black Volume for her own needs, and where is Annabel?  Is she alive?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I've already talked about what I love about the Dark Artifices series, and even though I meant to only talk about Lady Midnight in that review, I actually mentioned quite a bit of Lord of Shadows also.  Oops.  So if you haven't read that review, you should read it first, and then we will (well, I, but you can virtually) geek out about what we want to see and don't want to see happen in Queen of Air and Darkness.

It's Not Like It's a Secret--"If I don't think it's about race does that make me a racist? If I do think it's about race does that make me a racist?"

Title: It's Not Like It's a Secret

Author: Misa Sugiura


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sixteen-year-old Sana and her parents move to California, where for the first time, Sana is not the only Asian-American student in her school. Sana befriends the other Asian-American girls quickly, and begins dating Jamie, a Mexican-American girl. However, Sana's happy new life is interrupted by hostility between her groups of friends and her friend Caleb's feelings for her--plus, she's pretty sure her father is having an affair. Should she stay quiet or tell her mom?


What I think: Sana does not feel any anxiety about her sexuality, which was a refreshing change from some LGBTQ-themed books I've read.  Her relationship with Jamie was a typical teenage one (in stories and reality): things seem to be going well, a misunderstanding occurs, jealousy happens, both parties make stupid mistakes, they eventually kiss and make-up.  Sana ends up leading Caleb on, which she feels guilty about, and Jamie and Caleb find out about it in a way that makes my former high-school-self want to cringe and hide.

Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)--"Let's talk about sex, baby!" OR "I wish you so much love--because love has nothing to do with sex"

Title: Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)

Author: L.C. Rosen


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Jack is an openly gay high school student who is not ashamed of his active sex life. He agrees to write an "anonymous" (technically--most students know he's the writer) teen sex advice column for his friend. Jack enjoys giving advice until someone begins leaving notes in his locker that start out admiring but become threatening. Can Jack figure out who his stalker is before his friends and family are in danger?


What I think: Hey guess what?? This book talks about sex!! And boy, was it ever mentioned in every review and article I read about the book.  Even all of the blurbs on the cover are about how sex-positive the book is. I was actually getting tired of reading every reviewer mention sex, but my curiosity (and excellent employee discount at work) got the best of me, so I bought this book the day it came out.

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World--"Is this what a crush felt like? A constant stomachache, a bubbly feeling in your fingertips?"

Title: Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Author: Ashley Herring Blake


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Twelve-year-old Ivy and her family are displaced and devastated when a tornado destroys their home. Ivy is especially upset because she loses her notebook of secret drawings (some of which are of girls holding hands) and feels lost and ignored by her stressed-out parents. Meanwhile, Ivy becomes friends with and develops a crush on June, and then starts to receive mysterious notes from someone who has found her notebook.  Who's the keeper of Ivy's secrets?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): This book is adorable; I felt so warm and fuzzy after reading it. Ivy is a realistic seventh-grader who expresses her feelings through her art and is just figuring out her sexuality.  The tornado is terrifying to read about; the Indiana girl that I am has been through several tornadoes but never one that destroyed my home. I would have been so very upset had that happened to me when I was twelve.

Like Water--"I just want one thing to be good enough, because one good, right thing can be enough"

Title: Like Water

Author: Rebecca Podos


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): High school graduate Vanni does not want to be stuck in her small New Mexico town forever, but ever since her father was diagnosed with Huntington's disease, Vanni has been living life without a plan. She isolates herself from her girl friends and passes her time with boy after boy. Vanni then meets Leigh, who becomes more than just a friend, but they can't ignore the problems in their lives forever without everything crashing down.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Vanni's father is deteriorating rapidly, her mother is trying to keep the family's restaurant afloat, and Vanni is at a natural crossroads in her life anyway, so it is no surprise that poor Vanni is a mess and turns to sex to deal with her pain. I feel so bad for her parents, especially her father who had lost the ability to do what he loved.

The 57 Bus--"I am not a thug, gangster, hoodlum, nor monster." OR "He's a sixteen-year-old kid and sixteen-year-old kids are kind of dumb."

Title: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives

Author:  Dashka Slater


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sasha is an agender nonbinary teenager who attends a private school for academically gifted students. Richard attends Oakland High School, is turning his life around, and is determined to graduate. One day they are both on the bus, and Richard is joking around with a lighter and sets Sasha's skirt on fire. Sasha spends months in the hospital, and Richard is arrested, charged as an adult, and could face life in prison if convicted.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): When I was a teenager, I watched the movie Twelve Angry Men, a story of jurors serving on a murder trial. A lot of damning evidence is presented at the trial, and eleven of the jurors want to immediately come to a guilty verdict. But one juror decides that they need to reexamine the evidence, and in the process, they discover enough reasonable doubt that each juror eventually changes his vote to not guilty.

Girl Mans Up--"I don't feel like I'm something I shouldn't be. Only other people make me feel like there's something wrong with me."

Title: Girl Mans Up

Author: M-E Girard


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Pen is not trying to be a boy; she is being herself: a boyish-looking girl who likes gaming (and girls). Pen's old-world-Portuguese parents want her to show respect by acting "like a girl." Pen's friend Colby wants her to prove her loyalty by doing whatever he says, even if it means getting him out of some trouble and getting herself into questionable situations. Luckily, Pen's brother Johnny is on her side.


What I think (with lots and LOTS of spoilers): I discussed terrible YA parents in the second half of the review of Better Nate Than Ever (and I think I'm going to pull the parent stuff out and make it its own post one of these days), and if there were an award for the worst parents in YA books, Pen's parents would take the top prize. They are terrible.

Just Between Us--"I am not my disease. I am a human being."

Title: Just Between Us
  

Author: J.H. Trumble


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Curtis is home from his freshman year of college, working as a band tech for his old high school band, when he meets band member Luke, and the two are instantly attracted to each other. But just when Curtis decides to act on his feelings for Luke, Curtis takes an HIV test: and it's positive. Depressed and ashamed, Curtis tries to push Luke away, but Luke is determined to be a part of Curtis's life.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  Luke appears as a young, pitiable sophomore in Don't Let Me Go but a mature, confident senior in Where You Are--such a drastic difference; I couldn't wait to read what happened in the year between.

NEW: Trans Student FAQ

I have created a new section under the pages tab above called Supporting Trans FAQ in which I give resources for school and public libraries to support trans and gender nonconforming students.

Click on the tab above or click on these links:

• Supporting Trans FAQ
    
• Q: What does it mean to be transgender, gender nonconforming, and/or gender nonbinary?
    
• Q: Can young people really be transgender? What do science and psychology say?
    
• Q: There aren't many trans people. Why should we have resources for them?
    
• Q: What do I say to students/patrons who are scared of transgender people using the bathrooms?
    
• Q: What are some resources for supporting transgender youth in my library? 

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy--"I'd rather write my own legends. Or be the story someone else looks to someday."

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy

Author: Mackenzi Lee


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Felicity escapes to London for two reasons: to avoid marrying Callum the baker and enroll in medical school; however, men are the ones in charge and they will not admit women to their schools.  Felicity then finds out her childhood friend, Johanna, is marrying a famous doctor, so Felicity plans to crash the wedding and meet the doctor. This leads to Felicity and Joanna involved in an adventure of medicine, pirates, petticoats, and sea dragons.


What I think:  Pirates and Petticoats is the companion book to Vice and Virtue.  I didn't love Felicity's voice as much as I loved Monty's, but I definitely enjoyed her story.

Dress Codes for Small Towns--"There is more than one way to add color to the world. More than one way to crown a queen"

Title: Dress Codes for Small Towns

Author:  Courtney Stevens


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): After Billie and her group of friends nearly burn down their church, Billie is determined to prove that she is not a bad girl and that her father deserves to remain the church's minister. At the same time, Big T, the town's sponsor of the annual Harvest festival, dies.  Billie and her friends work to rise above prejudice and work to save the festival, while exploring their own identities and love interests along the way.


What I think: Dress Codes was one of those books that I thought was going to be about something else entirely.  I thought the plot, even as I was reading, was going to go something like this:

1. Tomboy-ish girl (Billie, who might be gay) experiences prejudice from small town rednecks
2. Boy-who-wears-makeup (Davey, who might be gay) also experiences prejudice
3. They both tell off the hypocritical church people
4. Their friends and family members, who are "set in their small-town ways" reject them, and
5. They move away to a big city to live glamorous lives (also come out of their respective closets)

I've read this story before, I thought smugly.

With or Without You--"I always have a story. The only thing worse than needing one is when I don't."

Title: With or Without You

Author: Brian Farrey



What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Tired of being bullied for their sexual orientation, Evan and Davis go to a meeting of the Chasers, a group that promises to teach them "how to be gay" and stand up to bullies. Davis is immediately swept away in the promises of the Chasers, while Evan remains skeptical but determined to protect Davis. Meanwhile, Evan also deals with his apathetic family, his secret boyfriend, and honing his artistic talent through glass-painting.


What I think: Poor Evan has the lowest self-esteem of any main character I've read in a long time. But is it any wonder: Evan and Davis are physically and verbally bullied at school so often, they don't even both letting anyone know; bullying is so much a part of their daily routine. They manage to scrape through their senior year of high school together, remembering that this time the next year, they will be in college in Chicago.

The Porcupine of Truth--Part 2: "I know it's a disease, and I know people used to die of it and that now there's medicine for it"

Title: The Porcupine of Truth

Author: Bill Konigsberg


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Carson is not looking forward to spending the summer with his dying, estranged father in Billings, Montana, who is still angry about the disappearance of his father (Carson's grandfather) over thirty years ago. Carson's summer becomes more interesting when he meets Aisha, a beautiful teenage lesbian who was kicked out of her father's home.  Carson and Aisha vow to find out what happened to Carson's grandfather--why did he leave?  Could he still be alive somewhere?

As I said in Part 1, the last 80 pages of this book affected me so profoundly, I originally planned to write the entire post about them.  Instead, I split the post into 2 parts.

So without further ado, here's part 2!

Don't Let Me Go--"You're not going to straighten things out by running away. Take the phone and talk to your boyfriend!"

Title:  Don't Let Me Go

Author: J.H. Trumble


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Adam is in New York appearing in a play, while Nate is still home for his senior year of high school.  Nate has always depended on Adam for support and desperately misses him. Nate makes a new friend, Danial, but is finding a long-distance relationship very difficult to maintain. Nate starts a blog, which causes some controversy, and begins helping naive, closeted Luke, but if Nate's not careful, he's going to lose Adam for good.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Do you like teenage romance novels with angst, an extra side of angst, and angst for dessert?  Then you'll really enjoy Don't Let me Go.

Actually, that's a bit misleading.  Angst to me implies fluffy, over-the-top teenage nonsense, and that's not completely true about Adam and Nate.

Five, Six, Seven, Nate!--"Everything is 'my my my' on Broadway, like a junior high cafeteria but with more glitter"

Title: Five, Six, Seven, Nate!

Author: Tim Federle


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Nate can't wait to leave the bullies of  Jankburg behind and move to New York for his Broadway debut!  Okay, so he's the second understudy for E.T., but a part is a part.  Nate becomes part of the cast of child stars with headshots and pushy stage mothers, video-game-creator-turned-director, constant script re-writes, and a secret crush on Jordan, the star of the show from Nate's hometown. Meanwhile, Libby remains Nate's best friend and biggest fan.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I was so thrilled so spend some more time with Nate; I already loved him before, and now I love him even more. I totally agree the venerable Lin-Manuel Miranda when he said it's "a wonderful evocation of what it’s like to be a theater kid."

One True Way--"What she needs to know is you love her, and that you're still proud she's your sister"

Title: One True Way

Author: Shannon Hitchcock


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Allie has two goals when she enters her new middle school: join the newspaper staff and make a new friend. She quickly becomes a star reporter and meets a girl named Sam. When Sam and Allie discover they like like each other, Coach Murphy and the kind Reverend Walker at Allie's new church are supportive, but Allie is afraid of upsetting her mother, who is dealing with Allie's brother's recent death and her failing marriage.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  One of the reasons this book stands out to me (besides the fact that it's one of the rare middle-grades books) is that it takes place in 1977.  I enjoyed the subtle 1970s references:  the girls dancing to "Show Me the Way," typewriters in newspaper class, references to Sanford and Son and Soul Train (but no Star Wars?  For shame!).

The Porcupine of Truth--Part 1: "There are so many wise people who have taught us so many wise lessons"

Title: The Porcupine of Truth

Author: Bill Konigsberg


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Carson is not looking forward to spending the summer with his dying, estranged father in Billings, Montana, who is still angry about the disappearance of his father (Carson's grandfather) over thirty years ago. Carson's summer becomes more interesting when he meets Aisha, a beautiful teenage lesbian who was kicked out of her father's home.  Carson and Aisha vow to find out what happened to Carson's grandfather--why did he leave?  Could he still be alive somewhere?

Confession time:  I actually read this book back at the end of July and keep renewing it from the library.  I had this post in draft mode ever since.  It's not that I didn't want to review this book--in fact, Bill Konigsberg's books have inspired me to write a lot; and since this one was my favorite of his books, I wanted this post to be perfect!

LGBTQ Representation: Why it Matters in Libraries

Happy Hurricane day, everyone!  The following infographic was created by Tina M. in my library media class, and I am sharing it on this blog with her permission:

Where You Are--"Public school is a world unto itself. It's okay to be gay; you just don't talk about it. It's an unspoken rule."

Title: Where You Are

Author: J. H. Trumble


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Robert is a high school senior who has never felt accepted by his dying father and feels lost in the shuffle of his demanding aunts and hospice care who have taken over the house.  Andrew is Robert's high school calculus teacher who bonds with Robert when Robert needs an adult role model.  However, student-teacher boundaries are crossed when their relationship turns from friendly to romantic.  If the truth gets out, Andrew will lose everything.


What I think:  ADHD is my superpower, at least, that's what I tell myself.  I am in the process of drafting four posts, reading six books, completing three class projects, and have four books on hold at the library, and this is in addition to raising three kids with special needs and acting in community theatre.  (If you are reading this and you live near Greensboro, NC, come see Shared Radiance's production of As You Like It!)

So how do I deal with so many projects at once?

Better Nate than Ever--"There's cupcake places, like, everywhere, and boys can dance next to each other"

Title: Better Nate than Ever

Author: Tim Federle


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster, tired of the misery of Lankburg, PA, comes up with a plan: he is going to take the bus to New York City, audition for E.T.: the Musical, and become the Broadway star he knows he's meant to be.  With the help of his best friend (the fabulous Libby Jones), Nate borrows his mom's ATM card, loads his backpack with doughnuts and an ancient Nokia cell phone, and bravely forays to NYC.


What I think: I LOVE NATE, and I think I can speak for every mother, teacher, and theatre director when I say that.  Nate is adorable and naive, but incredibly brave!  I know I don't have that kind of bravery now, let alone when I was in eighth grade.  Way to go, Nate!

Social Intercourse--"If I had known losing my virginity would be so nerve-wracking, I would've stayed home and watched the Golden Girls marathon with my dad"

Title: Social Intercourse

Author: Greg Howard


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): High school seniors openly-gay Beckett and star quarterback Jaxon have little in common, but then Beck's dad starts dating one of Jax's moms. Beck is afraid that his dad will get his heart broken again, and Jax wants his moms to get back together and be a family again.  Meanwhile, Beck is planning the Rainbow Prom, Jax is struggling with his bisexuality, and all have to deal with homophobia in their small Southern town.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): My summary doesn't reflect the tone of this book--it is absolutely hilarious!  Sure, it deals with some serious subjects, but the voices of each narrator are so down-to-earth that Social Intercourse is delightful to read.

Lady Midnight--"The Law is annoying, but it is also flexible"

Title: Lady Midnight, Book #1 of The Dark Artifices

Author: Cassandra Clare


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Emma Carstairs, with the help of her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, is determined to find out who killed her parents, but discover a demon plot in Los Angeles instead.  Julian is protecting his uncle Arthur and struggling to keep his siblings together, while trying to deny his love for Emma, which has gone far beyond what one should feel for his parabatai.  Julian's brother Mark returns, while a group within the Clave fights for control.


What I think: As I wrote in a previous review, I was slow to warm-up to Cassandra Clare, but by the time I read City of Heavenly Fire, I was completely hooked.  Clare's books just keep getting better and better, and wow, I really like Lady Midnight and its sequel, Lord of Shadows.  But right now, I'm going to go over some of my favorite aspects of Lady Midnight:

The Beauty that Remains--"No one ever talks about the living who have unfinished business with the dead. How do they ever find peace again?"

Title: The Beauty that Remains

Author: Ashley Woodfolk


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Logan's ex-boyfriend, Bram, died in a mysterious "suicide."  Shay's twin sister, Sasha, died of leukemia. Autumn's best friend, Tavia, died in a car accident on the way to a party that Autumn (and Tavia's brother, Dante) were supposed to attend. Logan obsessively watches Youtube videos of Bram; Shay struggles to keep up Sasha's music blog; Autumn writes messages to Tavia's email account.  All these grieving teenagers have some connection to the defunct band, Unraveling Lovely.


What I think: I thought I had read some sad, yet moving, books this year, but this one was . . . WOW.  I originally picked it up because it had a blurb from Angie Thomas, the author of The Hate U Give, on the cover: "Be prepared to be broken, be prepared to feel whole again." Since The Hate U Give is one of the best books I've ever read (and I've read LOTS of books), I picked up The Beauty that Remains. And again, wow.

If I Was Your Girl--"Pro-tip: read the author's notes FIRST"

Title: If I Was Your Girl

Author: Meredith Russo

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Amanda moves in with her estranged father to attend a new school for her senior year of high school, and everything seems to be going well for her so far.  She meets a new group of girlfriends and even begins dating Grant. But Amanda has a secret: she is a transgender female and knows that if anyone finds out the truth about her past, her newfound happiness could be over.


What I think: Sometimes I am a brat and flip ahead in the pages of the book to see what's going to happen later in the story.  I sometimes spoil major plot points or even the whole ending for myself when I do this, so I nearly always regret it (but I can't stop doing it because, well, I have no idea).  But anyway, with this book, I actually did not regret flipping through towards the end.

When the Moon Was Ours--"The blue whirled in on itself like the curves of a nautilus shell"

Title: When the Moon Was Ours

Author: Anna-Marie McLemore

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Best friends Miel and Sam are known as the strange ones in their town. Miel's wrist grows roses, and Sam paints moons to hang in the trees.  Miel lives with Aracely, the town curandera, and Sam pollinates the pumpkins in the Bonner's pumpkin field.  When the beautiful, yet evil Bonner sisters want to use Miel's roses to enhance their powers, they discover a secret about Sam that they threaten to reveal to the whole town.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): McLemore is Mexican-American who describes her writings as magical realism. She blends elements of folk and fairy tale and culture in her stories.  Miel appears out of a water tower when she is five, Aracely cures the townspeople of "love sickness," and Sam is a bacha posh who wants to remain a boy.

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park--"& brothers, JFK, sign language, divas, & extreme fabulousness!"

Title: My Most Excellent Year:  A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park

Author:  Steve Kluger

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): TC, Augie, and Alè tell stories of their freshman year in high school.  When TC was six, his mother died, and TC and Augie became close friends and "brothers."  Alè is new in school, the daughter of the US ambassador to Mexico, and secretly taking singing and dancing lessons. TC develops an instant crush on her. Meanwhile, Augie comes into his own as a fabulous, singer-dancer-actor, taking the school by storm in Kiss Me Kate.

What I think:  Wow, I am not sure I can adequately describe how much I loved this book.  I think I will just list some of the awesome parts of the book below:

Between Mom and Jo--"People are liars and forever is a myth and the glue is only as good as the two ends it holds together"

Still not sad enough after reading Ashes to Asheville?  Then you should read Between Mom and Jo
  

Author: Julie Anne Peters


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Nick is just like any other junior high boy, but his family is different than some: he has two moms.  His biological mother is the practical one (who cooks and pays bills), and Jo is the one who takes him camping and fishing and teaches him about the facts of life.  When Mom and Jo separate, Nick is not allowed to see Jo anymore and is very upset at the loss of his parent.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): 

--Hello, customer service?  I read We are Okay and Ashes to Asheville, and, I don't know, I need more sadness.  I just haven't cried enough for one week.

--More sadness, huh?  Well, we can certainly provide that.  How about we keep the theme of a loss of a parent?  This time, we'll make the kid an only child with no close friends.

--Ooh, that does sounds sadder!  Tell me more.

If you liked We are Okay, you should read Ashes to Asheville

If you liked We are Okay, you should read Ashes to Asheville

Author: Sarah Dooley


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sixteen-year-old Zany and twelve-year-old Fella lost Mama Lacy to cancer six months ago.  Now Zany lives with Mama Shannon, and Fella lives with Mrs. Madison, her maternal grandmother.  Mama Lacy's dream was to have her ashes scattered in the park in Asheville, so in the middle of the night, Zany picks up Fella and the urn with Mama Lacy and set off a road trip to Asheville to fulfill Mama Lacy's last wish.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  I managed to read three books with similar themes in the last couple of days.  Usually when I do something like that, I try to schedule the reviews so they are not published close to each other, but this time, I am going to write them all in a row.

We are Okay--"A story of betrayal, grief, loneliness, and finally, healing"

Title: We are Okay

Author: Nina LaCour


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Marin has not spoken to her best friend Mabel or anyone else from home, since Marin's grandfather's sudden death and Marin's departure to college in New York last August.  Now it is winter break, and Marin is staying alone in her dorm room, waiting for Mabel to visit her. Perhaps Mabel can help Marin through the grief and loneliness and someday be okay again.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  LaCour mentions in the book's acknowledgements and in this article that she wrote the book while dealing with the loss of her grandfather, and it shows.  Grief and loneliness and isolation just pour from the pages; I don't know how else to describe it.  Even the weather and the present-time setting are isolated--Marin is staying completely alone in her dorm room during a snowstorm in New York and at one point even the electricity goes out.

It's Our Prom (So Deal with It)--"Event planning is one gigantic pain in the butt"

Title: It's Our Prom (So Deal with It)

Author: Julie Anne Peters


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Azure is asked to be on the prom committee to help make it an event that will appeal to all students.  Azure invites her best friends, Luke and Ridhaka (whom both Azure and Luke secretly have crushes on), to help plan.  Luke is busy is directing and starring in a musical he wrote, and Ridhaka is feeling pressured by her parents' high expectations.  Azure quickly becomes overwhelmed with the logistics of planning a prom.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I enjoyed this book!  I have been really overwhelmed lately with books filled with violence, poverty, racism, and serious bullying.  It's Our Prom had a small, realistic amount of homophobia, but otherwise, nothing too stressful.

Tattoo Atlas--"Nice is different than good" OR "All of us have some crazy in us, don't we?"

Title: Tattoo Atlas

Author:  Tim Floreen


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Last year, Franklin brought a gun to school and killed Rem's friend, Pete. Now Franklin is the subject of an experiment (run by Rem's mother) to see out if sociopaths can be "cured" by implanting a device that activates the "empathy" parts of their brains. The procedure seems to work on Franklin, and he and Rem almost become (more than) friends, but when another classmate is killed, Rem wonders if Franklin is fooling everyone.


What I think: Tattoo Atlas is a frustrating, suspenseful, horrifying, and thought-provoking book that I could not put down, even when one of my kids asked me why I was "looking at the book with such a scared face."  I tried to take breaks and go back to reading the other books I am in the middle of, but I couldn't. I had to know what was going to happen to Rem, Franklin, and their other classmates, but at the same time was scared to find out what was going to happen.

Wide Awake--"Both dated and eerily prophetic"

Title: Wide Awake

Author: David Levithan


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  In the near future, the first gay and Jewish United States president is elected. The green states have prevailed, with their Jesus Revolution, All Equal Movement, and Great Community.  However, the governor of Kansas is claiming voter fraud and demands a recount of his state.  High school boyfriends Jimmy and Duncan, along the rest of their political group and thousands of others, head to Kansas to protest the governor and support the president-elect.


What I think: While reading Wide Awake, I could only think how difficult it was going to be to write about the book without comparing it to today's political climate.  Goodness knows I do enough complaining about politics, and those of you who know me in real life are either nodding or rolling your eyes (probably both 😉).

Sooooo . . . . I am going to list some of the major events in the book, and you can see how they compare to today's political climate yourself.

Lizard Radio--"Life is about ambiguity" OR "The Lizard People were just a red herring!"

Title: Lizard Radio

Author: Pat Schmatz


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Kivali is sent to CropCamp, a place where the SayFree government sends teenagers go to become productive adult members of society.  Gender-neutral Kivali (nicknamed Lizard) feels different from the other campers, but she knows she must either try to fit in or accept her place as an outcast, which would send her to Blight, a government-sanctioned area for criminals and other non-conforming citizens.  Lizard also wonders: was she sent here from another planet?

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): At the beginning of Lizard Radio, I thought of Scott Westfeld's Uglies because slang was used immediately by the main characters and readers had to figure it out as they read, such as mealio (cafeteria), cleezies (chores), and jazzing (messing around).  Another similarity to the Uglies dystopia was when teenagers came of age, they would be controlled by the government: Uglies with plastic (and brain) surgery and CropCampers with the kickshaw.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children--"I know this is a radical idea, but people should get to be who they want to be"

Title: Beautiful Music for Ugly Children

Author: Kirstin Cronn-Mills

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Gabe, a senior in high school, knows he is really a boy even though was born with a girl's body.  When he begins hosting a radio show on the public radio station, he attracts a following, even a couple of girls who are interested in him.  But when some school bullies find out that Gabe is "Liz" in their high school, they threaten and become violent towards Gabe, his friends, and his family.


What I think:  I really liked all of the music references in this story, and disagree with a colleague of mine who claims that Gabe knowing all this music is unrealistic.  When I was in high school, I didn't listen to any music that was made after the 1980s, and I'm sure there are still high school students who like to listen to "vintage" music.  I even collected vinyl albums for a time.

Out of the Pocket--"All of you sports people: KEEP WORKING to eradicate homophobia in sports"

Title: Out of the Pocket

Author: Bill Konigsberg


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Bobby is the star quarterback of his high school, waiting to hear from schools offering scholarships, dreaming of being a pro football player one day.  However, Bobby has a secret:  he's gay, and he's terrified about how his teammates, friends, and family would treat him if they found out.  And then, while Bobby's dealing with his dad's illness and practicing for upcoming football games, a reporter reveals Bobby's secret to the world.


What I think:  Y'all, I discovered something incredibly disturbing while reading this book:

Bill Konigsberg is . . . a SPORTS GUY.

A sports guy!  I can't believe it. Konigsberg looks like a normal person!  How could he have been hiding this secret?  What will people think if they find out I was reading a book written by a SPORTS PERSON?  Will people think I'm into sports, too?  Or what if someone thinks Konigsberg recruited me or tricked me into liking sports when I really don't?  Oh noes, I MUST do all I can to reassure people that I'm not one of those "sports" people!   😨

Okay, I'm done.  😉

The Art of Starving--"More authors need to write books like this: young adults should discuss addiction, sexuality, and bullying openly, without fear of judgment"

Title: The Art of Starving

Author: Sam J. Miller

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Matt a lonely, gay, high school student, finds that when he starves himself, his senses are heightened; and he can develop his superhuman powers (such as mind reading and control). Matt must befriend and then destroy Tariq because Tariq hurt Matt's older sister, Maya, causing her to run away.  Matt's mother, a closet alcoholic, is stressed because she is afraid she will lose her job at the slaughterhouse.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Matt, the (very unreliable!) narrator, is written so well, readers (or at least I) want to trust and believe him. I found myself wondering if your senses do heighten if you're hungry (they don't).

The fact, however, that I felt compelled to research it just shows you how believable Matt's voice is.

Freakboy--"Everyone feels like a freak until they make up their mind they're not"

Title: Freakboy

Author: Kristin Elizabeth Clark

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Brendan is a typical high school boy, but lately he's noticed he is not just attracted to his girlfriend, Vanessa; sometimes, he wants to be a girl like her.  Is he a freak?  Vanessa is confused because Brendan is moody lately.  Why doesn't he trust her enough to tell her his secrets?  Angel is a trans female volunteer at the LGBTQ teen center who really wants to help Brendan.  Will she get through to him?

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I really enjoyed this book!  I don't know why I hesitate to read books written in verse instead of prose--my subconscious must believe that verse equals "difficult-to-understand-epic-poem-that-I-must-analyze-as-English-teacher," but that has not been my experience with modern books written in verse.  It's quite the opposite, in fact: books written in verse are often easier to understand, contain more vivid characters, and are faster reads than traditional prose.

Books I couldn't quite finish--"I tried so hard and got so far"

Do you ever try to read books that you know should be good, they have won awards or are recommended by everyone, but you just can't finish them for whatever reason?  I am usually good about finishing books that I have checked out to review for this blog, even if the books don't capture my attention right away (and I don't cheat; I only review books that I have read from start to finish).

Today I am going to write about three books that I just couldn't read enough of to properly review.  Should I give any of them a second chance?  Let me know.

Unbecoming--"The maiden, the mother, and the crone"

Title: Unbecoming

Author: Jenny Downham

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Katie is a seventeen-year-old struggling to accept her sexuality. Caroline is an uptight, divorced single mother doing her best with her two children.  Mary suffers from Alzheimer's and reappears after not having talked to her daughter Caroline in years.  While caring for Mary, Katie learns to accept herself, and Caroline comes to terms with her difficult childhood. And Mary struggles to remember the mysterious "blue blanks" of her past, memories bittersweet for her to recall.

What I think:  I read an article from The Guardian talking about how this book "presents the archetypal trio of maiden, mother, and crone in a very modern setting" and I liked that description so much I decided to write the review in the voices of the maiden, mother, and crone as they are in Unbecoming.