The Best at It--"Being different is what makes us fun, remember?"

Title: The Best at It

Author: Maulik Pancholy


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is questioning/gay


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Rahul has a great family (even if his dad's Bollywood Supply band and his mom's excitement over the International bazaar are overwhelming) and, along with his bestie Chelsea, is excited to start seventh grade. Rahul's beloved grandfather, Bhai, advises Rahul to find one thing and "be the best at it." Rahul works to find his "best," deals with growing anxiety, avoids the neighborhood bully, and wills himself NOT to stare too much at cute Justin.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I tried super hard to write in a professional voice about the merits of this book: its sensitive portrayals of mental illnesses, questioning sexuality, celebrating Indian culture in majority white small-town Indiana (where I spent my childhood), inter-generational relationships, dealing with middle school bullies, and the correlation of athletic success to high self esteem in youth.

See? I could be a reference librarian.

The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky--"You're just so adorable when you're flustered!"

Title: The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky

Author: Mackenzi Lee [NOTE right after I posted this: I just read some tweets that report that this author has been making inappropriate posts on her Instagram account. Yuck. I'm disappointed because I love her books. I am currently doing research now to see what she said. 😔]

LGBTQ+ Representation: The two main characters are gay


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Monty tries to get Percy alone so they can have sex for the first time. That's it. That's the plot. 😁


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I somehow missed this when it came out as an e-book, but when it showed up in my bookstore as this cute little volume, I snatched it up right away.

All Out--"Love is the only higher power I'll answer to"

Title: All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages

Editor: Saundra Mitchell


About the anthology: Seventeen different young adult authors from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum each wrote stories that are included in this anthology. The stories take place during different time periods, locations, and cultures, and across multiple genres.

I am going to review this collection similar to how I reviewed The Bane Chronicles, but not exactly the same since each story has its own author and those authors are all brilliant in their own rights.

Also, this will be a live review! No, I am not usually a zombie reviewing books from my kingdom of the undead, although that sounds intriguing. By live, I mean I am going to read each story, and then write down my thoughts about it right away.


Short story title #1: "Roja"

Author: Anna-Marie McLemore (author of When the Moon Was Ours)

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!

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.