Rick--"Maybe you're blooming now, but you're just not the kind of flower he was expecting"

Title: Rick

Author: Alex Gino


LGBTQ+ Representation: Asexual main character, Melissa from George, and a group of kids at the Rainbow Spectrum Club.


Content Warning: Junior high bullies.

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Rick is excited about starting junior high and spending more time with his grandpa (a fellow Rogue Space fan! Who knew?) but is getting a bit tired of his best friend Jeff, a bully and a jerk. And also, why do people keep asking Rick about girls? Is it okay not to want to date anyone? Rick finds himself enjoying Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of all genders and identities meet.

What I think (spoilers ahead): I was super psyched to read Rick; my love for George is not a secret. I knew Rick would not have Melissa as a main character, so I am thrilled to report that she is in the book more than I had expected. Yay!

I write about friendship breakups as subplots these two books, and again, I think it's a topic that should be explored more often in middle-grades books because friendships grow and change over the years, and sometimes, friends outgrow each other.

Why I reread old favorites, OR: Warm, cuddly, teddy bear books

Reading and writing has always been a source of comfort for me, but I have been struggling with writer's block for a while. ADHD and anxiety are to blame for my writer's block often when I'm taking classes, but I have been home and watching the news which keeps getting worse and worse. Black lives matter, and my heart breaks for everyone affected by police brutality. 

Comfort reads for me.

Like many prolific readers (especially librarians-turned-book-sellers-who-get-employee-discounts), I have a towering TBR pile. And like other bloggers (at least I hope like other bloggers!), I have a stack of books that I've read and haven't written about yet (over 10), but I open my laptop and stare at some posts in draft mode. I have highly recommended and re-shared a book about protesters; I wrote about a few relatively light-hearted books earlier in the quarantine; I reminisced about childhood reads; I updated some of my blog pages. Yet I still haven't gotten as much written as I planned.

Instead, I have been rereading books or scenes from books that I have read hundreds of times before.

I came across this Washington Post article about a month ago, "For a lot of book lovers, rereading old favorites is the only reading they can manage at the moment." I also broke down and subscribed to the Post, but if you did not, here are some passages that I relate to:

If you’re wondering why rereads are what you most want, the answer is simple: Your brain, much like the rest of you, is tired. As many experts, including coach and author Alexis Rockley, have recently explained, our cognitive energy is a finite resource, steadily being used up by every piece of “new abnormal” we have to manage. . . 

That loss of cognitive energy for someone like me, who loves reading above all things save carbohydrates, means that my mind doesn’t have its usual pep when confronted with a new book, a new world and new characters. This was initially upsetting, as there are piles of new books I want to read. My solution for now is to revisit some of my favorite past companions instead. . . .

 Aarya Marsden, an avid romance reader who also writes reviews for my site, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, says that lately, she doesn’t have the energy to reread an entire book. To get around that problem, she is rereading her favorite scenes. “Ten minutes of comfort reading in the morning is enough to give me a happy buzz for the entire day,” she said. “It starts the day off on the right note and then I can read a new book at night.” . . .

There’s a sense of security that comes with a reread: You already know what’s going to happen, no spoiler alerts needed. That aspect appeals to Marsden. “There’s comfort in being able to predict and control your surroundings,” she said. “It’s a relief to sink into something that goes exactly to plan.” 

 The whole article, written by Sarah Wendell, of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is amazing. Also, see "10 Reasons People Like To Reread Books, Because Nothing Beats That Old Familiar Feeling" "The Power of Rereading Your Favorite Books Right Now" and "Why We Reread in Times of Stress and Anxiety."

I could wax poetic about some of my favorite comfort reads, but probably you don't want to hear about all my cheesy romance novels packed tightly in my bookcase (if you haven't read Red, White, and Royal Blue, however, stop whatever you're doing and READ IT NOW).

My son's old teddy bear with two of my favorite books

Maybe He Just Likes You and Dear Sweet Pea--"Sometimes seeing something from a distance is all it takes to figure out what you should have seen all along"OR: The one where I reminisce about beloved and problematic content in some favorite childhood books

Titles: Maybe He Just Likes You and Dear Sweet Pea

Authors: Barbara Dee and Julie Murphy


LGBTQ+ Representation: In both books, the main character has a good friend who is implied to be gay. In Dear Sweet Pea, the main character's father comes out of the closet after divorce, and a female teacher is married to another woman.


Content Warning: Sexual harassment, bullying, and gas lighting in Maybe He Just Likes You.


What they're about (in 75 words each or fewer): 

Maybe He Just Likes You--The updated "Bully plot" from my childhood favorite 1980's books. Mila isn't sure how it started, but she knows that she is very uncomfortable with how the boys keep touching her without her consent. Are they flirting? Why won't they stop? Mila gains some self-confidence through her karate classes, but will she ever get an adult to take her concerns about the boys' behavior seriously? 

Dear Sweet Pea--The updated "Advice column plot" from my childhood favorite 1980's books. Patricia "Sweet Pea's" parents are divorcing, and her dad only moved one house away. In between the two houses lives Miss Flora Mae, the newspaper advice columnist. When Flora goes on a trip, she asks Sweet Pea to forward her mail to her, but then, Sweet Pea recognizes the handwriting on an advice letter, and thinks, hey, I could write a reply! Hijinks ensue.

Why I'm writing about these books: Ladies and gentlemen: these are the updated Bully and Advice Column plots found in so many of my childhood faves and after-school specials! Neither are *technically* LGBTQ+-enough for me to immediately want to write about them. Even combining them both in one post--that would be cheating and still not *quite* enough LGBTQ+ content.

So why am I reviewing them? Because in spite of the nostalgia-factor of the plots, neither of these books would have been the same if they had been written thirty years ago.

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.

Middle School's a Drag--"It makes perfect sense in my heart. I just wish it did in my head."

Title: Middle School's a Drag, You'd Better Werk!

Author: Greg Howard


LGBTQ+ Representation: At least three characters, including the narrator, are gay. A supporting character has two moms.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Seventh grader Mikey Pruitt is determined to start a business that will make him successful. Mikey decides to become a talent agent when Julian hires Mikey to promote his (Julian's) drag queen persona: Coco Caliente. Soon, Mikey represents a group of students preparing for the middle school talent show and is becoming more confident about being openly gay at school; maybe he'll even be able to talk to cute Colton without blushing!


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): This book is SO ADORABLE and is just what I needed at the start of a stressful week. I even made my kids play a few more minutes at the park (pre-quarantine) so I could find out the outcome of the talent show. And then I read the ending before we even drove home, while we were stopped in the Arby's drive-thru waiting for our food.

I embarrass my children.

The Cardboard Kingdom--"I'm a SORCERESS . . . in EXILE"

Title: The Cardboard Kingdom

Authors: Chad Sell, with Jay Fuller, David Demeo, Katie Schenkel, Manuel Betancourt, Molly Muldoon, Vid Alliger, Cloud Jacobs, Michael Cole, Barbara Perez Marquez, and Kris Moore (posthumously).


LGBTQ+ Representation: Several gender nonconforming characters and at least two characters who might be gay.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): All the children in the neighborhood spend the summer playing fantasy characters, including an evil sorceress and her minion, a huntress, a handsome prince and dashing rogue, a beast, a gargoyle, a robot, an animal queen, and more. The children make their own imaginative costumes and set pieces out of cardboard and furniture; they don't always get along perfectly, but solve their conflicts appropriately, often by "battling" each other in their cardboard kingdom.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Every time I read a graphic novel, I think "I should read more graphic novels." It just takes a bit of work at the beginning to force my ADHD brain to "read" the pictures as well as the text, but once I get into the story, I usually really enjoy it. The Cardboard Kingdom was no exception--I loved it, both the pictures and the story.

The Hidden Oracle--"When one is a god, the world hangs on your every word. When you're sixteen . . . not so much."

Title: The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo, Book #1)

Author: Rick Riordan


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is bisexual, secondary characters are gay.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Apollo, the (rather arrogant) god of the sun, music, and poetry, has been cast down from Olympus to Earth by Zeus as punishment. Apollo is appalled (ha!) that he is now a gawky teenage boy named Lester Papadopoulos. He must restore five oracles to to regain his godly status, and since he no longer has powers, Apollo must seek the assistance of Percy Jackson and the other campers at Camp Half-Blood.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I adore Riordan's Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase series; the narrators written in first-person point-of-view have amazing voices. Apollo's voice is also amazing, and I think I was smiling and lol-ing throughout much of this book, even through the suspenseful parts.

What was Stonewall? and The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets."On that hot summer night, to the cops' surprise, the people at Stonewall fought back."And they fought back hard."

Titles: What was Stonewall? and The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets

Authors: Nico Medina and Gayle E. Pitman


LGBTQ+ Representation: Both books describe the Stonewall riots and the Pride movement, so all the letters are represented.


What they're about (in 75 words or fewer): What was Stonewall? begins with a glossary of LGBTQ+ terms, gives a brief history of the gay rights movement prior to the Stonewall riots, describes the uprising at Stonewall, and explains major obstacles and successes of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The Stonewall Riots provides a more detailed version of the events, told through 50 primary documents, photographs, artifacts, and eyewitness testimonies. Gay rights activists are introduced in both books.


What I think: I wanted to read these books because I wanted to see how the riots were explained to children (ages 6-14, approximately) but also because I knew only a few facts about the Stonewall riots, namely:

• They occurred in June of 1969
• Marsha P. Johnson "threw the first brick" 
• No one died (!)
• Drag queens protested the cops in the form of a Radio City Rockettes-style kick line
• The protests lead to the first Pride March in NYC

Nate Expectations--"Sometimes you do have to say goodbye to someone before you can say hello to yourself. To your Nate."

Title: Nate Expectations (sequel to Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate!)

Author: Tim Federle


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character and a couple of supporting characters are gay


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Nate's Broadway show closes, and Jordan moves on to another acting job without him, and Nate has to return home to his biggest challenge yet: high school. Surprisingly, Nate is not bullied as much as he had been before he left. As an English class project, Nate (with help from BFF Libby) is directing a musical version of Great Expectations. Will it be a success . . . and could a new romance be in his future?


First, a story: One of the many reasons I love Nate is because in high school, I was Libby and my friend Nathan was, well, Nate. We sang Broadway show songs for hours together while driving around in circles in Indianapolis; we drove to all the Sam Goody music stores in the surrounding area to make sure that we could BOTH buy the CDs to whatever show we were obsessed with at the time (The Secret Garden, Tommy, Phantom, Les Mis, Rent, Kiss of the Spider Woman, La Cage Aux Folles, Jesus Christ Superstar and How to Succeed in Business are the ones I can remember offhand).

The Whispers--"I don't see any harm in praying to the Whispers. Maybe they're listening."

Title: The Whispers

Author: Greg Howard


LGBTQ+ Representation: Male main character is gay (does not explicitly describe himself as such, but claims he has "a condition," kisses boys, and is not interested in girls)


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Eleven-year-old Riley's mother disappeared four months ago, and he is determined to find her. She used to tell Riley bedtime stories about the "Whispers" that lived in the woods and granted wishes--could the Whispers be real? And could they help Riley find his mother? Riley is determined to find out, but what if his "condition" is what caused his mother to disappear?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Three years ago, my kids and I moved from Indiana to North Carolina. My two older children reacted in a way that I had not anticipated: acting strangely around my father, accusing him of doing and saying things he never would.

Drama--"It's one thing to dream it . . . and another thing to actually build it"

Title: Drama

Author: Reina Telgemeier


LGBTQ+ Representation: One character identifies as gay, another is questioning


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Callie is super excited to work on the set design for the middle school musical. Go stage crew! The drama backstage: is Greg, Callie's crush, going to break up with Bonnie? Callie becomes closer to Justin when he confides in her that he's gay. Callie also develops a new crush on Justin's twin, brother Jesse. Plus, will she ever make the cannon prop work? It MUST or the play might be a FAILURE!


What I think: I experienced so much warm and fuzzy nostalgia while reading Drama. I was a drama geek for years; I even served as president of Thespian Troupe 901 for two years in high school. My undergraduate college degree is in theatre education. 🎭

My friends and I still talk about the drama and relationships and the EPIC CAST PARTIES that occurred during our high school plays, and we've been out of high school for . . .well, quite some years. 😉

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.

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!).

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!

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.

Star-Crossed--"Be patient, for the world is broad and wide"

Title: Star-Crossed

Author: Barbara Dee


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  The 8th grade play is Romeo and Juliet.  Mattie is really excited to be in the play with her friends Lucy, Tessa, and the new girl, Gemma, who Mattie starts to develop feelings for, even though Mattie recently had a crush on Elijah.  Can someone like both boys and girls? Mattie wonders. When Liam quits the play, Mattie finds herself playing the part of Romeo, and her crush on Gemma becomes not-so-secret among her friends.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  I'm loving all of these middle-grades books with LGBTQ characters!  When I was in 8th grade, book characters were mostly white and all straight, and lived in Sweet Valley, Stoneybrook, or Fear Street.

George--"READ IT TODAY"

Title: George

Author: Alex Gino


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): People may think she's a boy, but George knows in her heart that she's a girl.  George's mother claims that she might feel differently in a few years; George's friend thinks she's kidding at first; George's teacher won't let her try out for Charlotte in Charlotte's Web.  But George knows who she really is, and she just needs a chance to prove it to everyone.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  I was going write a long review and complain about the stupid schools  in Oregon that think George is inappropriate, "morally toxic," or will "confuse kids," but I can't. I'm tired of those people.

The Other Boy--"Not that traumatic of a read"

Title: The Other Boy

Author: M. G. Hennessey with cool artwork by Sfé R.Monster


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Shane is a regular twelve-year-old boy: Josh is his best friend, graphic novels are his hobby, Madeline is his crush, and baseball is his favorite sport.  However, Shane has not told anyone at his new school his secret: he was born a biological female, although Shane has always lived as the boy he knows he truly is. When one of his baseball teammates finds out and tells the whole school Shane's secret, Shane experiences bullying.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I was nervous when I started reading this book because it is the one that mirrors my life the most out of the transgender-themed books I've reviewed so far.  Shane is a transgender boy who is completely stealth at school and a star on his baseball team.  He hasn't told anyone about his past, including his best friend, Josh.  Shane's father is not quite as understanding as Shane's mother, and I thought that would be a major conflict, but it was resolved pretty quickly.

Gracefully Grayson--"Got me especially emotional"

Title: Gracefully Grayson

Author:  Ami Polonsky


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Grayson has lived with his* aunt and uncle since the death of his* parents when he* was in preschool, and Grayson has a secret that Aunt Sally and Uncle Evan do not know: Grayson is actually a girl on the inside, even though she has a boy body. When Grayson auditions for and wins the part of the leading female in the school play, life becomes more complicated.


What I think (in 250 words or a lot more--sorry, I did not even try to limit myself):  ALSO LOTS OF SPOILERS.  

An easy, fast read that I finished in one sitting.  The first-person point-of-view made the pronoun issues that bothered me in The Art of Being Normal not bothersome.  I love the fact that Grayson is only in 6th grade and not in high school. I love all the supportive people in Grayson's life--the teacher, the drama club mom, the cast members who "adopt" Grayson as a friend.