The Story Spectator: LGBTQ

Showing posts with label LGBTQ. Show all posts

Monday, January 1, 2024

My Top Reads of 2023

"How do you decide to what to read next?" This is a common question I get asked by my students, colleagues, even friends and family members want to know. One of my responsiblities as a school librarian is to be on-top of publishing trends, award nominees, and participate in global professional learning networks centered around literacy for young people.

Below, you will find my top reads of the year for young adults and middle grade readers. These are all books that I personally read as print books, e-books or audio books. Some were from my public and school library, some I purchased from used bookstores, garage sales and independent bookstores. In my work I get to pre-read books prior to publishing so some of these titles were read as Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) through NetGalley. I'm also in a book review group with fellow educators and school librarians from across the U.S., #BookExcursion. We receive books from publishers and authors with the intention of getting the word out about upcoming titles. Finally, in addition to these professional groups that I am a part of, I am personally a reader in over 4 book clubs.

I hope that this list below helps people who are looking for powerful books to read themselves, read with children, for a book club, read aloud for a class lesson, use with small groups, order for their children, for school libraries or even to gift to others.

Check out my list from 2022 HERE for more book ideas to use with children and young adults.

Young Adult

Nonfiction Middle Grade

Middle Grade Chapter Books

Graphic Novels

See any books that you enjoyed? Let me know in the comments. What should I read for 2024?

One positive effect of a comprehensive booklist like this is that I am able to see what types of books are missing from my reading life. In the year ahead, I plan to read more nonfiction books, as well as graphic novels. There are some excellent reading challenges for 2024:

Winter Reading Challenge

The Candid Cover's list for all ages

The 52 Book Club

BiblioLifestyle Reading Challenge

ShelfReflection

ReaderHaven

Feel free to pick one to help you stay motivated to read and share what you like with others. The best way to find out what to read next is by word of mouth!

Monday, February 20, 2023

Flamer: "I want this book to be a lifeline."

Flamer, a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by Mike Curato, is an emotional story of Aiden, a Filipino American boy who is spending his last week of summer break at his favorite place, his scout camp. The year is 1995 so the times reflect an era of homophobia, bullying, and lack of resources that could help a teenager who is questioning his identity.

I was surprised to learn that Flamer has been challenged and even banned in school libraries across the country, despite winning a book award. The audience for the book are young adults who are the same age as the main character. Readers will be able to empathize with Aiden's apprehension for starting high school, his insecurities about his body image, and his surprising attraction to his friend. Although the book climaxes with a suicide scene, Aiden does not go through with it and it ends on a hopeful note. The author's note states that these were actual instances that he experienced so I believe it will help others, either as a friend or family member of a person exhibiting Aiden's characteristics or for people thinking similar thoughts as Aiden.

What I liked about this book was the honesty with which Aiden's voice permeates the entire story. I have yet to read a book that explores a boy's insecurities about his body with as much care as Curato write's Aiden's feelings. Many readers will be able to relate to Aiden and his reluctance to draw attention to his body as he constantly compares it to others in his camp.

Another aspect of the book that stood out to me was the setting. Aiden finds so much peace in being outside in nature that it becomes his happy place. I think that other readers may also find solace in going outdoors when they are feeling stressed or need room to think. It also may encourage others to seek out ways to spend time outdoors with friends to increase endorphins and relieve them of social anxiety. The camp also lends itself to a sense of community that readers may look to join in order to feel as a part of a group.

As a junior high teacher and librarian, I can attest that the moments of bullying and teasing are 100% authentic. In Flamer, the reader experiences what Aiden does as he tries to navigate his place in an ever-increasing environment that tells him he needs to be an "alpha-male" while he doesn't have those inclinations. He also has racist remarks thrown at him for being Asian. At one point, a well-intentioned friend, tries to tell Aiden to draw less attention to himself and Aiden questions how he can do that. This is a very real dilemma that teens go through and Curato writes this delicate scene with such care, it's incredible. Readers can discuss what their experiences have been with racism towards Asian people and what they can do to stand up against that hate.

Finally, the part that I really enjoyed was Aiden's relationship with his only friend who allows him to be his true self. His pen pal, Violet, is a trusted ally whom Aiden confides his thoughts. This is a beautiful model of how even having one person who is on one's side makes a big difference in a person's life. Allyship is a topic that young people can discuss throughout this story and into their own lives. Aiden has some people who seem to be on his side but then change their mind once they realize that others call him out about being gay.

Aiden's coming-of-age realization about his sexuality is something that others may be able to relate. His religion has taught him that homosexuality was wrong so Aiden denied being gay when his classmates bullied him about it. Only after his dreams started showing his true feelings was when he started to come around to possibly accepting this aspect about himself. Some of his trusted scout leaders tried to help him through being himself but they ended up being outed and ultimately fired from the scout camp. This is another reflection of the times and even some discrimination against the LGBTQ community in today's world. Readers can discuss the factors that are at play and what they can do when they see this happening in their communities.

Overall, Flamer is a book that embodies a number of adolescent emotions and should be available to young adult readers who want to read it. It would also benefit educators, counselors, social workers, families and care givers to read it in order to broaden their understanding of a young person's needs during this critical time of their development. It may very well save a life.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Blackout: NYC modern-day romance

There are some authors whose books I will read no matter what. Now imagine my delight when six of these writers collaborated on one book! Blackout the anthology of short stories by the best writers of today: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, is a must-have in any high school library collection. The setting is exactly the same for all of the writers' tales: in NYC a massive blackout takes over the city and from there the stories take form. From exes competing for the same summer internship to new crushes developing at a home for the elderly, there is a range of love stories for everyone to get into. There are even LGBTQIA relationships that develop with such care that no reader will be unaffected by them. This is the perfect example of Black joy for young adult readers on up.

What stood out to me about these stories is that they continued in the form of snapshots throughout the whole book. It reminded me of a film or play taking place at the same time with fadeaway shots dimming at the close of a chapter and then picking up at the start of another one as the next part of the story unfolds for the characters there. One might think this would be hard to keep track of all of the storylines, but this is where the writers truly shine in their depth of developing each character and their motivations. One suggestion I have is to help those who have never been to NYC understand the layout of the boroughs, is to include a map to help with the movement of the storylines. The cover is also beautifully designed, by Erin Fitzsimmons, and has a surprise underneath the book jacket! I cannot decide how to display it in my bookshelf...

Other anthologies that Blackout reminded me of are Black Boy Joy and Ancestor Approved. These are more for middle grade readers while Blackout is more for high school aged readers.

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Jagged Little Pill: The Novel, how music inspires a story

Jagged Little Pill was one of the first albums I bought and when I listened to the music of Alanis Morisette, as a 13 year old, I could feel the emotion behind her lyrics. In high school I won front row tickets to her concert when she toured with Garbage and even got to meet her backstage! She was every bit of lovely and kind as I imagined. It continues to be one of the best moments of my adolescence. Here I am, 27 years later, reading the young adult novel of the same name based on the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical by Eric Smith, Diablo Cody and Glen Ballard. This is the first novelization of a musical that I have read and it didn't disappoint!

The story is told from alternating points of view of five teenagers: Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix and Bella. It's the middle of the school year in a Connecticut suburb and nothing will be the same after a party that gets out of hand when Bella gets violated and the evidence is spread across social media. Everyone's expectations of how they should respond in the wake of this incident drives the story:

How will Nick, Bella's love interest who was supposed to look out for her act when his mother insists that he do nothing to jeopardize his college plans?
How will Frankie, Nick's adoptive sister, and her best-friend-with-benefits, Jo, support Bella along with their social activist club to make sure justice is served?
What can the new student, Phoenix, do to help as he falls for Frankie while taking care of his mom and hospitalized sister?

Using the musical and album, it's a journey for each character to get introspective as they risk losing the people they love in order to be true to themselves. The adults in the story have as many problems, if not more than the teens as they apply social pressure to everyone around them, including themselves. This is a dynamic story where every character's choices have much to be debated. Readers can think about how much race fits into their expectations of people's sexuality along with the #MeToo movement. Who gets believed and why? How do you communicate with someone with whom you've crossed the line of friendship? What do you do when you suspect your parent of having an addiction?

This book also stands out to me and will resonate with young adult readers because the authors interweave texting and chat conversations between the characters. This is a more realistic way of storytelling as today's young people communicate in this way and will more likely read a book that includes this component of dialog.

Teens can also choose an album or song that speaks to them and write a story idea inspired by the lyrics. This type of writing prompt can help adolescents find the beauty in storytelling and even match other books with songs that would go along well with them! As a fan of movie soundtracks, I love it when books name songs being played so I can play them and the story comes alive in a different way. Literacy is about so much more than the words the page. It's a complete sensory experience if you allow yourself to engage in it. Smith includes a link to the cast recording so readers can listen to it for themselves:

Now that I have read the novel I am ready to watch the musical!

Friday, February 18, 2022

How to Become a Planet: removing the stigma of mental illness

How I Became a Planet is a middle grade, realistic fiction novel by Nicole Melleby. The main character is Pluto, a 7th grader, who is on the verge of being sent away from her home on the Jersey Shore to live with her Dad in the city. The only way she can stay is if she shows progress from her diagnosed anxiety and depression by:

completing summer school
reconnecting with her ex-BFF
doing what her mom asks

Only when Pluto meets Fallon, another person with her own to-do list, does Pluto get the support she needs to come to terms with her new normal.

This is a heavy topic, much like Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind, where the neurodiverse internal dialog takes center stage. I would add this book to my school library collection and have it for my home library for my middle grade daughter because Melleby's portrayal of Pluto and Fallon's relationship is a positive one for young people to see. Their romantic relationship organically grows out of their friendship with a supportive community to foster their identities. I hope that more middle grade writers incorporate characters who have complex mental illness needs, as well as more characters who have non-cis-gendered identities.

Here is an interview with Melleby to learn more about this book. Melleby has also written many other middle grade books, see below:

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Last Night at the Telegraph Club: a Young Adult historical fiction coming of age tale

Last Night at the Telegraph Club the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature written by Malinda Lo is a story that has yet to be told in the arena of young adult literature. Lo deserves the award for her portrayal of Lily Hu, a 17 year-old Chinese-American daughter of immigrants who settled in Chinatown in San Francisco. The year is 1954 and the Red Scare is is buzzing all around Lily and her community. She must be careful with whom she associates or else it could spell trouble for her family. What ends up happening not only affects Lily's future, but also those around her.

With the tone of a coming of age story, Lo reminds the reader of what it's like to be a teenager trying to figure out who you really are. When Lily sees an advertisement for The Telegraph Club with a male impersonator or cross-dresser, something in her is awakened. She feels drawn to the club and finds a fellow classmate, Kath, who has an in there. Once Kath introduces Lily to the club and the people inside, a whole new world opens up for Lily. A world where others who feel like her can feel normal. How can Lily return to the person her family expects her to be after she's discovered her feelings for women?

The best part of this story is when Lo uses the flashbacks between Lily's storyline with ones about her parents and her aunt. Their own circumstances and journeys to the U.S. to where they are in the 1950s sheds much light on their actions. As I read the story I kept telling myself if Lily only knew her own family's struggles with their identity in the U.S., then she could open up to them about her own apprehension about where she stands.

As a former history teacher, I also enjoyed the timelines that Lo includes that show the year, Lily and her family's major moments, and parts of world and American history that have affected Chinese Americans since they were first brought to the U.S. to build the trans-continental railroad. As the daughter of an aerospace engineer, I enjoyed the development of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Lily's other passion is studying space travel. Thankfully her aunt is a human computer for the program and encourages Lily to pursue her interest in math, science, and engineering. This part of history is interesting for readers to compare to Katherine Johnson and her pioneering work she did for NASA.

This story is an important one for people to read who may not be familiar with the experiences of Chinese Americans. It's also a history of how the LGBTQ+ community has had to seek out safe spaces to be themselves. It surprised me that in the ever-inclusive city of San Francisco, there was once a time that it was illegal for homosexuals to even congregate in public. The end of the novel is full of more information that Lo explains served as her basis for all of the storylines in the book. Readers who are interested have a number of resources to use to continue learning about more people who lived during this time and left their mark on the country.

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Black Boy Joy: a middle grades anthology

Black Boy Joy is a middle grades short story collection edited by Kwambe Mbalia and is full of stories written by contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors who know their audience and subject matter. The stories range from realistic fiction tales about fashion, friendship, crushes, deciding how to continue one's journey on finding their identity, music, customs and more. Surprisingly, there are also science fiction and fantasy stories about gaming in other dimensions, mysterious realms of happiness, and challenges that require zero gravity and quick-witted problem solving. My favorite parts of these stories are the strong community and family units that support the boys in all of the settings. They are self-assured, confident people who are going through life's challenges either in real life or in a fantasy world, but overall, the themes they embody are universal.

I am going to get this book for my school library and will share it with students, families, teachers, and community members. Readers will enjoy the variety of stories and formats. There is even a story told through comics by the award winning author and illustrator, Jerry Craft. This is a recommended title along the same vein of Ancestor Approved and Flying Lessons. I hope that readers will appreciate short story collections and add them to their reading lives!

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Dear Sweet Pea: a middle grades coming-of-age story for Judy Blume fans

Dear Sweet Pea, a middle grades chapter book by #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Julie Murphy, is the perfect book to get into the mind of an insecure, doubtful adolescent, Patricia "Sweet Pea", who has opportunities to make amends. This realistic fiction story shines in its empathetic characters who are enduring the messy dynamics of friendships and cliques of middle school.

7th grader, Sweet Pea, doesn't know what to expect when her father comes out to her and her mother. She's not too surprised when they decide to get a divorce but what surprises her and the rest of the town is that her father rented the house that is the same floor plan as hers, only two doors away on the same block. The only house between her mom and dad's house belongs to the peculiar neighbor, Miss Flora Mae, who happens to write an advice column in the local newspaper. Thankfully, Sweet Pea can count on her BFF, Oscar, to help her get through the awkwardness of the new set-up and since she certainly cannot count on her ex-BFF, Keira, who hasn't acknowledged her since elementary school, Oscar is all she has.

When Miss Flora Mae asks Sweet Pea to secretly send her the letters the townsfolk write for her column while she is away on a trip, Sweet Pea notices a letter that is written in Keira's handwriting. Is this Sweet Pea's chance to get back at Keira by giving her advice on behalf of Miss Flora Mae? Who would know? Could this be her chance to rekindle their friendship? This is when Sweet Pea's choices begin to spiral in the wrong direction.

This story is ripe for discussion with readers:

Should Sweet Pea tell her parents about Miss Mae's request? Look at examples of advice columns in newspapers and magazines, what kinds of help do people need? Why do people seek out advice from a stranger?
What is the most awkward party you've attended?
If you could research any person, who would you pick?
Why is Aretha Franklin such a role model? Why did Murphy start the novel out with a quote by Franklin, "Sometimes, what you're looking for is already there." Listen to songs by Aretha Franklin and find other lines that stand out to you.
Body image is a big part of the story, in both the male and female perspective. Oscar and Sweet Pea don't fit into the image of bodies portrayed as beautiful in the media and culture in the U.S. Do you feel pressure to look a certain way?
What topic in the story do you want to learn more about: friendship dynamics, having a gay parent, divorce, having a crush, what it means to be a good friend.

Although this is told from Sweet Pea's perspective it would be neat to learn more about the other characters in the story, like her quirky neighbor, Miss Flora Mae, her BFF Oscar, her ex-BFF Keira, and even her parents. Her teacher, Mrs. Young tells her:

"You know, the best part about mistakes is there's nowhere to go but up. You can either learn from them or if you're really lucky, you might even be able to fix them."

This is a universal theme that even adults can consider and discuss with readers.

Friday, July 16, 2021

PET: a sci-fi view at society's monsters

PET an award-winning, sci-fi, young adult book by Nigerian writer, Akwaeke Emezi is a 200-page story that makes the reader think deeply about today's villains who lurk in the shadows and those operating in plain sight.

Jam is a selective mute, trans girl who lives in the utopian society of Lucille with her artist mother and father. When her mom paints a ferocious mash-up of creatures and it comes to life, Jam doesn't believe her eyes. The creature, PET, tells her it's there to hunt a monster but Jam thought all of the monsters were eliminated in her town. The creature won't budge with its intention to fulfill its purpose. Only then does Jam agree to help in order to get to the truth.

The story grabbed my attention from the first chapter. It would be a good read aloud for students to listen to and discuss what they think is going to happen in the book. I loved how Jam relied on the library and the librarian to get her access to the past through its collection to truly learn what happened before she was born and the angels took over. It stresses the importance of studying history and looking for signs of it possibly repeating again. Jam thinks,

"So, yes, people forget. But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back."

Another part of this story that stands out is the way Jam's identity and relationships with her family and best friend are depicted. Her transition to changing her gender is explained in the first chapter and but it's not the plot of the book at all. Her family and best friend treat her with respect and value her identity, as does the rest of the community. She is a strong, curious, brave person who faces a moral dilemma and the creature, PET, may or may not help her through it. The whole time I was second-guessing who would be the monster and how it would unfold. The ending completely satisfied my deep appreciation for the journey Emezi took me on and I look forward to reading more stories by them.

Here is an interview Emezi did with author, Christopher Myers, on their novel PET:

Monday, June 21, 2021

Perfectly Parvin: a PersianVoices rom-com

Perfectly Parvin a debut young adult chapter book by Olivia Abtahi is a romantic comedy and coming of age story about a Persian-American 14 year old named Parvin and her first few months of high school. It is a good book to understand the dual identity many people face in their lives and the issues that go along with that. Parvin's half-Persian but she looks like she is 100% Persian. Her American mom cannot give her any advice about grooming, colors to suit her complexion or help her with her Farsi schoolwork. Parvin relies on her aunt who lives in Iran for guidance and she is hoping to get a visa to come and visit soon. Being an adolescent and going through puberty as your friends of other nationalities and cultures go through their own struggles is what shines in this story.

Parvin's love life seems to be off to a good start when she ends the summer with her crush, Wesley, who asked her to be his girlfriend. Once the school year starts, though, Wesley breaks up with her claiming she is too loud for him. Parvin is convinced that if she can get a cute sophomore, Matty, to ask her to Homecoming then that will prove to Wesley that she can be the docile, quiet and mousey girl that he seems to really want her to be. But is that who Parvin truly wants to be?

Her friends, Fabian and Ruth, want her to avoid the plan and just be herself. While she gets closer to her goal, Parvin attends Farsi school and gets tutored by Amir, a 100% Persian classmate. She is herself around him and he develops feelings for her. What should she do? This is when her aunt can help her but when she is detained by ICE at the airport that puts Parvin's family into emotional stress.

This is a well-written, realistic book about the cost of fitting in, finding your identity and being a good friend to those around you who want the best for you. I enjoyed Parvin's journey and especially appreciated the cultural information about her friends' backgrounds, too.

Listen to Abtahi talk about her book HERE on Vimeo. She also on a panel on body positivity on Vimeo, too.

Sunday, June 20, 2021

A Father's Day Booklist

Stories about fathers abound in our library. Readers think about the characteristics of the characters and the relationships they build with those around them. These are books that our students have come back to read and discuss over and over again. If you have other titles you recommend, please add them in the comments!

Picture Books:

In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall, a collection of poems by outstanding Black writers and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe.

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and gorgeously illustrated by Vashti Harrison is about a young girl and her father helping her style her hair into a beautiful, natural style that is all her.

My Papa is a Princess by Doug Cenko is a story of snapshots from the point of view of a young daughter who shares the activities her father does with her.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr is the story of a father and daughter who venture out deep into the night to find the beauty in looking for owls.

Elena's Serenade by Campbell Geeslin and illustrated superbly by Ana Juan is about Elena, a girl in Mexico who wants to become a glassblower. With the help and support of her father, she reaches her goal.

A Different Pond by Bao Phi and illustrated so beautifully by Thi Bui is about a boy whose father tells him about his life before he immigrated to Minneapolis from Vietnam.

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle is a story about how the male seahorses carry the eggs in their belly after they are laid by the mothers.

Dad and the Dinosaur by Ginnifer Choldenko and illustrated marvelously by Dan Santat is about a boy whose toy dinosaur goes missing and how his father helps him find it again.

Pete's a Pizza by William Steig is about a time when a boy couldn't go out to play with his friends because of the weather so his father plays a game with him to cheer him up--by turning him into a pizza!

One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads by Johnny Valentine and illustrated by Melody Sarecky is about the different ways that families form and function, but in the end, love is what is the same.

Chapter Books:

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead, about Bea, a ten year old girl, whose parents divorced because her father is gay and is planning to marry again.

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary, about 7 year old Ramona whose father just lost his job and she must deal with how their lives will change as a result of that.

Squirm by Carl Hiaasen is about Billy, a tween whose father left him and his mother when he was 3. Now Billy discovers his address in Montana so he sets off from Florida to find him and get some answers. Along the way there are adventures, new family and the possibility to build a relationship with his dad.

Before the Ever After a novel in verse by Jacqueline Woodson is from the point of view of ZJ, a son whose father plays for the NFL but he is acting strange. Doctors do not know about the lasting effects of concussions and brain injuries for football players at this point, so putting the pieces together and learning to live with a new personality is the heart of this story.

The Crossover, a novel in verse by Kwame Alexander is about a pair of 14 year old twin basketball stars, Josh and Jordan, and their lives as their father's health goes downward.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks, 12 year old Zoe, who is a budding baker, receives a letter from her biological father whom she has never met while he is serving time in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction story about a half-Chinese girl named Hanna whose father and their journey to the Dakota Territory in the 1880s to begin a new life after her mother passes away in California.

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