LGBT – Mom Read It

Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

The Key to Everything: But will it cure?

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Key to Everything, by Pat Schmatz, (May 2018, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9780763695668

Ages 9-12

Eleven-year-old Tash is angry. She doesn’t want to go to camp, but her Uncle Kevin needs to travel to Australia, and she and Cap’n Jackie, their friend and neighbor, clashed over the whole business. Tash ends up having a pretty good time at camp, after all, but returns home to find Cap’n Jackie gone: she’s had a fall and is in the hospital, and Tash’s world turns upside down overnight. She’s determined to return a special key to Cap’n Jackie; one that opens up a magical world to her, and that’ll make it all better. Cap’n Jackie even said so, so it has to be true, right?

The Key to Everything can be a bit hard to follow. We have Tash, seemingly abandoned by her mother and living her with uncle while her father is in jail. Kevin, who takes care of Tash, Cap’n Jackie, a loving and cantankerous older woman, and Nathan, Cap’n Jackie’s nephew, who lives in New York, but comes back when Cap’n Jackie is hurt. We don’t get a lot of exposition in this story, but we do learn that family is who you make it. Two major characters, Jackie and Nathan, are gay; something that’s very lightly touched on, but it’s nicely done. Tash suffers from PTSD and a fear of being alone, while Jackie struggled with agoraphobia. Readers have to put in a bit of work to make all the lines connect, but it’s a solid read about family, grief, moving on, and growing up.

Fantasy, Young Adult/New Adult

Reign of the Dead – YA fantasy with an LGBT twist

Posted on March 10, 2018March 9, 2018 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Reign of the Fallen, by Sarah Glenn Marsh, (Feb. 2018, Penguin), $17.99, ISBN: 9780448494395

Look Past: A Teen Hunts a Killer

Posted on October 4, 2016October 3, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Look Past, by Eric Devine, (Oct. 2016, Running Press), $16.95, ISBN: 978-0-7624-5921-6

Recommended for ages 15+

A teenage girl is brutally murdered and left to be found. Mary was the daughter of a prominent pastor and was in love with Avery, a transgender teen. Shattered by Mary’s death, Avery is hell-bent on finding her killer, but it turns out that Mary’s murder was a message to Avery: repent, or you’re next. As the messages become more repulsive and the killer begins contacting Avery, letting him know that his every move is being watched, Avery has big decisions to make. Does he betray himself by doing what the killer wants? And will that really keep him safe?

Look Past is an intense, brutal book. Mary’s murder is the catalyst, setting everything in motion, and is relived throughout the book. Religious fundamentalism and the violence hate can breed play a big part in Look Past, as does identity and the importance of being true to yourself. There are points in this book where it’s almost too much to take. Avery is a character I wanted to scream at and root for; at the same time, the intensity of Devine’s writing made me want to put the book down and take a break to just breathe – and I couldn’t I finished this book in two sittings, broken up only by the need to go to sleep so I could get to work the next day.

Look Past is a gritty novel about murder in which the main character is transgender. That’s TREMENDOUS. Avery’s a strong, queer character with a supportive family that’s not without their struggles, but ultimately loves their son and supports him. Avery’s best friend and girlfriend stand with him, even when it’s a hard choice; even when it could mean their lives on the line. It’s an unputdownable novel that thriller readers will love and LGBTQ readers will embrace.

This is the second Eric Devine novel I’ve read, the first being Press Play, which looked at hazing and violence in team sports. Eric Devine attacks issues of the day with gusto and doesn’t shy away from grim details or uncomfortable situations. He writes compulsively readable novels that teens and adults alike should read – take a break from your run-of-the mill thrillers and give Look Past a shot.

Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Draw the Line addresses hate crimes and homophobia with empowerment and comics

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Draw the Line, by Laurent Linn (May 2016, Margaret K. McElderry Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781481452809

Recommended for ages 14+

Adrian is a quiet high school junior that really tries to go through life unnoticed. He hangs out with his two best friends at school, Audrey and Trent, and they form their own little group of misfits, and he tries to avoid Doug, the local football hero/top cop’s son, and his sidekick, Buddy. At home, Adrian loses himself in movie and video game soundtrack music and creates his comic book character, Graphite, who ponders life from his lunar fortress of solitude and pines for someone to share life with. Graphite is Adrian’s secret – and, at first, so is the fact that he’s gay. That all changes when a hate crime is committed right in front of him. An openly gay classmate is attacked by the “bubbas”, as Adrian refers to them, and the town spin makes Adrian see red. He’s got to take a stand: someone has to draw the line.

This is such a powerful story that builds on so many levels: friendship, budding romance and the challenge of taking a romance public when you’re a gay teen in Texas, family problems at home, and self-esteem/image issues. Every character – much like every kid in real life – has a challenge they’re facing in their own lives in addition to the big-ticket challenge that frames the novel. Adrian is a smart, funny, complex main character who has a strong voice that drives the story. His friends and antagonists all have their own voices, and while you may root for some and hiss for others, they are real and act and react believably. The black and white comic book art enhances the story and illustrates that having your own voice can take a multitude of forms.

A powerful addition to YA and teen collections, and packed with diversity and events that are happening now: this book will spark discussions.

Draw the Line has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews.

Check out the book trailer/cover reveal for Draw the Line below:

Realistic Fiction, Teen

Mette Bach’s Femme is a strong, sensitive coming out story

Posted on June 25, 2015June 24, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Femme, by Mette Bach (2015, Lorimer), $9.95 CAD, ISBN: 9781459407671

Recommended for ages 14+

Sofie has it all – she’s popular, she’s pretty, and she’s dating the captain of her high school’s soccer team. Schoolwork? That’s really not the point of school, is it? Sofie finds herself paired with Clea for an English assignment and isn’t thrilled. Not only is Clea a hardcore straight-A workaholic student, she’s also – GASP – a lesbian.

Except, Clea’s actually pretty cool, and she spurs Sofie on to want to do better. The two become friends, and slowly, Sofie realizes that what she’s feeling for Clea is more than just friendship, and what she feels for Paul just… isn’t. A college road trip puts Sofie and Clea together, and Sofie discovers more about herself and the world around her. Now, how does she handle everything she’s learned?

This is a very sensitive coming out story. Sofie’s identifying as a lesbian – a “femme” – occurs gradually through the story, and we see the conflict present for all the characters: Sofie, Paul, her boyfriend, and ultimately, Clea, who has struggles of her own at home and with being the only out lesbian at school. Bach makes sure that this is no fairy tale rendering of an LGBTQ story – there is bullying and small-mindedness here, but with a spark of hope that makes readers believe that honesty and a strong sense of independence will carry the characters through. Multiple perspectives will help readers identify with different ideas and feelings toward the subject matter, and hopefully open a strong dialogue between teens, parents, and educators.

Femme is part of Lorimer’s new Side Streets realistic fiction line for Hi-Lo readers. The line takes on edgier material and examines timely topics through fiction. This one will be on my shelves this summer.

Non-Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Alice + Freda Forever looks at a shocking murder – in 1892

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Alice + Freda Forever, by Alexis Coe (Oct 2014, Zest Books) $16.99, ISBN: 9781936976607

Recommended for ages 15+

The late 1800s was a buttoned-down time in America. Girls were expected to marry, but were encouraged to cultivate intimate female friendships-a practice called “chumming”-with one another. Same sex love, though? Same sex marriage? Not even entertained as a concept.

Alice Mitchell and Freda Ward were two teenage girls whose feelings for one another went beyond “chumming”. They planned to run away and marry. Alice intended to live her public life as a man, working to support her Freda, and live happily ever after. When their plot was discovered and communication forbidden between the two, Freda obeyed her mother, moving on with her life. Alice snapped.

On a cold January day in 1892, Alice slashed Freda’s throat, in public, in front of horrified onlookers. What followed was a trial that became the event of the century, that forced both legal teams to examine the supposed insanity of same-sex love.

While same-sex love became a hotly debated topic, the country was still years away from another issue that emerged during this trial – racial equality. It was never in doubt that Alice murdered Freda, but being a young, white girl from a good family. the punishment was an issue. How could you send a young woman like that to hang? Meanwhile, three black grocers, in the same jail as Alice, were dragged out and hanged by a lynch mob for defending their store from a robbery by whites.

I’d seen something about Alice and Freda a couple of years ago on a History Channel show – the name long escapes me – so when I saw this book mentioned in School Library Journal, I HAD to read it. This book is fantastic – Alexis Coe is an archivist who spent the time to collect this story in primary sources – letters, newspaper clippings, court proceedings – and her work shows. It’s nonfiction that reads like fiction, with companion drawings of evidence.

This is an amazing book for teen readers and beyond. Its historical relevance is not to be ignored, and while readers can appreciate where we’ve come as a society, they can also see where, sadly, we’ve become stuck.

All in all, Alice + Freda Forever is an unputdownable read.

Adventure, Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

The Fifth Vertex – a young warrior discovers his true power

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Fifth Vertex, by Kevin Hoffman (Aug. 2014) $11.99, ISBN: 978-0990647911

Recommended for ages 14+

Urus is a boy born into a warrior society, but he’s failed his warrior tests and is about to branded as a public burden – until all hell breaks loose. At the same time, an orphaned girl named Cailix, who has been living as a servant among a society of monks, finds herself on the run after a strange group of men slaughters her caretakers. What follows is a hero’s journey that will reveal to both Urus and Cailix who they really are: Urus comes from a line of Sigilords, who wield the power to create using ancient symbols, and Cailix discovers more about her origins than she could have ever imagined.

This is new fantasy series, self-published by the author, that really takes the classic hero’s quest and runs with it. Urus, who is deaf, must learn to rise above his low self-esteem and take control of the gifts he possesses – gifts only recently revealed to him. Cailix discovers her own gifts possess devastating power – but if used for good, can she turn things around? The two must figure these questions out while under the gun to save their world from a group of sorcerers determined to destroy five hidden vertices that protect their world.

This was a good read and a good start to a new fantasy adventure series for teens. There is a lot of slaughter and blood here – Urus’ society is a warrior society, and they’re fighting a band of sorcerers who use blood magic, so expect a bloodbath. If that’s not your thing, then this is not your series. I have no issue with it, and I thought the way Mr. Hoffman worked Urus’ deafness into the story, interweaving his with his signing ability as a sigilord, was really well done. We’ve got some multiculturalism in the character descriptions, a strong female lead, and a few different hidden origins and conspiracies, all laying the groundwork for subsequent books. It’s a good start for fantasy fans who want something new to read.

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Book Review: Drama, by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix, 2012)

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 10-14

Drama geeks have their day in Raina Telgemeier’s Drama, a winner of the 2013 Stonewall Book Award from the American Library Association. Seventh-grader Callie loves the theatre, even if she can’t hold a tune with a bucket. She’s active on the crew with her school’s theatre group and is set designer for their upcoming production of Moon Over Mississippi. But, as with most tweens, there’s drama in Callie’s personal life in addition to the drama unfolding in the production as she crushes on Greg, who doesn’t seem to be able to give up his on-again, off-again girlfriend Bonnie. She becomes fast friends with new-to-the-school twin brothers Justin and Jesse, both of whom get involved in the production, and she finds herself falling for one of the twins… but he’s sending mixed messages. Can Callie use her shoestring budget to pull together a great set, and figure out her crush drama at the same time?

Raina Telgemeier won an Eisner Award for her previous graphic novel, Smile – another tween drama – and she knows tweens. She can tap into the not-so-in-crowd with ease, telling a great story about the kids you may not see at the cool table, but who aren’t at the angsty goth table, either. Their drama is self-contained, part of growing up, but these seem to be overall happy kids, most of whom have a decent idea of who they are or are on their way to figuring it out. She includes positive, honest-feeling portrayals of LGBT characters. The cartoon art allows the reader to relax into the story and just melt into the setting. I enjoyed spending time with Raina’s characters, and look forward to meeting some more when I pick up Smile.

Ms. Telgemeier’s website offers free webcomics and media, her blog, author appearance information, and a store.

Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

Book Review: The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang, by Amy Ignatow (Amulet Books, 2010)

Posted on August 29, 2011October 30, 2011 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 9-13

I finished this book in a day. It’s that good. I also giggled out loud while reading this on the subway – it’s that funny.

The Popularity Papers is the project (“Learn/Improve”) undertaken by fifth graders Lydia and Julie, who want to be popular by the time they reach middle school. Deciding to observe the most popular girls in the school to figure out what makes them popular, imitate them and perhaps even infiltrate the group, Lydia and Julie record their notes, observations, conversations with family and friends, and drawings to tell the story of their social climb. On the way up, they learn that being popular isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, that being popular means different thing to different people – including who you like and who you’re not supposed to like – and Lydia discovers what can happen when the quest for popularity goes to your head.

The characters aren’t your staid, Gossip Girl-type mean girls: One popular girl plays field hockey and knits; Lydia lives with her divorced mom and sister, who made the transition from pretty, tan girl to dark-haired, pale goth; and Julie lives with her two dads, Daddy and Papa Dad. It’s a book that addresses different people and different family structures but it’s not cliche and it doesn’t come across as being portrayed for the sake of being edgy or different. It’s an honest storytelling.

The girls’ notes to one another are as hilarious as the situations they find themselves in, and Lydia’s journaling when she finds herself in sole possession of the notebook after she and Julie stop speaking is heartfelt and real. Readers will easily be able to see themselves and their friends in these characters and can hopefully laugh at themselves a little more easily.

Amy Ignatow’s Amulet web page offers an author blog and links to author appearances, press and a gallery of some more images from the book. It looks like another Popularity Papers book has come out – I need to get myself a copy.