Review: Little & Lion

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for diversity, this book has it! The main character is a black Jewish girl from a blended, interracial family who is trying to figure out her sexuality while at the same time worrying about her stepbrother who has been dignosed with bipolar disorder. One of her love interests is a male friend who is biracial (black and Korean), another is a girl who identifies as pansexual, and her best friend is a lesbian.

Suzette is home from boarding school where her parents had sent her when her brother began developing symptoms of mental illness, in part so they could focus on him, and partly to shelter her. But she feels a sense of responsibility for Lionel, and her love for her brother causes her to make a very bad decision that puts his safety in jeopardy out of a misguided sense of loyalty. At the same time, she is trying to figure out her sexuality after having an affair with her female roommate at school that had a very messy ending, but also finding herself strongly attracted to a male friend.

Some have described this book as being too messy and having too many issues going on, and I have often felt that way about other books in the past. But I realized as I was reading it, life for many of us IS really that messy, and my family is a good example. We'd like life to be more simple and only have to deal with one complication or crisis at a time, but it isn't always that easy, which is something I have learned in the last year or two. Life is messy, difficult, and complicated.

I think the character development could have been a little bit deeper, but I did like the relationships within Suzette's family, how close she was to her stepfather and stepbrother. I found Rafaela, the girl Suzette and Lionel are both attracted to, to be less than honest or worthy of either of them. At times she was manipulative and seemed to enjoy being the center of attention and having siblings both interested in her, then she claimed an ex was stalking her, when it seemed she was really stringing him along because she like the attention and drama, and enjoyed having him and Lionel fighting over her. I was really suprised no one called her out on that crap and told her to get lost.

I cannot attest to the validity of the representation of bisexuality or bipolar disorder, so I will leave that to other reviewers.

This book won the 2018 Stonewall Award.

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

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't even know where to begin with reviewing this book.....it is powerful, well-written, well-researched, and will really make you question your own biases and views on education, hate crimes, and juvenile criminal justice. It is at times horrific and bleak, but in some ways hopeful, and reveals people showing amazing capacities for empathy and forgiveness. It is also terrifying.

This is the true story of a horrible crime that happened in Oakland in 2013, when one teenager lit the skirt of another teenager on fire as they slept while both were riding a transit bus home, resulting in horrific burns. Because the victim was perceived as a male (though self-identifies as agender) wearing a skirt, it was immediately assumed and reported to be a hate crime. But was it really? Did the 16-year old boy who committed the crime really deserve to be tried as an adult? Was he a hardened, homophobic criminal with no conscience and beyond saving? Or just an impulsive teenager, susceptible to peer pressure with poor judgment who did a very, very stupid, dangerous thing without conceiving of how disastrous the results would be?

I say it is terrifying because I am the parent of a very impulsive teenage boy, who has already gotten into trouble several times because of the lack of impulse control, inability to foresee consequences, and desire to show off for his friends. I live in constant fear that his immaturity and impulsivity will some day lead to him doing something similarly stupid, dangerous, and harmful that will end up with someone else hurt and him in jail before he (hopefully) matures and grows out of this behavior.

A must-read for all teens and parents of teens, but brings up issues all of society should think about.

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Review: Felix Yz

Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure what to make of this book; it had an interesting premise that was cluttered by too many distracting, unrelated details.

I was intrigued by the main story of 13-year old Felix being fused with Zyx, a being from the 4th dimension, ever since a horrible lab accident when he was 3 that also killed his father. I liked seeing Felix's relationships with his family and with Zyx, and empathized with dealing with a bully, first crush, and his increasing anxiety over the impending Procedure to attempt to separate him and Zyx. However, I felt like there was just too much extraneous stuff going on that took away from the story.

Not only does Felix have an alien inside his head and have a crush on another boy, but his mom is bisexual, his grandparent is gender-fluid (or perhaps non-binary?), and is befriended by a transgender boy. I have no issue with LGTBQ themes when they are done well and feel like a natural part of the characters and story, but there was just too much going on here. Rather than focusing on Felix's same-sex crush and continuing uncertainty of the relationship, it seems the author felt compelled to include as many LGTBQ representations as possible. I personally found it distracting, annoying, and smacked of tokenism to me. Then there was the whole side bit about playing chess that really added nothing to the story other than to introduce a new love interest and romantic conflict for Felix's mother, and the completely irrelevant "family secret" which were just more distractions.

I really wish the author had just focused on the the main story and developed the relationships between Felix and Zyx and between Felix and Hector further, rather than wasting time going off on all these tangents. It was just way too much crammed into a short middle-grade novel. I'd give the main story a 3.5, but all the distractions drag the book down to a 2.5 for me, and if I had a kid looking for a sci-fi book with LGTBQ characters I would try to find a better one before suggesting this one.

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Review: The Pants Project

The Pants Project by Cat Clarke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Olivia, who prefers to be called "Liv", is starting a new school that is known as the best in the district. However, it also has the most restrictive dress code in the district, one that requires girls to wear skirts. Liv likes the school, but hates the dress code. Liv hates wearing skirts and tights, and not only feels uncomfortable personally, but finds the whole thing impractical and sexist. But Liv is not a simply a girl who doesn't like skirts; inside Liv feels that he is really a boy. Can Liv convince the school to change the dress code, and find the courage to tell his family who he really is?

This book has a lot going on, and takes on many different, though related, issues: sexist dress codes, same sex parents, tween angst as friendships change, keeping secrets, bullying as Liv is bullied for both having two moms and for being different, and being transgender. I personally find it a little off-putting when an author tries to incorporate every topical issue into one story, but they all come together fairly well in this one.

I enjoyed the Liv's character, and how most of the time Liv was fairly mature and level-headed, using humor to deal with things, but prone to outbursts of rage when things were just too much. While I loved the character of Jacob and the friendship that developed between him and Liv, I also found him a little too good to be true. Readers will be pulling for Liv in the fight against the dress code, and love the humorous-but-effective way Liv and his friends protest it.

This book is very age appropriate, and while some might feel it is overly simplistic, I think that's appropriate for the intended audience. I also like that the tone is very matter-of-fact and it is not "dark and twisty" as YA books tend to be. I think this could good book both for tween kids who may be transgender, as well as for those who are not, to help them develop empathy and understanding. This book would certainly appeal to those fighting against school dress codes, which has been a big issue in my school district, as well as many others. I cannot speak to the authenticity of the portrayal of a trans child, and will leave that to those who can.

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Review: Unbecoming

Unbecoming by Jenny Downham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I highly recommend this book, which tells the stories of three generations of women in the same family, each with their own secrets. I think this book could appeal to many people because of the cross-generational content, and each character facing different challenges, making it highly relateable. Mary is struggling to hold on to her memories of her colorful past, and sacrifices that she made that her daughter never understood. Caroline struggles with caring for an elderly parent she barely knows and has always resented, as well as being a single mom to two teenagers, one with special needs (that are never really quite spelled out). Katie is the peacemaker, trying to mediate between her mother and grandmother while dealing with her confusion about her sexuality and fear of telling her mother.

This is a well-paced, but thoughtful story with multiple story- and time-lines that are very well integrated in a way that is easy to follow and enjoyable to read, not succumbing to the confusion that sometimes arises when this is attempted. I would recommend this for ages 15 and up; it is an excellent example of a successful YA-Adult crossover, and would be good for a mother-daughter book club. It would also be a good book to ease someone into LGTBQ themes, as this is only one part of the overall story.

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Glad That's Over!

So as you may or may not know, I started an MLIS program last fall, focusing on public libraries and youth services. This May I took a crazy, intense 3-week class in Multicultural Youth Literature. Let me tell you, I don't recommend it! Taking a regular class crammed into 3-weeks that is; the pace and workload were grueling, and I don't think I got as much out of it as if it had been a full semester class. However, I highly recommend a course in Multicultural Literature for all librarians, but especially youth services. 

In just 3 weeks, we had to write 16 critical book reviews, participate in 5 online discussions, write two 2-page papers, and a big bibliography project. Fortunately, the professor gave us the reading list in advance, so I was able to obtain and read all the books before class started (luckily, I read very fast). But, I did learn a lot about selecting diverse literature. I've had a few people ask for the reading list out of curiousity, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it here, with a very brief mini-review of each, starting with picture books. 

Each of these books is written by a cultural "insider", and most (if not all) have received literary awards that consider quality and authenticity. I've put an asterisk on the ones I particularly liked (there were only two I really didn't like).

Picture Books

*Let's Talk About Race (2005), by Julius Lester, illustrated by Karen Barbour. 

Julius Lester explains the concept of race and racism in simple, age appropriate terms, without emotion or blame. He explains that we each have our own story, and that race is one part of that story. He goes on to say that some people try to say that their race is better than others, but that story is not true, and that under our skin we are all the same.

I think this is an excellent book for introducing the topic of race and racism with children.

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Chocktaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom (2006), by Tim Tingle, illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges.

Tim Tingle, a recognized Choctaw storyteller and author, tells an Old Choctaw tale about a friendship that developed between a slave family and a Choctaw tribe, and how the Choctaw helped them escape to freedom across the Bok Chitto River.

An interesing legend, and shows how people of different races help each other.

Just A Minute: A Trickster's Tale and Counting Book (2003), by Yuyi Morales.

Senior Calavera (similar to the Grim Reaper) has arrived to escort Grandma Beetle "home", but she is not quite ready to go, and keeps asking him for "just a minute" to finish up another chore, culminating in her birthday party and Senior Calavera deciding to leave her with her granchildren.

Authentic illustrations, and counting from 1 to 10 in both Spanish and English.

Lailah's Lunchbox (2015), by Reem Faruqi, illustrated by Lea Lyon.

Lailah has just moved from Abu Dhabi to Peachtree, Georgia, and is excited that she is going to be allowed to fast for Ramadan for the first time. But then she begins to worry about how to explain to her new teacher and classmates why she can't eat lunch, and takes refuge in the library, where the librarian helps her find the right words.

A great story for explaining what Ramadan is all about to children that is culturally authentic.

Heather Has Two Mommies (2015, first published in 1991), by Leslea Newmann, illustrated by Laura Cornell.

Heather has two arms, two legs, two eyes, two pets, and two mommies. On her first day of school she enjoys making new friends, playing at different centers, and snack time. During circle time the children talk about their parents and Heather realizes she is the only one with two mommies, and wonders if she is the only one without a daddy. But they all learn that every family is different, and special, and that all that matters is they love each other.


Middle Grade

Fred Korematsu Speaks Up (2017), by Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi, illustrated by Yutaka Houlette.

This book tells about Fred Korematsu, who was interred along with many other Japanese-Americans during WWII, and filed suit against the U.S. Though he initially lost, many years later the case was reopened after evidence was discovered showing the U.S. attorneys had lied, and ultimately the case was decided in favor of Korematsu.

An important subject, but I didn't care for this particular book. It is told in alternating formats, one in free verse, and the other a jumble of historic facts, events, pictures, and timelines. Informative, but hard to read because of the lack of continuity, and Fred was portrayed as more of a legendary hero, in a superficial, flat way rather than as a real person. I would look for better books on this subject before buying this one, but it's OK.

*Amina's Voice (2017), by Hena Kahn.

This tells the story of Amina, the child of Pakistani immigrants, who loves to sing but is too shy to perform, and is dealing with all the changes that middle school brings. Her best friend Soojin is thinking of changing her name to something more "American" and has suddenly started acting chummy with their former "enemy". She also has to adjust to her much more conservative uncle visiting from Pakistan, and their community mosque being vandalized.

This is a great story that shows the plurality of the Muslim religion, and how people from various religions and cultures can be friends and pull together to support each other as a community. I highly recommend!

*El Deafo (2014), by Cece Bell.

In graphic novel format, Cece Bell shares her childhood experience with losing her hearing due to meningitis, learning how to adapt, and being self-concious about her hearing aids. She later realizes that her hearing aids and microphone give her "super powers", such as being able to warn the class when the teacher is about to return, and "El Deafo" is born. Cece not only struggles with being able to hear, she also has trouble finidng her voice when one friend becomes pushy and domineering, and another is well-intentioned, but insensitive.

Brown Girl Dreaming (2014), by Jacqueline Woodson.

In this memoir written in free verse, Jacqueline Woodson describes her early childhood, when she was first uprooted from Columbus, Ohio and moved to Greenville, North Carolina, after her parents split up, and then again after her mother moved them to New York. She describes hard times, tragedy, and living with segregation in the South, but through it all were the bonds of a close-knit, loving family and her developing dream to be a writer.

Not for those who need more action and drama, but other dreamers who enjoy a more thoughtful book, and particularly other aspiring writers, would appreciate.


Teen/Young Adult

*Gabi: A Girl In Pieces (2014), by Isabel Quintero.

We see all the struggles Gabi and her friends and family go through during her senior year in the form of Gabi's diary. And Gabi has a lot to deal with: body image, a domineering mother who expects her to be a "good Latina girl", a meth-addicted father, a best friend that's pregnant, another that has just come out as gay, and trying to find romance. Gabi copes with it all with humor, food, and discovering her talent for poetry, which leads to some truly beautiful poems within the book.

I highly recommend this book; well-written, authentic, and all teens can find something to relate to.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (2014), by Meg Medina.

If it weren't bad enough that Piddy's mother suddenly decides to move to a different neighborhood without considering Piddy's feelings at all about changing schools in the middle of her junior year, Piddy is suddenly faced with finding out some girl she doesn't even know wants to kick her ass for no apparent reason.

This story focuses on the issue of bullying, but also has Spanish phrases and Latin culture sprinkled throughout. It is painful and frustrating to see how Piddy continues to suffer in silence, letting fear and pride get in the way of asking for help.

American Born Chinese (2007), by Gene Luen Yang.

This graphic novel uses three alternating stories that are interwoven in a very confusing timeline to tell the story of how an "ABC" boy struggles with his cultural identity, stereotyping, and facing the temtation to turn his back on his heritage for the sake of fitting in as an "All-American" teen.

Some people love this book, and I'm sure others could relate to the ridiculous stereotyping the protagonist faces as a child and struggling to fit in, but I wish it had just been told in a more straightforward, linear fashion. I found it very confusing and it took me reading a couple of other summaries and reviews, then re-reading before I could follow the story and what the message was.

*March: Book One (2013), by John Lewis & Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell.

This graphic novel is a great way to get reluctant readers to read about history, and pays homage to the comic book that was used to teach members of the civil rights movement about passive-resistance and non-violent protest. In this first of the trilogy, Congressman Lewis tells about his childhood and early calling to the ministry, and his involvement in the civil rights movement, leading up to the march on the Nashville mayor's office. The print is on the small side and harder for adults to read, but the pictures bring history to life.

*The Hate U Give (2017), by Angie Thomas.

This story descibes Starr, a teenager living in the inner city who struggles with a dual identity as she splits her life between her friends and family in the neighborhood, and her more wealthy, predominantly white, suburban friends at the private school she attends. She has already witnessed the death of a childhood friend in a drive-by shooting, then tragically witnesses the shooting death of another friend in a traffic-stop gone bad, which causes her to question everything, and throws her neighborhood into turmoil.

This book has gotten rave reviews and is very well-written with wonderful character development. I loved Starr's close-knit family, and how hard her father worked to overcome his days as a gang member and become a good father and fight for their community. It is a very engaging story to read, but I have to confess I was a bit uncomfortable with the strong anti-cop message I perceived. While perhaps slighly less enjoyable to read, I prefer the message in Kekla Magoon's How It Went Down, which shows a similar shooting from many different perspectives, illustrating how no one can ever know what really happened, because each witness sees and hears something different, and it's all filtered through their own personal experiences and bias. THUG readers should keep in mind they are only getting one side of the story, albeit a very sympathetic and compelling one.

*Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (2015), by Becky Albertalli.

While Simon happens to be a gay teenage boy who is a bit hesitant to "come out of the closet" for fear of rocking the boat, this story is about all relationships, those with family, friends, and romantic interests. The main character has a good relationship with his parents and siblings, and a strong circle of friends, all of whom he thinks would be okay with his being gay, yet he still hesitates to tell anyone. Until a classmate accidentally sees a e-mail exchange between Simon and his secret pen-pal, and uses it to blackmail him into interceding on his behalf with a romantic interest.

A very touching, funny, and sweet story. Not too sappy or "polyanna", but not too heavy and serious, either. I highly recommend this one, as well.


Young Adult/Adult

Anna and the Swallow Man (2016), by Gavriel Savit.

Set in German-occupied Poland during WWII and written in a very detached, formal literary style some describe as poetic, this tells the story of a young Polish girl who is left alone in the streets after her father is taken away by the Nazis. She is taken in by a strange man with a gift for languages, and together they wander around the countryside, trying to stay invisible in order to survive.

Some give this book rave reviews, and I did really like it at first, but I think it gets lost in the middle, and then rushes to a non-ending with way too many things unexplained and too many questions unanswered (and I feel the author failed to properly research certain facts). Some have referred to this as magical realism, but I did not see it that way at all.

I personally would not have included this book in the reading for a multicultural youth literature class. For one thing, it seems to be written more for adults than kids. It is most definitely NOT a middle grade novel, despite the age of the main character. I could see it being assigned in high school English classes, but I think very few teens would find it appealing. The other thing is that many people have assumed Anna was Jewish, but the book gives no indication of this (unless I missed it), identifying her only as Polish, and saying her father was taken because he was an intellectual, thus an enemy of the Nazi empire. Furthermore, she did not speak fluent Yiddish, nor did she know the Hebrew prayers. It takes place during the Holocaust, but is not really about the Holocaust. I'm just not sure it really represents an identifiable culture. I would not recommend this book if you are like me: tend to be more literal, hate loose ends and things that don't quite add up, and need an ending that is more than just a stopping point with no closure. But other people loved it.

Have you already read some of these? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard. September 6, 2016. Harper-Collins. 384 pages. Teen & up.

Summary 
Sixteen-year old Pen (short for Penelope) has always been different from other girls. She prefers to wear her brother's clothes, cuts her hair short, and is just one of the guys with her friends Colby and Tristan. But though she may prefer to look more like a boy, and is attracted to other girls, she doesn't want to be a boy. She knows who she is and how she wants to be, and doesn't think of herself as "lesbian" or "queer" and definitely not "transgender". She doesn't really understand why other people feel the need to question her about her sexuality or gender and try to label it.

Unfortunately for Pen, her parents are very "Old World" Portuguese, all about outward appearances, traditional gender roles, and showing respect for ones elders by always doing what you're told. They are embarrassed by Pen's appearance and behavior, and try to force her to bend to their will and become a princesa, a girly-girl who is obedient to her parents and will grow up to be a wife and have babies like she is "supposed" to. At the same time things are coming to a head with her parents, Pen's relationship with her friend Colby begins to disintegrate, as he also becomes more and more controlling, pushing the bonds of friendship and loyalty to the breaking point.

Pen's older brother Johnny is a constant source of support, and she begins to develop two new relationships that finally help her realize that to be the kind of person she wants to be, she is going to have to "man up" and push back against those who want to control her.

My Thoughts 
At first I wasn't really quite sure what this book was about, but from reading the jacket summary, Pen sounded like a badass, and that combined with the conflict with old world Portuguese values intrigued me. This is not a "coming out" story or a LGBTQ romance (thought there is an element of romance in it), but really about the conflict between what one person wants for herself verses what everyone else expects, or rather demands, of her. It's also about friendships, loyalty, and recognizing when relationships have become toxic and realizing it's time to distance yourself. I think many people could relate to these themes, regardless of sexuality or gender.

I thought this story was very well-written and relatively fast paced, with characters that are well-developed and believable. Pen is tough and gritty and flawed, but also cares about other people, and has her friends' backs. I loved the relationship between Pen and her brother Johnny; without his love, acceptance, support, and running interference with their parents, Pen probably would have had a much harder time accepting herself and being comfortable in her own skin, and the story might have ended very differently.

I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for good books with LGBTQ characters, those who like characters that are somewhat tough and gritty, yet sympathetic, and anyone who can relate to having to deal with reconciling the expectations others have for them and what they want for themselves. 

About The Author
This is M-E Girard's debut novel, though she has written a couple of short stories that have been published in magazines or included in anthologies. Ironically, in addition to writing, she works as a nurse, which is what Pen's mother kept pushing her to do.

Magnus Chase: The Hammer of Thor

The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2) by Rick Riordan. October 4, 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 480 pages. Ages 10-18.

Summary 
After preventing the release of Fenris Wolf and stopping the beginning of Ragnarok (great battle leading to the end of the world), Magnus Chase is back at Valhalla, concerned about the recent disappearance of his friends Blitzen and Hearthstone and the fact that Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, is still missing, while the giants are threatening to invade Asgard.

Magnus and his friends are joined by a new einherji, Alex, who turns out to be another child of Loki, and is gender fluid. At first Alex is angry about being an einherji and lashes out at the others, but soon becomes part of the group and develops a friendship with Magnus.

Magnus is upset to learn that as part of his latest scheme, Loki has promised Sam's hand in marriage to a giant named Thrym, despite the fact she is already happily betrothed to Amir. After discovering that Thrym possesses Mjolnir, the group decides Sam must pay the dowry and pretend to go through with the wedding in order to retrieve Thor's hammer.

Can Magnus retrieve Thor's hammer and put a stop to Loki's nefarius plan before Sam ends up married to a nasty giant, or worse??

My Thoughts 
I did not find this second installment of Riordan's Norse mythology-inspired series nearly as engaging as the first one, and had a hard time getting into it at first. Part of it was the beginning seemed a little thin, and just didn't draw the reader in as well as the first book, and I think part of it was that it had been so long since I read the first book, plus I had read several others based on Norse mythology in between, so I had trouble remember past events and characters, and confusing parts of the various storylines. I wish I had read a summary of The Sword of Summer first to refresh my memory.

This book is pretty fast-paced, with many of the same characters returning from the first, as well as a new gender-fluid character who I wasn't really sure what to make of at first, and wondered if the character was really going to be integral to the story, or window dressing. I did find I grew to like the character of Alex the relationships she/he (the character seems to prefer gender-specific pronouns) began to form with Magnus and Sam. Like the first book, this story has a great deal of humor, from the character of Magnus' dry wit, and from the way the gods are portrayed. This is definitely not your classic mythology!

I was a little surprised that Annabeth Chase did not have a role in this book as I had expected. We don't see more than a brief mention of her until the end of the book, but she does drop a line that hints we may see a certain other character from Riordan's first series in the next book, The Ship of the Dead, which will be released on October 5, 2017, concluding the series.

Other Works By This Author
This book was preceded by the August, 2016, release of a companion book for the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, titled Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds, which is written in the format of a guidebook commissioned by Helgi, manager of Valhalla, in order to help orient new arrivals and answer common questions.

Rick Riordan has written many books based on Greco-Roman mythology and Egyptian mythology, including the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, The Trials of Apollo, numerous companion books, graphic novel versions of some of his books, and short story crossovers of Percy Jackson and the Kanes.

37 Things I Love by Kekla Magoon

37 Things I Love (In No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon. October 15, 2013 (originally published May 22, 2012). Square Fish. 240 pages. Ages 13 & up.

Summary 
Ellis is approaching the end of her sophomore year, but unlike her classmates, her thoughts do not revolve around making fun summer plans. Instead, Ellis has spent the past two years dealing with her father being in a permanent vegetative state following a fall at a construction site, and now she is reeling at her mother's suggestion that it is time to remove life support and let him go.

Ellis finds herself unable to talk about what is going on with her two best friends, the pretty, popular, and self-absorbed Abby, and the sometimes too loyal Collin, who is besotted with Abby and lets her take advantage of him. Ellis is growing more and more disgusted by Abby's selfish, insensitive, and sometimes downright mean, behavior and with Collin for putting up with her abuse and letting her use him. As she begins to distance herself from Collin and Abby, she begins to renew her friendship with Cara, a childhood friend she and Abby had seemingly just drifted away from.

As Ellis' relationships with Abby, Collin, and Cara change and she struggles to accept her father's death, she turns to Cara for comfort more and more, and discovers the real reason their friendship was interrupted.  

My Thoughts
To be honest, I can't quite decide what I think of this coming of age story, or whether I liked it or not. In some ways, the writing and dialog are really good, but in other ways parts of the story just didn't seem to be integrated smoothly and there really wasn't any resolution to much of the conflict.

I found Abby to be a very unlikeable character, and I really would like to have seen Ellis and Collin finally get fed up with her crap and be done with her. I can't believe how much they put up with from her. Then adding in Cara turning out to be gay and Ellis suddenly becoming sexually confused, just seem to muddle things, especially since nothing was really resolved. The book just stopped.  Did Abby and Cara manage to remain civil so Ellis wouldn't have to choose between them? Or did Ellis and Collin finally tell Abby to take a hike? Are Ellis and Cara friends, or girlfriends? I like books to have more of an ending than that. I felt there was no real closure.

The other thing that annoyed me a bit, though certainly no fault of the book or it's author, is that I read it because I thought it was a recent book by the author of our community read this year, How It Went Down, which I enjoyed and found very powerful, because it was labeled as a "New" book. But as it turns out, it was only newly purchased, having actually been publish 4 years ago. 

I would recommend this book to teens interested in coming of age stories, particularly those interested in difficult and changing friendships, and interested in or open to LGBTQ storylines.

Other Books By This Author
Kekla Magoon is the author of several young adult novels, including the award-winning The Rock and the River and the above-mentioned How It Went Down, as well as non-fiction books on social issues and historical subjects that interest her.

Review of "Leroy" (Coming Out series #3)

Leroy (Coming Out series #3) by Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny. August 15, 2015. EPIC Press. 208 pages. Ages - Teen to Adult.

Summary
Seventeen-year old Leroy is a quiet, sensitive artist with a deep secret he is keeping from the kids at school, his girlfriend, and most of all, his domineering mother.  The only person that knows is his older brother Kendall, who is now in jail and seems to have been written off by their mother.  

One day his mother announces they are moving from Dallas to Taos, a small town in New Mexico.  Leroy is upset at leaving Kendall behind and fears that keeping his secret will be impossible in such a small town like Taos. Much to his surprise, he finds that despite being a small town, Taos in much more open and tolerant than he could have imagined, and he finds support and friendship from his employer and co-worker at the local coffee shop.  However, he still struggles with finding the courage to come out to his mother.

My Thoughts
At first, this book struck me as strange, with it's large print and spacing, it reminded me of a beginning chapter book, rather than a teen novel.  However, after I finished it and tried to find out more about the series, I found that the publisher specializes in "hi-lo" novels for teens, that is books with a high interest level that will appeal to all teens, but that are quick and easy to read with a lower reading level, so that they will be more appealing to reluctant readers as well.  I think this is definitely something that is needed and I would like to see more of, for teens as well as adult readers.

When I first started reading, I was really turned off by what seemed to me as the author portraying the main character with every gay stereotype out there.  As a child Leroy dressed up in his mother's shoes and make-up, danced to Beyonce, and wanted a doll to play with. He was very sensitive, artistic, cried about everything, and had girlish mannerisms, all which resulted in the other kids calling him a sissy.  It almost seemed like she was confusing gay with transgender at some points.  But, once I realized this was one of a 6-book series, each about a different teen struggling with LGBTQ issues, I recognized this was just one portrayal of a gay boy who happened to have some effeminate characteristics, and that the series as a whole provides a more balanced picture.

As I continued reading and Leroy's character became less stereotypical and more well-rounded, I really started to get into the story.  It is fairly fast-paced and follows his struggle with being gay and his fear of people, especially his mother, finding out and finally starting to be able to accept himself.  The story alternates viewpoints between Leroy and each of the people in his life, so the reader can understand a little more about all the other characters and what they are thinking and feeling.  

Leroy's mother is definitely the least sympathetic character in the book, and comes across as an intolerant woman who dislikes men in general, and whose first instinct is to cut people, even her own children, out of her life the moment they show any imperfection. Samantha, the coffee shop owner who served as a surrogate mother to Leroy, was my favorite character.  I also liked the secondary story of Leroy's brother Kendall, how even though he tried to have this tough-guy thug image, he was still very supportive of Leroy, and how he was working through his own issues and mistakes.

I would recommend this book (or others in the series) for teens who are struggling with or interested in LGBTQ issues, and especially those who are reluctant readers.  I would also recommend this for parents, other family members, or friends of LGBTQ teens in order to help them better understand the emotional struggle coming out can be for teens, and how frightening even the possibility of being rejected by their loved ones is.  I think books like this can provide valuable insight for everyone.  I would like to read some others of this series for comparison, but unfortunately this is the only one of the books my library currently has.

Other Books By This Author
Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny wrote all six books in the Coming Out Series, but is primarily known as a Spanish-language author.

More About The Publisher
EPIC Press is a brand-new company focusing on easy-to-read, high interest books for teens that they will want to read, released as complete 6-part series.  They have books in every genre, including action, drama, sci-fi, sports, and cover many teen topics. I find their approach interesting and I'm curious to see if they catch on.  I can see these books being a good addition to a school library or public library with a significant teen demographic, but they do seem rather pricey, at $19 each or $114 for the set of 6 when purchased straight from the publisher's website, retailing for $27 each or $155/set from Amazon.

Review of "The Summer I Wasn't Me" by Jessica Verdi

The Summer I Wasn't Me  by Jessica Verdi.  April 1, 2014.  Sourcebook Fire.  352 pages (paperback edition).  Teen & Adult.

Summary
During the summer before her senior year, seventeen year-old Lexi finds herself on the way to a conversion camp for gay teens.  Not because she truly feels bad about being gay or really wants to change, but because she fears what will become of her mother and their relationship if she doesn't.

Just when her mother seemed like she might finally be starting to recover from her deep depression following the death of Lexi's father six months earlier, she discovers Lexi's secret, and is devastated by it all over again.  Fearing that this may completely destroy her mother, or at least their relationship, Lexi agrees to go to the conversion camp suggested by their pastor in a misguided attempt to preserve what's left of her family.

At first Lexi wants to believe conversion is possible, and really makes an effort to do everything the camp's director, Mr. Martin, and the counselors tell them, even though she can't help but feel like some of it is ridiculous.  She bonds with her group members Matthew, Daniel, and Carolyn, who have each come to the camp for very different reasons.  As the summer progresses, Lexi continues to question whether real change is possible, while she continues to hope that it is, and eventually to question the ethics and motivation of the camp director himself.

My Thoughts
This is a fairly well-paced book about self-discovery, and learning that while you may be willing to go to great lengths to protect and please those you love, in the end you have to be true to yourself.  While I would expect this book to appeal to teens who are in the LGBTQ community, I think it would have a broader appeal as well, as many of us sometimes struggle with figuring out who we are and what we want, especially when that doesn't necessarily fit in with what is expected by our families and/or community.  It might also be of interest to those who are curious about these "conversion camps" are like, though the author doesn't really mention what kind of research she did to support her portrayal, and I think would be a good first book for someone who hasn't read any LGBTQ fiction before.

Overall, I thought it was a good story, though it did have some weak points I would have liked to have seen fleshed out a little more.  I did really like how the four characters each came from different backgrounds and had very different reasons for being at the camp and very different views of homosexuality in general, and their own sexuality specifically.  One thing that bothered me was that Lexi was portrayed as thinking of herself as Christian and attending church regularly, but there was no mention of how she reconciled that with being gay.  She is shown to be uncomfortable with some of the sermons and teachings, but not with being gay.  It just seems to me that someone who was religious would at least have some inner struggle with reconciling that with being gay at some point, and I think including that in her story would have made her seem more real.

I felt that Carolyn's character was not as believable or as well-developed as the others.  Her whole story and reason for being there just didn't really make sense, and it seems her character's only really purpose was to be hot and serve as Lexi's same-sex crush at camp to cause her to doubt the possibility of conversion.  I loved Matthew's character the most, and found him to be the most "real", and I was left still worrying if he was okay and wondering what happened to him after camp.  I felt the most sorry for Daniel, being tortured by his deep-seated religious beliefs and self-loathing, and I worried about him throughout the whole story.  I really wish there had at least been an epilogue that summarized what happened with each of the characters and their relationships with each other and their families after they left camp, or better yet, a longer story with a more complete ending.

Other Books By This Author
The Summer I Wasn't Me is Jessica Verdi's second book, with her most recent being What You Left Behind.  My Life After Now was her debut novel.