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Synopses & Reviews
From the award-winning author of George, a phenomenal novel about queerness past, present, and future.
Sam is very in touch with their own queer identity. They're nonbinary, and their best friend, TJ, is nonbinary as well. Sam's family is very cool with it... as long as Sam remembers that nonbinary kids are also required to clean their rooms, do their homework, and try not to antagonize their teachers too much.
The teacher-respect thing is hard when it comes to Sam's history class, because their teacher seems to believe that only Dead Straight Cis White Men are responsible for history. When Sam's home borough of Staten Island opens up a contest for a new statue, Sam finds the perfect non-DSCWM subject: photographer Alice Austen, whose house has been turned into a museum, and who lived with a female partner for decades.
Soon, Sam's project isn't just about winning the contest. It's about discovering a rich queer history that Sam's a part of — a queer history that no longer needs to be quiet, as long as there are kids like Sam and TJ to stand up for it.
Review
“This is a solid portrayal of LGBTQ+ youth taking their first steps into queer adulthood, and it's heartening to see Sam and TJ both teach and learn from a multi-generational queer family.” Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
“The solid representation in this novel offers a testament to the power of intergenerational queer community.”
Publishers Weekly
Review
“An essential story to kids of all identities, offering a timeless reminder to readers of all ages: like Alice Austen, LGBTQIA+ people lived — and continue to live — here and everywhere.” Booklist (Starred Review)
About the Author
Alex Gino loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. Their first novel, Melissa, was a winner of the Children's Stonewall Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Children's Choice Book Award. For more about Alex, please visit them at alexgino.com.