YA is Too Late: Gay Characters in Middle Grade Fiction

I can’t remember when I learned what the word gay meant. I remember people snickering when Maria sings “I feel pretty and witty and gay!” in West Side Story and not getting the joke. I remember how “that’s so gay” was used as an insult in middle school and I repeated it, not fully understanding what it meant. Will & Grace came on the air just as I entered high school. That is likely when I started to understand what gay meant, though it was packaged in a bright, shiny, made-for-prime-time TV package.

There have been many TV shows, movies, and books since the explosion of Will & Grace that address LGBT issues and feature well-rounded characters instead of just stock characters. YA fiction in particular has been very good at addressing the need for more LGBT content. More Than Just Magic is doing a month long YA Pride series, so be sure to drop by and check out her recommendations (including my book Days That End in Y). Teenagers are famously preoccupied with love and relationships, so it’s only natural that questions of sexual identity and preference are explored in YA fiction. But the middle grade years (ages 9-12) are when kids are the most in need of answers, empathy, and someone to relate to. YA is too late. You need to reach children in their middle grade years, when it really counts.

So I wrote for them.

I knew many boys like Benji growing up. I babysat them, drove them to camp, sang in choir with them, sat next to them in school. Only they were not openly gay then. Some of them were too young to identify. They may have felt different, but couldn’t put their finger on why. They may have understood that it wasn’t safe for them to come out, and so they waited until they were much older and long gone from their hometowns to do so. Do these boys see themselves in fiction? I certainly had a hard time tracking them down.

It was always my intention to address Benji’s sexuality but it needed to be at the right time. I am thankful to Scholastic Canada for giving me three books to develop his character and bring him to a place where he can admit such a deeply personal and scary thing to his best friend. I hope that my readers who have grown to love Benji can accept him as well, and in turn, accept those in their lives who need all the love and support they can get.

I hope that when children read my series about Benji and Clarissa they learn something about empathy and bravery. I hope kids who are struggling with their own sexuality are inspired by Benji’s bravery and comforted by Clarissa’s acceptance. I hope it prepares kids to be open and compassionate when their own friends come out to them.

We still have a long way to go. Books featuring gay characters are among the most consistently banned or censored books in America. I recommend the following middle grade novels featuring positive gay characters or children questioning their sexuality. Please feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments:

Stitches by Glen Huser

Drama by Raina Telgemaier

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles

Marco Impossible by Hannah Moscowitz

Pride is about love and acceptance- so go forth and spread the love!

Blast From the Past!

Last week was a wonderful blur, starting with the Toronto launch of Summer Days, Starry Nights. I was so touched to see so many friends and readers come out on the rainiest day of the year to celebrate with me. It was exactly what I wanted and you’ve made me all a very happy lady. Dani at Bookish Notions did a fabulous recap here.

I also went home to Woodstock to do a signing at Merrifield Bookshop. It was wonderful to see so many friends, former teachers, young fans, aspiring writers, and perhaps most touching, the former children’s librarian of the Woodstock Public Library, Judy Down.

Judy is a warm and wonderful person who resided over the children’s department, which during my time lived in a completely separate building from the rest of the library. You had to walk across a catwalk to get to the adult library, which always seemed so hushed and serious. Judy and her staff created an inviting hub of books and crafts, perfect for children. There have been many wonderful children’s librarians in Woodstock since Judy retired 17 years ago, but she was my introduction to the library and all the wonderful things that it offered. She even kept my card behind the desk so I wouldn’t lose it! 

For those who were unable to make it out to either event. there are signed copies at Mabel’s Fables in Toronto, Merrifield Bookshop in Woodstock, and in both Chapters Burlington and Indigo Burlington. This Saturday I’ll be in Erin Mills! Come say hi at 1pm!

Stay tuned for more event info and some pretty awesome reviews!

Hello Summer, you’re lookin’ fine!

Surely Great: P.S. Be Eleven Review

When I first heard there was to be a sequel to the wonderful One Crazy Summer, I squealed, just like Vonetta is wont to do. It is one of the most highly decorated middle grade titles of the last ten years and deservedly so. To see why I loved this book so much, click here.

P.S. Be Eleven begins on the plane, when Delphine, Fern and Vonetta are returning home to New York after spending ‘one crazy summer’ with their free-spirited activist mother. But one can never come home again, as Delphine discovers that things have changed in her absence over the summer. Delphine is surprised to find that her beloved father has a girlfriend and can’t make heads or tails of her uncle’s strange behaviour.

This book is as close to bottled adolescence as you can get. Delphine’s instant love for The Jackson Five and her unmitigated glee when they come on the radio is so charming and realistic I can barely stand it. I want to reach through the pages and squeeze her cheeks. Just as authentic is her distrust of Miss Marva Hendrix, her father’s love interest, and her deep love but disappointment in her loved Uncle Darnell who is back from Vietnam and not the man he was before.

The classroom scenes are my favourite. They are vividly and hilariously rendered. Group dynamics, especially among children, can be extremely hard to convey but RWC does this with ease. It helps that every single student and their teacher have such distinct personalities, even in the brief, shining glimpses we get of them.

While in no way a history lesson, Rita Williams-Garcia* is able to bring history to life through vivid, imperfect but lovable characters who readers can relate to, despite having little (or no) historical context. Fiction is a great means to learn history. Case in point, I have read exactly one work of nonfiction on WWII but have read innumerable fictional novels set in the era. Williams-Garcia touches on Vietnam, civil rights, racism, drugs, poverty and feminism without ever straying from Delphine’s hilarious and unforgettable voice.

P.S. Be Eleven can be read as a standalone, but do yourself a favour and read One Crazy Summer first. One can never have enough Delphine in her life. Fans of Susin Nielsen, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Gordon Korman and my books (ahem) will love reading about these unforgettable sisters.

P.S. Be Eleven is available in hard cover from HarperCollins.

*Rita Williams-Garcia is all kinds of awesome. Check out this great Q&A from the Indigo Kids Blog.

Love in a Dangerous Time: Eleanor & Park Review

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It’s been getting flawless reviews, but to be  honest I’ve just about had my fill of contemporary YA romances starring quirky, intelligent misfits. But what sold me on this book was the unique take on teenage obsession and the truly painful depiction of Eleanor’s home situation. 

Park doesn’t know how or when it happened exactly, but somehow he has fallen in love with the new girl, Eleanor. ‘Big Red,’ as she is referred to by most of the school, doesn’t seem to care about what she looks like or making friends with anyone. Eleanor is equally shocked at her intense affection for the beautiful half-Asian, comic-book reading boy on the bus. But despite their differences, their relationship escalates to surprising levels.

Eleanor is a non-traditional love interest. She wears old men’s clothes, is constantly described as big or fat, and in many cases is the more assertive half of the relationship. Park finds innumerable ways to describe Eleanor’s colouring, particularly her red hair, which I loved. Park is also an unlikely male romantic lead. Eleanor describes him as beautiful, almost feminine. I like how the author Rainbow Rowell subverts traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity.

The contrast between Eleanor and Park’s families was fascinating and will be eye-opening for teen readers. I loved the scenes with Park’s family. His parents are dopey in love, even after a number of years. His father, an army man, has some difficulty with Park’s experimentation with punk makeup, but he loves his son and is very supportive of Eleanor. His mother, a Korean immigrant who runs a beauty salon out of their garage, is slow to warm to Eleanor but when she does she embraces her warmly.

Eleanor’s family situation is full of silences, rushed private moments, and fear. She shares a cramped room with three younger siblings who seem to be warming to their monster of a step-dad out of preservation. I truly despised Eleanor’s mother, who has trapped her family in a dangerous family situation with volatile, drunken, violent Richie. In addition to her home situation, Eleanor suffers at the ends of a number of school bullies. I won’t go into the details here, only mention that it is girl on girl crime and makes the reader’s stomach turn.

The book escalates to a point where Eleanor must make a hard choice, and the last few chapters are addictive and adrenalin soaked and I found myself rushing through them, wishing for the best and the impossible. The last few words are open to interpretation, and the internet is a-buzz with speculation about just WHAT is on that postcard.

This is a rich, surprising, and satisfying novel of love, escape, and hope. Eleanor & Park is available now in hard cover.

The Recipe for a Perfect Summer Novel

We are now three weeks away from the launch of my new book, Summer Days, Starry Nights- an ode to summer, the 1960s, and friendship- three of my favourite things! I thought I’d answer some basic questions here to get people excited.

Q: Why the 1960s?

Carole King in 1962

A: I love the 1960s, particularly the music. For the first time, women were singing songs that other women could relate to. I read Girls Like Us, an amazing in-depth triple biography of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon and Girl Groups, Girl Culture, a great book about popular music in the 1960s, which helped flesh out what was going on with women, music, and social change during the time period.

Music and identity play big roles in Summer Days, Starry Nights. Both Gwen, mysterious wayward ballerina, and Reenie, dependable country girl and a classic middle child, are trying to figure out who they are and what their place in the world is. Gwen introduces Reenie to girl bands like The Shirelles, The Crystals, and The Chantels. It seemed natural to set a coming of age story at a time where the whole world was coming of age.

Q: Is the resort Sandy Shores based on a real place?

A: When I was young my family spent a number of summers at a resort near Orillia, Ontario called Lake Dalrymple Resort. I have fond memories of the resort, and the layout of Sandy Shores is based on the layout of this resort, more or less. Of course I changed things to suit the plot, which is one of my favourite elements of fiction writing.

Q: What inspired the book?

A: The name Reenie Starr came to me first. I started to think about who this Reenie Starr was, how she did or did not live up to her name. I gave her two siblings, Scarlett and Bo, and then I wondered who would name their children after movie stars and lo and behold their mother- a woman who prefers to be called Mimi, not Mama- was born.

Margaret Langrick in My American Cousin

I also wanted to write a summer book and for me summer is always connected to the 1960s, probably because of movies like Dirty Dancing, My American Cousin, The Man in the Moon, and A Walk on the Moon. I remembered how much I loved the resort on Lake Dalrymple and how as a kid I thought it would be absolute heaven to live there all year. So through the magic of fiction I got to experience that by having my protagonist live on a summer resort.

Anna Paquin in A Walk on the Moon

I had a lot of fun (and spent a LOT of time) creating and seeking out inspirational playlists, like this one from songza. You can check out some of my inspirational images, girl groups, etc on the Summer Days, Starry Nights pinterest board here.

Toronto friends I hope you’ll join me at 3030 on May 28th for the launch. I will also be making appearances in Woodstock, London, Brampton, Erin Mills, Creemore and Orillia in the next two months- stay tuned for dates.  Remember you can pre-0rder on Amazon, Indigo, or at your local bookstore. 

Summer Days, Starry Nights Toronto Launch: Party Like it’s 1962!

It’s party time! If you’re in the Toronto area on Tuesday, May 28th come celebrate the launch of SUMMER DAYS, STARRY NIGHTS with me at one of my favourite Junction hotspots, 3030.

Starting at 7pm, this is an all ages event and will feature a reading by yours truly and a performance by the amazing Miranda Mulholland, of Great Lake Swimmers and Belle Starr fame. Miranda is also an accomplished solo artist and I could not be more thrilled that she is sharing this night with me. Also, look at her wicked hair:

When Miranda is not singing, expect a great mix of late 1950s and early 1960s vinyl, perfect for dancing! This is not a costume party, but if you come dressed in 60′s attire you will earn my undying respect and devotion. Books will be sold by Toronto institution Mabel’s Fables and I will be happy to sign one for you, your niece, your grandmother, or anyone else you’d like to give a first edition signed copy to!

Located at High Park and Dundas West, 3030 is easily accessible by TTC (walk north from High Park station or take the 40 bus from Dundas West Station) and there is a Green P parking lot nearby (south of Dundas West, between Pacific and Medland) for those who will be driving.

Can’t wait to see you! Bring your dancing shoes and we will party like it’s 1962!

For those of you outside the GTA area I will also be doing events in Woodstock, Brampton, Erin Mills, Creemore, Orillia and London. Schedule coming soon!

Perfectly Creepy: Doll Bones Review

I don’t know what it is about dolls, but they are the perfect subject for creepy stories. One of my favourite scary stories is The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Wren Wright, which I recommended on Bookish Notions last Halloween . Doll Bones is a rare breed, a true cross-genre tale with both literary and commercial appeal.

Zach, Poppy and Alice have created a fantastic, elaborate game involving dolls, pirates, mermaids and other worlds. Despite their differences, the game binds them together, that is until puberty kicks in and suddenly they find themselves with doubts, new allegiances, and their friendships hanging in the balance.

Warning, this review contains spoilers!

This is a fantastic blend of creepy and poignant, as only Holly Black can do. I love the double-barreled plot, with the story of The Queen and putting her to rest mirroring the story of the trio’s friendship. This gives the story some depth, so readers who don’t gravitate towards ghost stories have a more traditional contemporary friendship story to hook them, and those who read only scary stories have something a bit meatier to read. This blend of ghost story and contemporary real-world conflict is very similar to the structure of The Doll House Murders, an is one of the reasons I love that book, as well.

‘The Queen,’ perfectly captured by the cover art of Eliza Wheeler, is of course not JUST a doll, but is made from the ground bones of a child who died tragically. The reader is unsure if it is The Queen making the children do things, or if the children are using The Queen as an excuse to act. The uncanny qualities of The Queen truly set the story apart from other ghost stories.

There is a very industrial, lower-income feel to the setting. During their journey, the villages the trio pass through are full of abandoned businesses and homes and the people are down on their luck. None of the children are wealthy and there are a variety of non-nuclear family situations. Zach’s dad has returned after abandoning him and his mother for three years, Alice lives with her strict Filipina grandmother, and Poppy is one of a large family, her brothers often getting into trouble with the law. The game is made up of toys from found objects and toys from goodwill. There is something very contemporary and authentic about Black’s setting and her characters, it feels as though it has been informed by the recent recession and it’s effects on the average American family.

Betsy Bird at Fuse #8 did an excellent review of this book, describing it as ” what would happen if R.L. Stine ever wrote a Newbery quality horror book for kids.” I will be curious to see how award committees react to this book. It has a lot of kid appeal and is on one hand, a ghost story. But the richness of characters and the authenticity with how Black portrays the growing pains of friendship during puberty sets it apart. The most uncomfortable bits are not the scary parts, but when the friends talk about each other behind their backs, deal with crushes, or secret notes. Doll Bones walks many different lines (genres, commercial vs literaty) and is yet another feather in the highly decorated cap of Holly Black.

Doll Bones will be available in May from Simon and Schuster Canada.

New Book Announcement: SUMMER DAYS, STARRY NIGHTS

I am thrilled to announce a new book, Summer Days, Starry Nights, due out June 1st! This is my love letter to summer, the 1960s, and growing up. Pretty much all of my favourite bookish things in one novel! I am beyond thrilled with this gorgeous cover, which captures the essence of the novel beautifully.

Summer Days, Starry Nights is the story of 14 year old Reenie Starr, who loves her family’s summer resort, Sandy Shores, more than anything else on earth. The resort falls on hard times the summer of 1962, so the Starrs decide to hire a young dancer from the city to come up and run an entertainment program. When 17 year old Gwendolyn Cates arrives, Reenie is starstruck by her glamorous looks and exciting lifestyle. But Gwendolyn is not exactly who she seems to be, and her arrival sets off a series of events that will change Reenie’s life forever.

Hmm, you’re thinking. That sounds kind of like the movie Dirty Dancing.

I have been known to describe the book as ‘Dirty Dancing without the Dirty.’ There are some similarities in that it takes place on a summer resort during the same time period and is very much about the music and culture of the 1960s, however Reenie is significantly younger than Baby (aka Frances) and Summer Days, Starry Nights is more about friendship and family than romance. But there is some romance. And secret letters. And missing persons. And campfires. And late night dance parties…

Summer Days, Starry Nights will be available in June, 2013. Just in time for summer reading! You can pre-order on Amazon, Indigo, or visit your local bookstore. I will also be throwing a super-fun 60s style launch party in Toronto, which you are all invited to! More details to come.

I can’t wait to share this book with you!

 

Meet the FitzOsbornes, The Crawleys of YA: FitzOzbornes in Exile Review

Downton Abbey fans you need to be reading this series! The FitzOzbornes in Exile is the second in an unique YA trilogy about a group of young royals from a fictional island nation off the coast of France in the 1930s and early 1940s. Told in diary form from the perspective of sensitive and observant Princess Sophia, it has a distinctly Downtown-esque vibe and is the kind of YA adults of all ages can also (thoroughly) enjoy, which is why I included the series in my Top Ten Under-Sung Series post .I am so thankful for Shelf Elf, who loves this series and convinced me to read it.

Warning! This review contains some spoilers.

After narrowly escaping the bombing of their beloved home by Nazis, the FitzOsbornes are thrown into society life, Sophie and Veronica preparing for the first season in London. Sophie is thrilled at first, but the presence of Veronica’s would-be-assassin Rebecca, the arrival of orphaned Basque children, and trouble brewing in Europe keep her attentions divided.

Author Michelle Cooper seamlessly weaves the fabricated history of Montmaray with real historical events and people to the point where I found myself thinking wait, IS there such a place as Montmaray? Is my memory of world geography just that bad? But no, there are helpful notes in both books that clarify what is true and what is fictional. Veronica, a ferocious feminist and loyal subject and one of my favourite YA characters, is forever immersed in history and politics and I found myself enjoying her political debates with Simon Chester, illegitimate son of the King and her chief rival. I don’t normally go in for heated political debates about Spanish history and communism versus fascism  but Cooper imbues her characters with such passion and clarity of speech that one can’t help but be equally fascinated.

It is gratifying to see how Sophia matures, getting over a girlish crush on Simon and taking interest in a quiet young aspiring veterinarian, having her first piece of writing published. and coming to Veronica’s rescue in innumerable ways. Veronica is a formidable character but instead of standing in her shadow, Sophia is finally learning to stand apart while still loving and admiring her cousin. She learns a few hard lessons about love and marriage, and this book is particularly feminist in its approach to women’s issues and politics, but in a way that seems plausible. At the end of the book both Veronica and Sophie have amazing, character-defining moments that made me want to stand up and cheer. Alas I was reading in my office and despite working in publishing that sort of thing is generally frowned upon.

I am fascinated by how Sophia approaches and accepts her brother Toby’s preference for men, which feels progressive for the time and yet is a bit reserved in a way that seems natural. In fact she approached all matters of sex and relationships with this curious open-mindedness that is refreshing and distinctly contemporary.

The language is this book is period without feeling complex or too flowery and even in dire situations there is so much hope and humour in Sophia’s voice that you are laughing in life or death situations. How does the author do this? Genius, methinks. Veronica and Aunt Charlotte, who reminds me very much of the Dowager Countess, have some fantastic one-liners.

This book is heavier on the politics than the first, which makes sense as it leads into WWII, but it also features a number of assassination attempts, a few parties featuring some amazing dresses and jewels, a bit of mystery, and a cross-country train race that elevate the series even more. Fans of historical fiction,war novels, and books such as Code Name Verity, Anne of Green Gables or I Capture the Castle will eat this series up. I cannot wait to see what Cooper does in The FitzOsbornes at War. I have a feeling no matter what happens, I will be sobbing at the end.

Hey BBC, miniseries please?!

The FitzOsbornes in Exile is available now in paperback.

Hope, Grief & A Pizza Boy: The Boy on Cinnamon Street Review

Phoebe Stone is a master of contemporary voice. Despite a tragically misleading cover*, The Romeo and Juliet Code was (and remains) a favourite book of mine. She has done it again in the funny and cathartic The Boy on Cinnamon Street, the second of two MG books I’ve read recently dealing with grief.

Warning, this review contains spoilers!

Louise has quit the gymnastics team and given up her name for the more apt, outrageous Thumbelina. Unfortunately only her best friends Reni and Henderson are willing to call her by this new moniker. Her grandparents, who she lives with, are too busy calling her Louise and being in love to notice any changes. She is contemplating moving in with Reni and Henderson’s family when a pizza boy leaves a note and suddenly the whole world looks different.

I can’t say I’ve read a lot of books in which the narrator has repressed memories about a parent’s suicide. Even if I did, I doubt they would be as well-rounded, empathetic and hopeful as The Boy on Cinnamon Street. Louise (or Thumb, as Henderson calls her) is irrepressible, even in the states of denial, grief, and anger she experiences throughout the book. She is self-effacing but also totally hopeful, latching on to the idea of the pizza boy as her secret admirer so wholeheartedly that you can’ t help but cheer for her. Of course the pizza boy is not the one with a crush on her, but the reader is very aware of who Thumb’s true admirer is, and you root for him the whole time.

I admire how Phoebe Stone creates unlikable (or at the very least) unreliable parents, but not in a comedic, absurdist Roald Dahl way. These are adults who are ill-equipped to parent, and Stone explores the ramifications of this in her books.  When we do learn about Thumb’s mother and her absentee father, you feel horrified and sad, but this is mitigated because her new family, consisting of her grandparents and The Elliots, are so wonderful. Just like in The Romeo and Juliet Code, when we realize  Felicity’s parents have left her with distant family in order to pursue their careers as spies and are likely not coming back, instead of outrage and numb horror we are happy that she has found her new family.

Stone is also very good at creating a male friend/potential love interest for her heroines, Henderson in The Boy on Cinnamon Street and Derek in The Romeo and Juliet Code. Both Derek and Henderson are interesting, sensitive, and though the romance may not be fully realized in the book, the reader has the sense that it will be at some point. Which brings me to yet another thing I love about Stone’s work- the sense of that these characters will leave and breathe beyond the last page. As a reader, I love feeling like I have caught a glimpse of the characters and the author has created an open ending in which I can image all sorts of lives for them.

One of the things that separates straight-forward issue-driven fiction from just plain good fiction is a well-rounded experience. This isn’t a book solely about grief, it’s also about first crushes, friendship, family, bullying, giving up and starting over again, and body image. You may think, how on earth can all of that fit into one book, but even in a tragic or low point in life chances are there are other things going on. Life is never one plot line. Stone handles this incredibly well, probably because she is a middle-grade genius.

So many of her phrases stick with me but I especially liked how she dealt with body image and weight. Thumb meets Reni in fat camp, where Thumb is teaching gymnastics. Reni is worried about her weight and always trying to lose a few pounds, but it is clear that the Elliot family are all on the heavier side. When Reni wonders why boys love her big sister but not her, Thumb points out that perhaps it’s because “Annais acts pretty.” I loved the awareness and age-appropriateness of this line.

If the premise of this book doesn’ t make you weepy, than the author’s note definitely will. Like Louise, author Phoebe Stone lost a parent to suicide at a young age. She is careful to point out the differences in her experience and Louise’s story, but it is clear the story is personal.

The Boy on Cinnamon Street is available now in hardcover from Scholastic. I picked mine up at the charming and wonderful Curiosity House in Creemore, ON. If you can, make sure you drop in and ask for Jenn- one of the most passionate, charming, and generous booksellers I know! I mean how many bookstores offer free wishes? (see below)

*Upon further reflection, it appears Arthur Levine may be branding Stone’s books by using shoes on her covers. I’m not opposed to shoes on covers, in fact I rather like it. This cover is very effective. But when the shoes in question are coloured high-top Keds that are supposed to evoke WWII, I have some issues.