Calvin

by JR and Vanessa Ford
illustrated by Kayla Harren

Ref: 16903

"For as long as I could remember, I knew I was a boy". And so begins one child's journey as he stands tall in his real gender and takes on his new name, Calvin, supported by his parents, brother, grandparents and by his school. And if that all makes this book sound 'worthy', think again. It really is full of joy. The protagonist's face glows and shines more and more with each page; the gestures and facial expressions we witness amongst Calvin's family members as they embrace their son/grandson is truly life-affirming. As Calvin's Dad says, "We love you if you are a girl, boy, neither, or both". This narrative is unusually (for picture books) non-binary in its approach and is also very refreshing for not over-explaining Calvin's gender identity. Calvin isn't a boy because... Calvin just is Calvin. And his surrounding world just adjusts itself to him. The simple alterations made to the school environment alone role model good practise. The book also tells a 'real' story with plenty of lightness- there is a visit to Gigi and Papa, splashes and dives at Water World, superhero costumes to fashion for the comic convention. Some lovely little touches in the classroom scene illustrations: teacher Mr J's strikingly assembled dreadlocks; 'casual' disability images include a wheelchair user, a child who wears a hearing aid, a child with vitiligo; completely ungendered breaktime play- Calvin simply picking up his skipping games with friend, Violet, where he left off. 'A brilliant primer for adults about how to embrace a trans child's identity wrapped up in an engaging children's story. What I really love is that nobody is interested in the whys and wherefores of his identity- they just accept it' (Mark Jennett, Equalities Trainer/Consultant, Letterbox Library Reviewer). 'Great book for children and adults about accepting Calvin for who he is. Really empathetic. Good to see a mixed race family central to the storyline' (Rosalind, Project Dev. Mgr., PACEY, Letterbox Library reviewer). Written by the parents of a transgender child. Age 4-7, Hardback 29pp

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Glitter Boy

Ref: 17198

"School can be touch. Life can be tough...Glitter Boy is about allowing yourself to shine and sparkle and never giving up, even when the darkness seems to be drawing around you" (Author Ian Eagleton). Highly readable coming-of-age middle grade fiction starring 11-year-old James, creator of most extravagant dance routines, lifetime member of the Mariah Carey fan club and a staunch believer in staying fabulous. But lately, fabulousness is feeling hard to sustain with an absent mum, a taciturn dad, a changing friendship group, a beloved Nan who is getting frailer by the day and... the daily taunts of classmate Paul. And why does his tummy start to fizz when his teacher mentions his husband-to-be and...there it goes again!...when he's around new friend, Joel. An empathetic story about finding the strength to stay true to yourself in the midst of Big Life Changes and in the face of bullies. The novel's (part-autobiographical) study in homophobic bullying, internalised homophobia and the ways in which boys and men 'police' each other's gender expressions and sexuality is brilliantly conveyed. There are some nice references to queer history along the way, from the extraordinary courage of Martha P. Johnson to the shameful legacy of Section 28! The debut novel by former teacher and winner of the inaugural Polari Prize's Children's Award with picture book, Nen and the Lonely Fisherman (also available from us). 'This is a book to read more than once. Although the surface story is about bullying, it is also more nuanced. The bullying touches the parts of James that he is exploring but of which he is also most fearful' (Sylvia, former Children's Social Work Director, Letterbox Library reviewer). Age 9-13, Paperback 356pp, Paperback

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Hurricane Child

Ref: 16873

Winner of the 2019 Stonewall Book and the 2019 Lambda Literary Awards. "My mom never told me what it means to be a Hurricane Child. But I heard what it means when the old women from down the road come by... That it's a curse, being born during a hurricane. I won't have an inch of luck for the rest of my days, and sadness will follow me wherever I go. Well I step on that curse and spit on it too. I don't need the world's luck to live." Born during a storm, followed by a spirit, feeling abandoned at every turn, 12-year-old Caroline thinks that her world can be fixed if she can just find her mum. And with the arrival of new girl, Kalinda, she has a partner to join her on her quest. But who is the woman in black? And why does she now want, more than anything, to just hold Kalinda's hand? An exquisite coming of age novella set in St Thomas (one of the US Virgin Islands). We applaud and weep for Caroline as she quivers on the brink of discovering her sexuality, as she comes up against school bullying over her skin colour (darker than her peers) and the homophobic prejudice perpetuated by the (largely Catholic) wider community, as she learns to let go of a mother who needed to cast herself off and as she deals with her feelings for Kalinda. Gorgeous, 'literary' middle grade, shot through with magical realism. 'Fabulously written tale that evokes the islands and culture. Great storytelling of love, loss, belonging and trauma. Covers so many emotions while stirring emotions and questions' (Meryl, Consultant & Trainer, Letterbox Library reviewer). [Author identifies as Black, queer and trans]. Age 9-12, Paperback 210pp

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Just Like Everyone Else

Ref: 17190

"I've seen gay people before. Course I have. Loads of times. On TV. On the internet...But never in my garden, chatting to my mum...Not where they could see me, notice something I say or do or just the way I am, and know in an instant what I've told no one else..." The third novel by an author who has, we believe, really captured the middle grade space with stories which centre LGBTQ+ lives. Following on from Nothing Ever Happens Here, Hagger-Holt's second novel, Proud of Me, won the Little Rebels Award in 2022. And, with this latest offering, she simply continues to go from strength to strength. The middle grade readership denotes precisely the age where many children and young people begin to explore romantic feelings, first crushes, confusing accelerating heart beats and tummy fizzes (!) So this is also precisely when we need to give young readers confident, healthy and happy messages about their gender expressions, their sexual orientation or just simply reassure them that those bewildering fizzes are, in fact, entirely normal. Hagger-Holt does all of this and with real empathy and nuance. Just Like Everyone Else is the story of 13-year-old Aidan, expert fell runner, big brother in Team Taylor, top buddy to Jack and possibly, perhaps, surely not, ...gay? Aidan's feelings about his nascent sexuality are spot on and his response will be, sadly, relatable to many young people. Fearful of his own surfacing feelings, he doesn't dare intervene in the homophobic tauntings of Jack. When his mum offers to act as surrogate to gay couple, Justin and Atif, he is overcome by embarrassment and a dread of exposure. When his face flushes at the sight of Will, he turns away. His proximity to anything or anyone 'gay', makes him anxious and close to phobic, as if a spotlight is heading right for him. And so, he works hard, very hard, at coasting, at never standing out, at passing as 'just like everyone else'. Sarah Hagger-Holt really knows her subject. This is a world where rainbow laces are worn, Queer Eye is mainstream viewing and surrogacy for same-sex couples is possible. None of which, however, is to say that young people are free to discover themselves with ease. Jack's small acts of gender non-conformity make him a target for both pupils and teachers; Aidan's little sister, Bells, is quick to challenge everyday, 'casual' sexism; queer parenting still attracts a disapproving shake of the head; a young Muslim man thinks that only white people can be gay (after all, those are the only gay people mainstream media showed him). It's also a lovely touch that Aidan assumes he can't be gay because he doesn't enjoy the things poplar culture determines make up queer culture. As he asks Atif, "I'm into sport. Like, can you be gay and be into sport?" All of this wonderful, rich material contained within the 'classic' middle grade fiction fare of family, friendships, transitions and coming-of-age. Great discussion questions at the end too! (This reviewer's fave secondary character: marathon-runner-in-training and young person's bestest confidant, Auntie Jo). Age 8-12, Paperback 303pp

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Over the Shop

by JonArno Lawson
illustrated by Qin Leng

Ref: 16865

A chipper child lives with her grouchy, downward-turned-mouthed grandparent above their shop. When they advertise the flat above for rent, prospective tenants rush away from the dilapidated home. But then, one day, a couple peer in hopefully at the 'Flat to Rent' sign. The grandparent doesn't like the look of them and snatches the sign away. But the child thinks these new guests could be just the right fit and pleads their case. The deal is sealed and the couple move in, bringing with them help, hope, love and more than a few licks of paint. And sooner than you might expect, a new stitched-together family of four is made. It is very difficult to convey quite how beautiful this wordless book is. It is, ultimately, a story of belonging, community and prejudice overcome; of 'outsiders'- two people of colour, probably two women (in any case a queer couple)- entering an inward-looking neighbourhood and creating a new household in their wake. At the centre sits a kind, observant child who embraces all of her world. Children will enjoy the parallel plot of a wandering, neighbourhood stray cat who naturally slots into the new family at the end. Classrooms will enjoy folding out all of the layers of the visual narrative. There are discussion points everywhere. 'I absolutely adored this. The pictures are gorgeous and the story satisfyingly full of detail yet easy to follow... Subtly but delightfully affirming, this will appeal not just to children who instantly recognise families like these but to many others who will respond to the warmth and inclusiveness that pervades the book' (Mark Jennett, Equalities Trainer/Consultant, Letterbox Library reviewer). NB: many of the gender identities are ambiguous and at least one reviewer has suggested the East Asian adult in the newcomer couple is a trans man which is certainly a possible interpretation. A trained 'queer' eye will note the book's dedication and will spot some extra visual signifiers in the detailed, delicate ink-and-watercolour illustrations. Age 4-9, Hardback40pp

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Splinters of Sunshine

Ref: 16452

The festive celebrations start right enough for 15-year-old Spey and his Mum. They decorate the Christmas tree, drink snowballs (aka "an omelette in a glass"), re-watch The Blues Brothers on DVD... but then, Christmas Eve gets rudely interrupted by a surprise visit from Spey's absent Dad, Benni. More than just a little absent. Just-out-of prison absent. Meantime, Dee is alone in a room down on the coast. Just her, one mattress and some cardboard boxes, in a flat where the key has been turned in the front door. When Mum hands Spey a mysterious envelope bursting with scraps of cut out flowers and childish doodles, he is propelled on to a road trip down south, from London to Hastings. A quest to solve the mystery of his missing childhood friend, Dee, soon spirals out into a journey of self-discovery, one which will make him grapple with his identity in the present and which will need him to revisit some uncomfortable places from his past. At the heart of these discoveries, at the heart of everything is Dee- a young woman who despite all the things conspiring to cut her down persists, roots herself down, thrives, survives, shines. The latest Young Adult novel from multiple award-winning author, Patrice Lawrence. And it's absolutely trademark Lawrence. Strap yourself in. Hold on tight. This is a single-sitting thriller; there's a reason Lawrence has won the CrimeFest Award not once, but twice. And, of course, there is the usual wonderful array of memorable characters: from secondary players such as the higher-than-aloof Astrid and "big-sis radar"-equipped Fi to protagonists Spey, an endearing (Mixed Race) reluctant hero, and care leaver Dee, who belts you over your heart and then lodges herself in there. With Dee, Lawrence continues her passionate claim on the agency and voice of those young women who society so often ignores, silences, mishears or passes by ... like so many weeds. "I imagined Dee as the most common wildflowers, the ones considered weeds. She is ignored, or a nuisance, unwanted. But Dee also knows about wildflowers- their strength and beauty too..." (Lawrence's letter accompanying early proofs of the novel). Unforgettable. Indelible. Age 13+, Paperback 320pp