Kellee – Page 82 – Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/18/21

January 18, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Thursday: Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Remarkable Journey by Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

Yay! I am so glad to be back! Being back means: the 2021 Schneider Family Awards have been chosen! Now to just wait for the announcement on Monday, January 25th at 8am CST at https://ala.unikron.com/ 🙂

Since I haven’t been able to post at all in 2021, I am going to share everything I have read thus far (that I can share). There is a lot of goodness to share here, so sorry not sorry for the long post!

Graphic Novels:

Katie the Catsitter by Colleen A.F. Venable, illustrated by Stephanie Yue: Well, this was nothing like I thought it was going to be. Instead IT WAS EVEN BETTER! What looks like a cute catsitter story is actually a superhero story with brilliant cat sidekicks! LOVED IT, and it was immediately checked out from our school library!
The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski: Lots of picture books are interactive but rarely do you see a book for older children that is (other than choose adventure type books), but The Runaway Princess has fun interactive sections where the reader gets to be part of the adventure. That, along with the unique storytelling and adventures, makes this graphic novel a wonderful read.

Novels

The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate: So, I am an ape fan, if you didn’t know, so I am a HUGE fan of both the Ivan book and picture book, so I was actually a bit worried about a Bob book. But I needen’t be–though VERY different than the first, it is just as heartfelt and emotional and everything you want.
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer: Holy sentient computer and LOVE in space, Batman! Wow. Phew! Couldn’t put this one down! So much to unpack with this one! Love the positives of what a human future could look like, but the negatives were terrifying. And be ready for twists and turns!
Tales of Witchcraft by Chris Colfer: This second book in the prequel to Land of Stories series continues Bristol’s story as The Fairy Godmother. This series feels particularly relevant right now as Bristol fights an secret society that wishes to take over and destroy all that are not like them……. Chris Colfer is a genius.

Picture Books (all read with Trent; if I don’t share below it is just because it is a reread, and I’ve shared before):

Dandy by Ame Dyckman, Illustrated by Charles Santoso: Trent and I loved the humor in this one and the puniness of it being called Dandy with lions as main characters.
Pencil by Ann Ingalls, Illustrated by Dean Griffiths: A clever story looking at how you can find exciting things without technology.
Stand Up! Speak Up! by Andrew Joyner: A good introduction to climate change and activism for children.
Be You! by Peter H. Reynolds: I just love Reynolds’s work and so does Trent. This one is all about being whoever you are and how that is everything.
Fallingwater by Marc Harshman & Anna Egan Smucker, illustrated by LeUyen Pham: I love Pham’s work! And I love Frank Lloyd Wright’s work! And Trent enjoyed the book and immediately asked if we could go to Fallingwater. I call this book a win-win-win.
16 Words by Lisa Jean Rogers, illustrated by Chuck Groenick: William Carlos William is one of my favorite poets and “The Red Wheelbarrow” is one of my favorite poems to introduce him to students. I loved this story of WCW and how the poem came to be (and it was a great introduction to him for Trent).
Digging For Words by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Paola Escobar: This book tells the story of José Alberto Gutiérrez, a garbage collector in Bogota, and the library he has built in his home for the children of his neighborhood. This is a story I didn’t know, and I’m so glad I do now!
On a Beam of Light by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky: This was a reread of a favorite for me, but my first time reading it with Trent. I was a bit nervous, but I did not need to be–Trent was enthralled and had SO many questions about everything.
Avocado Asks: What Am I? by Momoko Abe: Avocado is having an identity crisis, but a small neighbor helps him see that his identity is whatever they want it to be.
I Am Not A Penguin: A Pangolin’s Lament by Liz Wong: WE LOVED THIS BOOK! Funny and smart and great illustrations! Highly recommended.

Hike by Pete Oswald: A beautiful wordless tale of a father and son on a hike to plant a tree.
Daniel’s Good Day by Micha Archer: I love Archer’s illustrations! This story of Daniel looks at what makes a good day.
Cannonball by Sascha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan: A young Maori boy wants to make a splash but he has to figure out how HE can find the strength to do it.
Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim: BEAUTIFUL illustrations and a beautiful story about a new student in an American school from South Korea and the common language that children can find and acceptance of each other.
On a Sleepy Hill by Patricia Hegarty and Xuan Le: A book of cut outs exploring forest animals settling in for the night.
Welcome to Florida illustrated by Asa Gilland, from DoubleDay Books for Young Readers: This book is part of the Welcome To series which introduces its readers to each state. The illustrations were fun and overall it was a pretty good introduction to Florida. I have some criticisms as a Floridian about the lack of authenticness in what is shown in Florida, but as an introduction it does well.
My Heart is a Compass by Deborah Marcero: Sometimes the most interesting thing you have is yourself! A beautiful exploration of imagination.
Where Happiness Begins by Eva Eland: When Sadness is at Your Door was one of my favorite 2019 picture books, so Trent and I were happy to see this companion. Another great book to help young children deal with strong emotions.

To learn more about any of these books, check out my 2020 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

School starts this week for me, and in-person school starts for my first grader, so I am bowing out for a week, but I will see you all next week!

Kellee

I’m working on my #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge! I’ll be sharing it on my #MustReadin2021 post tomorrow 🙂

Tuesday: Kellee’s #MustReadin2021

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/11/21

January 17, 2021January 11, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Happy reading!

Thursday: Scooper and Dumper by Lindsay Ward
Giveaway ends Wednesday!

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

Deliberating on Schneider this last weekend and the press release is due to ALA today, so taking one more week off of IMWAYR. See you next week!

Ricki

This week, I read Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho. It is absolutely lovely, and I am excited to review it in full on Thursday.

I also reread some books for some NCTE presentations. More on those presentations soon. Who else is proposing something for NCTE this year?

Ricki

Admittedly, I am in a bit of a reading rut. Picture books and early chapter books are still going strong, but I haven’t read YAL this week beyond my rereads. I have some really great books in my queue, but the news, lots of children, and the semester starting have made reading a bit difficult. What recent book have you read that really kicked up your reading energy?

Thursday: Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Remarkable Journey by Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/4/21

January 4, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Happy reading!

We were on a holiday vacation the last two weeks, but we have some great posts from right before our vacation that you might check out!:

Tuesday: Books Kellee Learned About at the ALAN workshop is SO EXCITED to Read

Thursday: Author Guest Post by Erica Perl, Author of The Ninth Night of Hanukkah

Sunday: Author Guest Post by Kenneth Davis, Author of Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

Our Schneider deliberation is this weekend, so I am rereading and quickly and thoroughly as I can! See you on the other side!

Ricki

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh deserves all of the praise it has been receiving. I listened to it on audio and found myself pausing and quietly listening to each word. I loved this book.

When I told two colleagues that I was about to listen to Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson on audio, they both warned me that it was a tough read. Tiffany D. Jackson does not hold back any punches with this book. It sucked me in from the very first words. If you haven’t read this book, I insist that you do.

Lindsay Ward is one of my favorite children’s book authors, so I was so thrilled to see this new book Scooper and Dumper. Ahh, it is so delightful. All three of my kids (20mo, 4yo, and 7yo) loved this one and couldn’t get enough of it. Review to come this Thursday!

Ricki

I just got three of my ALAN e-galleys in, and I am REALLY excited to start them! YAY!

Thursday: Scooper and Dumper by Lindsay Ward

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/28/20

December 28, 2020 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Happy reading!

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/21/20

December 21, 2020 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Books Kellee Learned About at the ALAN workshop is SO EXCITED to Read

Thursday: Author Guest Post by Erica Perl, Author of The Ninth Night of Hanukkah

Sunday: Author Guest Post by Kenneth Davis, Author of Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

and

Author Q&A with Kenneth C. Davis, Author of Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy

December 20, 2020 by Kellee

Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy
Author: Kenneth C. Davis
Published October 6th, 2020 by Henry Holt and Co.

About the Book: From the bestselling author of the Don’t Know Much About books comes a dramatic account of the origins of democracy, the history of authoritarianism, and the reigns of five of history’s deadliest dictators.

What makes a country fall to a dictator? How do authoritarian leaders—strongmen—capable of killing millions acquire their power? How are they able to defeat the ideal of democracy? And what can we do to make sure it doesn’t happen again?

By profiling five of the most notoriously ruthless dictators in history—Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Saddam Hussein—Kenneth C. Davis seeks to answer these questions, examining the forces in these strongmen’s personal lives and historical periods that shaped the leaders they’d become. Meticulously researched and complete with photographs, Strongman provides insight into the lives of five leaders who callously transformed the world and serves as an invaluable resource in an era when democracy itself seems in peril.

Q&A

Q1. What led you to choose this topic and this audience (teens) for your new book?

A1. I have been writing about history for some thirty years and was always fairly optimistic about the future of America. In spite of the flaws I have catalogued in my books, I always believed in the United States as the “last, best hope on earth”—Lincoln’s words—and that its democratic system still moved towards more progress.

But something has changed. And for some time now, I have been concerned that democracy, at home and abroad, was under assault. That is not only sad but dangerous. I felt I had to tell the story of these dictators and how quickly democracy can vanish. It is meant as a warning, a cautionary tale for our time.

On the question of writing for teens, let me first say that I think my books aimed at younger readers are not that different from my earlier work aimed at older adults. In fact, many older readers don’t know these are “Young Adult” books. I try and write for everyone in an accessible style that welcomes the reader, older or younger.

I started writing for younger readers several years ago because I have spoken to so many of them in classrooms over time and came away impressed by their curiosity, engagement, and interest in history. But I wanted to deliver a message to those young people that democracy can’t be taken for granted and that they have a real stake in protecting our rights and freedoms.

Q2. What is the key takeaway you hope that young people get from reading it?

A2. There are several key issues at work in this book and, I would say, all of my work. First is that history is not a collection of facts—dates, battles, speeches, laws – but real stories about real people doing real things. When we read about history that way, it becomes far more compelling and connected to our own lives.

Next is that we read and learn from these accounts to understand who we are and how we got here. Part of that idea is the story of how enormous sacrifices have been made in the name of rights and progress—from abolition to suffrage, civil rights, and fair labor laws. That often comes from the bottom up, not the top down, which means people without a vote still had a voice.

It is also a book that asks hard questions about what people are willing to do in following a leader. And that brings me to my earlier point: Democracy is not a spectator sport. We must protect it if we think it is worth keeping.

Q3. What was the hardest part about writing the book?

A3. I actually write about that in the closing words of the book. This was, in many ways, an extremely difficult project. I have written about many hard and awful events and periods in the past, including the stories of racial slavery I told in my earlier book, In the Shadow of Liberty.

But describing the levels of cruelty, inhumanity, and indecency are unavoidable in writing the history of the Strongmen –the murderous dictators whose stories I tell. We can’t sugarcoat that history. Or ignore it. That made this project a true test of my fundamental belief in the general goodness of humanity. I had to write about the vast numbers of people who were complicit in the genocidal crimes of a Strongman like Hitler or Stalin.

Q4. If a teacher asked for recommendations for teaching your book, what would you suggest?

A4. My writing career has mostly been about asking questions and presenting facts and evidence in real stories. I think that teachers –especially those in Social studies—can follow that general premise with their students. Ask questions and allow students to find answers through accurate, documented evidence.

This approach of getting students to do real research, assess evidence, check sources, and make considered judgments based on facts is the essence of thinking for themselves. It is what today’s education must be about, especially in this era as facts and truth are under such assault.

In a more practical way, this book should fit into a number of curriculum areas – 20^th century history; the Holocaust; civics and government; ethics, religion, and basic philosophy; economics; sociology and the behavior of crowds. I have always been a proponent of crossing disciplines.

Q5. What other resources do you feel would complement STRONGMAN in a curriculum?

A5. I would start with reputable journalism, including newspapers and websites that accurately document their reporting. We must establish the clear connection between history and the headlines. That will also help develop those “media literacy” skills that all of us –not just students—need to negotiate the world we live in.

Certainly, there are also a great many other books that could be placed beside Strongman –biographies, war narratives, Holocaust and other memoirs from each of these eras. I’ve included many of them in the Bibliography of Strongman.

I think you can include some historical fiction –cautiously reminding students that novels are not always accurate depictions of events. There are also a wealth of documentary films and series, often starting with what is offered from PBS.

Finally, I did not set out to write three books as a “set” – but I think that my earlier books can be read alongside Strongman. I think that In the Shadow of Liberty provides more context for how the history of slavery developed alongside American democracy. More Deadly Than War provides background for the role World War I played in shaping the world that produced the dictators I profiled in Strongman. And that is how we must read history – as a long, complex, series of connected narratives, not a list of events that are unrelated.

About the Author: Kenneth C. Davis is the New York Times–bestselling author of America’s Hidden History and Don’t Know Much About® History, which gave rise to the Don’t Know Much About® series of books for adults and children. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed In the Shadow of Liberty, which was an ALA Notable Book and a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, as well as More Deadly Than War, which was named a Washington Post Best Children’s Book of the Month. A frequent guest on national television and radio and a Ted-Ed Educator, Davis lives in New York City.

Ken also offers free classroom visits to teachers through his website, which might be of interest to include: https://dontknowmuch.com/for-teachers/

Thank you, Kenneth, for sharing the truth of history with our students!

Titles Kellee Learned About at the ALAN Workshop and is SO EXCITED to Read

December 15, 2020 by Kellee

The 2020 ALAN Workshop was phenomenal this year! The virtual platform allowed for a more intimate and interactive atmosphere which was amazing. One thing didn’t change though: I left with books I HAD to read as soon as possible. Today, I wanted to share the ones I didn’t know about before ALAN but learned about there and am now so excited to read.

The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson

Summary: Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home — until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything — including them.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Summary: Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Your Corner Dark by Desmond Hall

Summary: Things can change in a second:

The second Frankie Green gets that scholarship letter, he has his ticket out of Jamaica.

The second his longtime crush, Leah, asks him on a date, he’s in trouble.

The second his father gets shot, suddenly nothing else matters.

And the second Frankie joins his uncle’s gang in exchange for paying for his father’s medical bills, there’s no going back…or is there?

As Frankie does things he never thought he’d be capable of, he’s forced to confront the truth of the family and future he was born into—and the ones he wants to build for himself.

Muted by Tami Charles

Summary: For seventeen-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very white hometown.

So Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean “Mercury” Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights — plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.

Until they’re not.

Denver begins to realize that she’s trapped in Merc’s world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.

Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl’s dreams can be used against her — and what it takes to fight back.

A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Ellie had no hope left. Yet the day after she dies by suicide, she finds herself in the midst of an out-of-body experience. She is a spectator, swaying between past and present, retracing the events that unfolded prior to her death.

But there are gaps in her memory, fractured pieces Ellie is desperate to re-assemble. There’s her mother, a songbird who wanted to break free from her oppressive cage. The boy made of brushstrokes and goofy smiles who brought color into a gray world. Her brooding father, with his sad puppy eyes and clenched fists. Told in epistolary-like style, this deeply moving novel sensitively examines the beautiful and terrible moments that make up a life and the possibilities that live in even the darkest of places.

Girlhood: Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices by Masuma Ahuja

Summary: What do the lives of teenage girls look like in Cambodia and Kenya, in Mongolia and the Midwest? What do they worry about and dream of? What happens on an ordinary day?

All around the world, girls are going to school, working, creating, living as sisters, daughters, friends. Yet we know so little about their daily lives. We hear about a few exceptional girls who make headlines, and we hear about headline-making struggles and catastrophes. But since the health, education, and success of girls so often determines the future of a community, why don’t we know more about what life is like for the ordinary girls, the ones living outside the headlines? From the Americas to Europe to Africa to Asia to the South Pacific, the thirty-one teens from twenty-nine countries in Girlhood Around the World share their own stories of growing up through diary entries and photographs. They invite us into their day-to-day lives, through their eyes and in their voices, in a full-color, exuberantly designed scrapbook-like volume.

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Summary: It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew . . .

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narváez Varela

Summary: Out of nowhere, a lady comes up to Anamaría and says she’s her, from the future. But Anamaría’s thirteen, she knows better than to talk to some weirdo stranger. Girls need to be careful, especially in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico—it’s the 90’s and fear is overtaking her beloved city as cases of kidnapped girls and women become alarmingly common. This thirty-year-old “future” lady doesn’t seem to be dangerous but she won’t stop bothering her, switching between cheesy Hallmark advice about being kind to yourself, and some mysterious talk about saving a girl.

Anamaría definitely doesn’t need any saving, she’s doing just fine. She works hard at her strict, grade-obsessed middle school—so hard that she hardly gets any sleep; so hard that the stress makes her snap not just at mean girls but even her own (few) friends; so hard that when she does sleep she dreams about dying—but she just wants to do the best she can so she can grow up to be successful. Maybe Thirty’s right, maybe she’s not supposed to be so exhausted with her life, but how can she ask for help when her city is mourning the much bigger tragedy of its stolen girls?

This thought-provoking, moving verse novel will lead adult and young adult readers alike to vital discussions on important topics—like dealing with depression and how to recognize this in yourself and others—through the accessible voice of a thirteen-year-old girl.

Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned the Nation by Candy J. Cooper

Summary: In 2014, Flint, Michigan, was a cash-strapped city that had been built up, then abandoned by General Motors. As part of a plan to save money, government officials decided that Flint would temporarily switch its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Within months, many residents broke out in rashes. Then it got worse: children stopped growing. Some people were hospitalized with mysterious illnesses; others died. Citizens of Flint protested that the water was dangerous. Despite what seemed so apparent from the murky, foul-smelling liquid pouring from the city’s faucets, officials refused to listen. They treated the people of Flint as the problem, not the water, which was actually poisoning thousands.

Through interviews with residents and intensive research into legal records and news accounts, journalist Candy J. Cooper, assisted by writer-editor Marc Aronson, reveals the true story of Flint. Poisoned Water shows not just how the crisis unfolded in 2014, but also the history of racism and segregation that led up to it, the beliefs and attitudes that fueled it, and how the people of Flint fought–and are still fighting–for clean water and healthy lives.

Camp by L.C. Rosen

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It’s where he met his best friends. It’s where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it’s where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim – who’s only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.

This year, though, it’s going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as ‘Del’ – buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he’s determined to get Hudson to fall for him.

But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself how much is he willing to change for love. And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn’t know who he truly is?

If you attended ALAN, what books did you learn about that you want to read?

If you were unable to attend ALAN, which of these books are you most excited to read?