Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This book is very important, sweet, and full of hope. Sadly to me it fell rather flat.
I love books that include Pride. I've been to one Pride in my life (my country is not too keen on them) and I've never felt more seen. Some books can perfectly recreate that feeling, but this wasn't one of them.
My biggest problem is that 60% of the book felt like a huge introduction. Because of that, the part with Pride felt extremely rushed and underdeveloped. The synopsis has you believe that the book is about the main characters going to pride to discover more about queerness and what it means to have a gay parent, however, all of that is only very briefly touched upon. I absolutely understand that the book's purpose was showing that if someone you know comes out as gay, especially a family member, nothing about them really changes. It's a great point to make and very important for kids to understand but I just didn't feel it was discussed in-depth enough. Not to mention mentioning sexualities other than homosexuality just by name, even though the kids clearly barely knew anything about them.
Another issue I had is that the main character felt far younger than he was. As a teacher, I'm regularly in contact with kids in elementary school and the way Archie acted was more similar to the way my 8-9-year-olds act than in any 12 years old I've taught. I understand middle grade is usually picked up by kids younger than the age of the protagonist but I somehow have never had this problem with other middle grades I've read.
Now it's the time for the positives. It's very fast and very hard to put down. It's sweet and the illustrations are so colorful and fun. It's absolutely the tip of the iceberg in introducing young readers to queerness and a good book for beginners on the topic. I very much hope it will be available in school libraries. The Pride part, although rushed, makes the reader feel warm inside and shows the joy and love that all those parades hold. It made me miss going to Pride a lot. I also loved many lines in the book that described anxiety and the way adults treat children.
All in all, although it didn't make it to my favorites list, this book is still very important and I'm so glad young readers can pick it up. I'd recommend it to kids aged 8-10 and middle-grade lovers of all ages.
I love books that include Pride. I've been to one Pride in my life (my country is not too keen on them) and I've never felt more seen. Some books can perfectly recreate that feeling, but this wasn't one of them.
My biggest problem is that 60% of the book felt like a huge introduction. Because of that, the part with Pride felt extremely rushed and underdeveloped. The synopsis has you believe that the book is about the main characters going to pride to discover more about queerness and what it means to have a gay parent, however, all of that is only very briefly touched upon. I absolutely understand that the book's purpose was showing that if someone you know comes out as gay, especially a family member, nothing about them really changes. It's a great point to make and very important for kids to understand but I just didn't feel it was discussed in-depth enough. Not to mention mentioning sexualities other than homosexuality just by name, even though the kids clearly barely knew anything about them.
Another issue I had is that the main character felt far younger than he was. As a teacher, I'm regularly in contact with kids in elementary school and the way Archie acted was more similar to the way my 8-9-year-olds act than in any 12 years old I've taught. I understand middle grade is usually picked up by kids younger than the age of the protagonist but I somehow have never had this problem with other middle grades I've read.
Now it's the time for the positives. It's very fast and very hard to put down. It's sweet and the illustrations are so colorful and fun. It's absolutely the tip of the iceberg in introducing young readers to queerness and a good book for beginners on the topic. I very much hope it will be available in school libraries. The Pride part, although rushed, makes the reader feel warm inside and shows the joy and love that all those parades hold. It made me miss going to Pride a lot. I also loved many lines in the book that described anxiety and the way adults treat children.
All in all, although it didn't make it to my favorites list, this book is still very important and I'm so glad young readers can pick it up. I'd recommend it to kids aged 8-10 and middle-grade lovers of all ages.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A fun, heartwarming, and beautiful read.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"If I learned anything from last year, it's that Pride is all about family, both the family you're given and the ones you make."
This story makes me so happy <3
This story makes me so happy <3
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
This is the exact kind of book I had wanted when I was a kid. A book full of so much inclusion, with so much heartwarming pure love. So fulfilling!
Never late than never. Thanks Benjamin Dean for giving this book to us. Thanks for crafting the lovable protagonist of your book, the sweet Archie. Lots of love Archie. When you grow up, the world will be much more colorful and represented than what it is today.
This book has a heart that beats with feelings so fundamental that it's hard to skid over. They want you to ponder over them. Difficult, forbidden topics--mostly hushed in front of children--- represented here with such ease. That too through an adventure. If you read this book my friends, you'll know what I am talking about. The author has made conversations surrounding the LGBTQ community so lovably accessible. There's no going back now. We are all reaching towards an educated new generation, so much more compassionate and with arms wide open.
The book follows Archie as he suddenly confronts a truth, his dad coming out as gay. Confusion strikes. More broken conversations. More viscosity in the family's comfort and the way they drift apart. Archie is lost and dazed, he calls this to be a 'Awkward Olympics' and he seeks refuge. With colours drawn from the sky, the rainbow gives him hope. Makes him see that his Dad is still his dad. His family is just the same in the meter that measures love and warmth. The Rainbow-- The London Pride festival opens up doors for him. Along with his best friends Seb and Bel...he now knows what changed within his father and that it doesn't have to awkward at all. This is a happy demonstration of kindness and empathy. It's one step closer to form a new definition of how families can be, how close knit and how open. This is the epitome of how parental relationships can be, where there are no barriers, just love and care.
Queer representation has to come up in children's literature and everywhere. Why settle for less colours, when we can upturn the palette of the Rainbow? Why settle for compromise, when we can unfurl fully?
Read this for Pride Month 2021
Never late than never. Thanks Benjamin Dean for giving this book to us. Thanks for crafting the lovable protagonist of your book, the sweet Archie. Lots of love Archie. When you grow up, the world will be much more colorful and represented than what it is today.
This book has a heart that beats with feelings so fundamental that it's hard to skid over. They want you to ponder over them. Difficult, forbidden topics--mostly hushed in front of children--- represented here with such ease. That too through an adventure. If you read this book my friends, you'll know what I am talking about. The author has made conversations surrounding the LGBTQ community so lovably accessible. There's no going back now. We are all reaching towards an educated new generation, so much more compassionate and with arms wide open.
The book follows Archie as he suddenly confronts a truth, his dad coming out as gay. Confusion strikes. More broken conversations. More viscosity in the family's comfort and the way they drift apart. Archie is lost and dazed, he calls this to be a 'Awkward Olympics' and he seeks refuge. With colours drawn from the sky, the rainbow gives him hope. Makes him see that his Dad is still his dad. His family is just the same in the meter that measures love and warmth. The Rainbow-- The London Pride festival opens up doors for him. Along with his best friends Seb and Bel...he now knows what changed within his father and that it doesn't have to awkward at all. This is a happy demonstration of kindness and empathy. It's one step closer to form a new definition of how families can be, how close knit and how open. This is the epitome of how parental relationships can be, where there are no barriers, just love and care.
Queer representation has to come up in children's literature and everywhere. Why settle for less colours, when we can upturn the palette of the Rainbow? Why settle for compromise, when we can unfurl fully?
Read this for Pride Month 2021