Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - Dear Mothman

A wonderful middle grade novel exploring identity and grief through letters to Mothman. At the beginning, you'll just want to wrap Noah up in a hug. Through most of the story, honestly. He's struggling because the only friend he told he was trans, Lewis, has died suddenly in a car accident and Noah isn't sure how to share that information with anyone else.

Noah is also struggling with Lewis's death because it seems that Noah was the only one who knew Lews was trans. So many feelings for 6th grade, and Gow shows it all with grace. Gow's transition to middle grade is an absolute triumph and I can't wait to see what comes next.

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flower_mail's review

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emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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micaelacccc's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book hit me so hard. I had to stop in some places just because of how much I related to Noah's struggles, but in the end all I felt was this book giving me the warmest hug. Amazing read!

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maeve_littooij's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Storygraph recommended it to me. What a beautiful book, heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I loved it more than I expected. I believe in you Mothman!

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woolfinbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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? N/A

5.0

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moonyreadsbystarlight's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

An epistolary novel told in verse, Dear Mothman follows Noah, a closed trans, autistic sixth-grader after the death of his best friend, Lewis. Noah decides to write to Monthman, a cryptid that Lewis loved, and find proof that he exists. More than that, this is a story about greiving, friendship, queerness, and growing up.

We watch as Noah makes friends and grows, even while still remembering and greiving. There is so much about finding your people, understanding and being understood - but also the struggle of communicating and opening up enough to let people understand you.

So much about this book was incredible and touching, it's hard to put it into words. It takes some unexpected turns and was healing and cathartic in a way that only queer middle grade/YA lit can be.

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danaslitlist's review

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

"Dear Mothman,

Thank you for trusting me and coming to visit my camera. I know it's hard being what people might consider a monster. It seems to me that "monsters" are almost always misunderstood - that "monster" is what people become when other people are afraid of them for being different. People like me are called monsters sometimes."

I fully believe this story to belong in the "important and necessary" readings for middle grade readers. Dear Mothman is a story of grief and healing and finding your identity.

There’s something about how queer people, especially kids, feel so seen and understood by idea of cryptids and monsters….and the way that we Noah talk about how it makes sense because just like him, people don’t understand Mothman. They’re scared of him, they don’t believe in him, they don’t see him or they don’t want to.

The way this book in theory is such a simple plot and premise but in reality is so deep and touching. I found myself on multiple occasions putting my hand on my heart because I could feel myself mirrored in instances and quotes. I think this is such a valuable story.

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