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librarianboy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
el_libromark's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I enjoyed the read. It was a cute story with a cute ending.
amypt46's review
4.0
They eat far too much McDonald’s in this book, but it is a great middle grade LGBTQIA+ read.
achilleanshelves's review
5.0
Small Town Pride is Phil Stamper’s Middle Grade debut – you may recognise his name from his Young Adult titles: The Gravity of Us, As Far As You’ll Take Me and Golden Boys. It is a contemporary story following Jake, the first openly gay kid in his small village in Ohio, when his dad puts up a pride flag outside their house as a statement of his acceptance. When the flag draws up many a conversation, Jake is forced to deal with poignant themes and questions such as what it means to be proud of one’s identity, what it means to be an ally and what it means to belong.
The stand-out aspect of Small Town Pride is the amazing conversations that are had between the characters within it. Jake’s thoughts early in the book about wanting to be out and proud but not knowing how to put that into action really spoke to me in particular as it really captures the feeling of unshaking clarity in one’s sense of self which is muddled slightly by a feeling of isolation being the only one like you in your area – or so you think, at least. Stamper so perfectly captures the small town/ village setting by conveying how Jake felt about coming out and also about how he felt having such a big statement made by his father, out of his control.
Another such poignant conversation is that of allyship and how to be a productive and supportive ally without speaking over and neglecting the needs of those you claim to be an ally to. Jake’s discussions with his father, with Jenna and with his teacher in particular highlight this in a really amazing way and I think a lot of straight people could learn a thing or two from these conversations.
My favourite aspect of this book is the dynamic between Jake and Brett. I am a sucker for Achillean – MlM – love stories, this is no secret, but this isn’t quite that, not in the way that you would expect. Do not go into this story expecting it to be the story of two boys becoming boyfriends as it is first and foremost a story of two boys finding their own sense of pride, what that means to them, and learning how to show that to the world. Brett’s story in particular was very heart-warming as he grows to accept himself.
Small Town Pride is a wonderful Middle Grade story that I devoured in a single night. It is fun, joyous and celebratory while also evoking deep conversations and thoughts that Stamper balances perfectly.
The stand-out aspect of Small Town Pride is the amazing conversations that are had between the characters within it. Jake’s thoughts early in the book about wanting to be out and proud but not knowing how to put that into action really spoke to me in particular as it really captures the feeling of unshaking clarity in one’s sense of self which is muddled slightly by a feeling of isolation being the only one like you in your area – or so you think, at least. Stamper so perfectly captures the small town/ village setting by conveying how Jake felt about coming out and also about how he felt having such a big statement made by his father, out of his control.
Another such poignant conversation is that of allyship and how to be a productive and supportive ally without speaking over and neglecting the needs of those you claim to be an ally to. Jake’s discussions with his father, with Jenna and with his teacher in particular highlight this in a really amazing way and I think a lot of straight people could learn a thing or two from these conversations.
My favourite aspect of this book is the dynamic between Jake and Brett. I am a sucker for Achillean – MlM – love stories, this is no secret, but this isn’t quite that, not in the way that you would expect. Do not go into this story expecting it to be the story of two boys becoming boyfriends as it is first and foremost a story of two boys finding their own sense of pride, what that means to them, and learning how to show that to the world. Brett’s story in particular was very heart-warming as he grows to accept himself.
Small Town Pride is a wonderful Middle Grade story that I devoured in a single night. It is fun, joyous and celebratory while also evoking deep conversations and thoughts that Stamper balances perfectly.
in_and_out_of_the_stash's review
4.0
Rather saccharine. Especially as he was totally accepted by the other students. Liked that it was normal people, parents weren't in fancy jobs.
youngfinn's review
5.0
(I received a free digital copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinions of the book.)
This book gives such a realistic depiction of the homophobia dealt with by young queers in a small, rural town, without being overly tragic and still remaining appropriate for middle-grade readers. I love how much support Jake receives from his parents and from people in his community all throughout the story; it gives the book an overall very positive vibe.
If you are a young queer who has just wanted to be accepted by the community you live in, or if you have never understood what it feels like to be truly proud of your sexuality, or if you are just looking for a heartwarming queer story, then this novel is definitely for you!
This book gives such a realistic depiction of the homophobia dealt with by young queers in a small, rural town, without being overly tragic and still remaining appropriate for middle-grade readers. I love how much support Jake receives from his parents and from people in his community all throughout the story; it gives the book an overall very positive vibe.
If you are a young queer who has just wanted to be accepted by the community you live in, or if you have never understood what it feels like to be truly proud of your sexuality, or if you are just looking for a heartwarming queer story, then this novel is definitely for you!
coffeedragon's review against another edition
5.0
I've been reading a few middle-grade books this month and this was the first (of potentially many to come, lol)
I actually really loved this book!! I feel like often contemporary lgbtq books focus a lot on coming out or feeling like you're alone, and while this book does heavily touch on this, the difference (and thing I loved) was the support Jake gets from his family 😭 ❤️ Unconditional family support is so rare in the books I've read and it was just so nice to see that here. The love and support that Jake feels makes him want to reach even higher and he decides to organize his town's first pride march. That's when things get heavy and friendships are tested. Def a rec!
I actually really loved this book!! I feel like often contemporary lgbtq books focus a lot on coming out or feeling like you're alone, and while this book does heavily touch on this, the difference (and thing I loved) was the support Jake gets from his family 😭 ❤️ Unconditional family support is so rare in the books I've read and it was just so nice to see that here. The love and support that Jake feels makes him want to reach even higher and he decides to organize his town's first pride march. That's when things get heavy and friendships are tested. Def a rec!
flyingwargle's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5