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librarydosebykristy's review
4.0
I loved this adorable, pitch perfect for middle school story about Amos, a history lover and Civil War reenactor in his small Illinois town. An openly gay 13-year old, Amos has a crush on a new reenactor volunteer, Ben, who *seems* like he might like him back but who is a homeschooled son of religious, openly homophonic parents.
Amos has also recently become interested in finding evidence of LGBTQ + people from the past. Surely they existed, he reasons, but where are their stories?
Such a great topic, such a gentle, cute story. Loved this. Perfect for grades 5 and up.
Amos has also recently become interested in finding evidence of LGBTQ + people from the past. Surely they existed, he reasons, but where are their stories?
Such a great topic, such a gentle, cute story. Loved this. Perfect for grades 5 and up.
mslater116's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.25
speculativeshelves's review
4.0
This is a fantastic middle grade looking at the erasure of marginalized communities in American History. The topics introduced are handled with a lot of care a nuance which I really appreciated and I can tell that this book has potential to make a big impact on young readers (especially considering the current issues facing LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities/topics in schools throughout the United States). While it doesn't shy away from addressing homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, etc. it's a very hopeful and positive story at its core. It's empowering and an excellent introduction to intersectional activism.
One thing that particularly stood out to me was the brief exploration different Christian churches and the LGBTQ+ community. The small town has two churches - one that is progressive and LGBTQ+ affirming and one that is clearly a conservative evangelical church. I don't think enough contemporary books (or films or tv) explore this difference often enough as most Christian storylines/characters are of the Conservative Evangelical variety and more progressive, LGBTQ+ affirming churches are rare to see.
The historical reenactment setting was fascinating and unique, the friendships explored were excellent, and I loved the relationship between Amos and his mom throughout.
The dual-timeline aspect didn't completely work for me in the beginning, It occasionally killed the momentum of each of the timeline's plots and I sometimes got confused about which each chapter was happening. I do think that plot structure worked better in the second half when I had finally adjusted to it, but I can see this being something young readers may struggle with. The good thing is that the chapters are short so it's easy to push through.
One thing that particularly stood out to me was the brief exploration different Christian churches and the LGBTQ+ community. The small town has two churches - one that is progressive and LGBTQ+ affirming and one that is clearly a conservative evangelical church. I don't think enough contemporary books (or films or tv) explore this difference often enough as most Christian storylines/characters are of the Conservative Evangelical variety and more progressive, LGBTQ+ affirming churches are rare to see.
The historical reenactment setting was fascinating and unique, the friendships explored were excellent, and I loved the relationship between Amos and his mom throughout.
The dual-timeline aspect didn't completely work for me in the beginning, It occasionally killed the momentum of each of the timeline's plots and I sometimes got confused about which each chapter was happening. I do think that plot structure worked better in the second half when I had finally adjusted to it, but I can see this being something young readers may struggle with. The good thing is that the chapters are short so it's easy to push through.
cshahriary's review
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
kristinajean's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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
4.75
kabookworm's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
laureads4's review
4.0
this was a sweet, wholesome read! knowing more of history is so important and i loved how the author presented questioning traditional narratives
gingerbread_void's review
3.0
This was a really sweet book that tried to tackle some really difficult subjects. In my opinion this book did a pretty good job of succeeding in that goal. I enjoyed the switches between dates as well. I find that that trope is not always easy to pull off but I thing Leasi did it beautifully.
I would definitely recommend this book to any kid who loves history or tales of kids standing strong in what they believe in.
I would definitely recommend this book to any kid who loves history or tales of kids standing strong in what they believe in.
walsh04021's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
5.0