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A review by jennifrencham
Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee
4.0
Mattie is a bookworm, so she's very excited when her teacher chooses "Romeo and Juliet" as the play her grade will perform for the school. Through various mishaps Mattie ends up being cast as Romeo, starring alongside the very popular Gemma who is playing Juliet. Mattie is pretty sure she likes Gemma, really likes her, and is nervous about telling Gemma, her friends, and her family. Also, she has to KISS Gemma during the play!
This book is adorably sweet, as is appropriate for a middle grade / tween book. I have read a handful of books for this age group featuring LGBT parents, and a few books featuring transgender characters, but this is the first book I've read featuring a female tween character who is not heterosexual. I didn't call her a lesbian because Mattie states that she may still be attracted to boys; she's not sure yet. It's possible that future Mattie may define herself as lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or something else entirely. As a tween book, though, it's more than fine that Mattie isn't sure what to call herself yet. And although Mattie definitely has a crush on Gemma, that's as far as it goes. They have to kiss during the play, and there are some friendly hugs exchanged, but this book is squeaky clean. Highly recommended.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: minor bullying
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: [b:Better Nate Than Ever|13414183|Better Nate Than Ever (Better Nate Than Ever #1)|Tim Federle|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391970255s/13414183.jpg|18707527], [b:The Wednesday Wars|556136|The Wednesday Wars|Gary D. Schmidt|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442044636s/556136.jpg|2586820], [b:The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher|18769869|The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher (Family Fletcher, #1)|Dana Alison Levy|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391311284s/18769869.jpg|26668105]
This book is adorably sweet, as is appropriate for a middle grade / tween book. I have read a handful of books for this age group featuring LGBT parents, and a few books featuring transgender characters, but this is the first book I've read featuring a female tween character who is not heterosexual. I didn't call her a lesbian because Mattie states that she may still be attracted to boys; she's not sure yet. It's possible that future Mattie may define herself as lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or something else entirely. As a tween book, though, it's more than fine that Mattie isn't sure what to call herself yet. And although Mattie definitely has a crush on Gemma, that's as far as it goes. They have to kiss during the play, and there are some friendly hugs exchanged, but this book is squeaky clean. Highly recommended.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: minor bullying
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: [b:Better Nate Than Ever|13414183|Better Nate Than Ever (Better Nate Than Ever #1)|Tim Federle|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391970255s/13414183.jpg|18707527], [b:The Wednesday Wars|556136|The Wednesday Wars|Gary D. Schmidt|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442044636s/556136.jpg|2586820], [b:The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher|18769869|The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher (Family Fletcher, #1)|Dana Alison Levy|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391311284s/18769869.jpg|26668105]