A review by bellaamoy
Answers in the Pages by David Levithan

5.0

are they gay? does it matter? 

i read this book in almost a single sitting. it’s a really important read and i’m glad that it exists. book bans are getting more and more prevalent right now, especially in florida. this book make me feel seen and heard. most importantly, it reminded me that the fight isn’t over. 

this book offer a really interesting perspective that i think isn’t talked about enough. the book follows donovan, who’s mother is challenging the book that they are reading in her son’s fifth grade class. though, she never discusses with her son what is going on or why she feels the way that she does about the book. she doesn’t think her son is ready to have conversations about gayness and the fact that it exists, he could be influenced. but, the book displays that students at this age are aware of gayness. it exists in the world. donovan has a gay classmate, curtis. his teacher, mr. howe is gay. two of his classmates have two moms. 

teaching or reading books about gayness or showing gay characters doesn’t make someone queer. that isn’t how it works. all this does is remove the possibility of seeing ourselves in books and teaching us that who we are needs to be hidden away. 

god, this book hit really hard right now. i wasn’t expecting such a heavy hitter from a middle-grade book.