This book is so delightfully, perfectly messy. Titular character Daya lives in a small, conservative town in Arizona, surrounded by small-minded, conservative classmates and a small-minded, conservative mom. It’s a tough place to be queer. When Daya begins a friendship that turns to something more with megachurch poster-girl Beckett Wild, she might be making moreRead More
A Grounded Middle-Grade Sapphic Romance: Redwood and Ponytail by K.A. Holt Review
Redwood and Ponytail is a middle grade novel in verse about two girls whose friendship causes them to question many of the norms in their lives. Tam is a tall, confident volleyball player with a strong support network of quirky characters; Kate is a cheerleader—scratch that, she’s the cheerleader, but she’s beginning to wonder if this is quiteRead More
A Quiet, Slice of Life Sapphic Graphic Novel: Firebird by Sunmi Review
Firebird by Sunmi is a two-color graphic novel that tells the story of Caroline and Kim, two girls who meet in tutoring and become friends… and then fall for each other. Caroline is generally withdrawn and easily flustered, but a serious and high-achieving student with a few close friends. Kim is outgoing, glib, friends with everyone,Read More
A Brutal Colonial Horror Story: To the Bone by Alena Bruzas
To the Bone is the story of Ellis, an indentured girl in the Jamestown settlement of the Virginia colony. Ellis aspires toward little more than goodness; born poor in the late 1500s, she can neither read nor count, but understands the world as preachers sketch its edges. She works hard as a servant to the semi-prominentRead More
Queer Friendship and Active Shooter Drills: Fight + Flight by Jules Machias
Trigger warnings: anxiety, panic attacks, bullying, grief, gun violence in schools Fight + Flight has two main characters, Avery and Sarah, who take turns narrating. They attend the same school and each begins the book interested in the other. Bold, active Avery is openly pansexual; she knows she has a crush. And, as a middle schoolRead More