Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
In previous Carte Blanche columns for Booklist, Cart has challenged readers to think deeply about the blurry boundary between young adult and adult literature, and his latest collection will likely continue the debate. Contributed by some of the most celebrated YA authors, the often experimental entries explore what it means to be young and gay, lesbian, or transgender today. Included are a range of inventive forms, from the screenplay style of Ron Koertge's My Life as a Dog to Eric Shanower's short comic, Happily Ever After. Poignant magic plays a part in many selections, as in David Levithan's heartrending story narrated by the ghosts of gay men who, from the afterlife, observe the current generation of gay youth. Others are starkly realistic and include frank sexual relationships between teens and adults, including William Sleator's explicit cautionary tale, Fingernail, about a young Thai man's affair with an abusive Frenchman. Cart's eloquent introduction connects these raw, moving stories that, taken together, make a groundbreaking addition to young adult literature and could easily find a readership among adults, too.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Twelve renowned authors, some of whom contributed to the classic YA collection Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence, use diverse points of view, settings and characters to bring readers stories of sexual and gender identity. Standouts in this collection include Eric Shanower's "Happily Ever After," a graphic-format story of two boys granted wishes that go horribly wrong, and Francesca Lia Block's "My Virtual World," in which social networking enables two troubled teens to form a bond of friendship. Three stories include transgender characters, further expanding this subgenre. In another two, nationality and language barriers serve as a vehicle for a meaningful exploration of sexuality. This collection focuses on older teen and 20-something characters, with even one character in her 40s, meaning that most are solid in their sexuality and gender identification and are exploring what it means to be part of a family, form different kinds of loving relationships and exist as they've accepted themselves. Provocative, quality content. (Short stories. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
School Library Journal
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Gr 9 Up-This collection's refreshing perspective-that gay, lesbian, and transgendered lives simply are, as Cart states in the introduction, "as wonderfully various, diverse, and gloriously complex as any other lives,"-distinguishes it. Twelve acclaimed authors contribute stories ranging from sweet and nostalgic to lyrical and desperate, capturing the blissful/painful process of self-discovery. Highlights include Margo Lanagan's retelling of "The Highwayman" from a voyeuristic stable boy's point of view and Gregory Maguire's story told from different points in time, in which an 18-year-old Iranian-American boy discovers the impact a summer of accidental love can have on his entire life. The formats and settings of the stories are as varied as the characters. Graphic novelist Ariel Schrag's "San Francisco Dyke March" gives funny tourist observations, and in "Happily Ever After," Eric Shanower illustrates how love, not genies, fixes troubled relationships. William Sleator's compelling Thai character finds a dangerous love. Francesca Lia Block, David Levithan, and Emma Donoghue customize the epistolary story. Julie Anne Peters skillfully voices two teen girls' trepidation and ecstasy during their first sexual encounter. Ron Koertge's "My Life as a Dog" is an ingenious metaphor for coming out, and in "Trev" Jacqueline Woodson gently allows Trev to accept his gender identity. This collection, with some detailed sexual descriptions, is sure to find its intended teen audience.-Amy J. Chow, The Brearley School, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.