Copyright Date:
2020
Edition Date:
2021
Release Date:
01/01/21
Pages:
176 pages
ISBN:
1-459-41561-2
ISBN 13:
978-1-459-41561-4
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
19 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Unassuming high school senior Lauri lives for the weekends when they can be Ren, their confident and charming drag king alter ego.One night after an all-ages performance, Ren meets Clover and is immediately smitten. The next day at school, Lauri, now out of drag, meets Clover again. Lauri is sure the only way to win her heart is to do it as Ren. Meanwhile, Ren's drag family is planning a pageant, but Ren is far more interested in wooing Clover than booking acts. Harwood-Jones depicts this little queer community lovingly and veraciously while playfully utilizing and subverting teen romance tropes. As time goes by, Lauri's disinterested loner persona begins to crumble, and Ren's cool-guy act poisons their friendships. The last straw is an audacious performance in which Ren tries to kiss Clover without her consent. Lauri finds themself alone, having pushed away all their friends through their toxicity. The moral is loud and clear but not preachy: Relationships are a two-way street. This hi-lo book is targeted at reluctant readers, though it could easily be enjoyed by any teen looking for queer narratives. Lauri/Ren seems to be White by default; in an ethnically diverse supporting cast, dark-eyed Clover has golden-brown skin.A fun and authentic queer teen romance. (Fiction. 12-18)
Seventeen-year-old Lauren is trying to navigate the tricky waters of teen romance. From high school to the drag show and back, Lauren must keep up their two personasRen, a drag king, and Lauri, a typical studentand come to terms with their feelings both for mixed-race student Clover and their own identity as an LGBTQ+ teen. A realistic but lighthearted exploration of gender and identity, this story is full of colorful, authentic characters, making it a fun and topical read for today's teen readers.
Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group