YA LGBT Books discussion

Possible Start Date: 07/9/17

From Academy Award-winning writer, actor, and activist in the LGBTQ community comes a groundbreaking story about love, prejudice, and being yourself.

“This complex, illuminating and beautiful book reminds us we have to look for the light even in the darkest corners.” —Brian Selznick, author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Phoebe’s life in Neptune, New Jersey, is somewhat unremarkable. She helps her mom out with her hair salon, she goes to school, and she envies her perfect older sister. But everything changes when Leonard arrives.

Leonard is an orphan, a cousin who Phoebe never knew she had. When he comes to live with Phoebe’s family, he upsets the delicate balance of their lives. He’s gay and confident about who he is. He inspires the people around him. He sees people not as they are, but as they hope to be.

One day, Leonard goes missing. Phoebe, her family, and her community fight to understand what happened, and to make sense of why someone might want to extinguish the beautiful absolute brightness that was Leonard Pelkey.

This novel by James Lecesne, the cofounder of The Trevor Project, inspired the critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.

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Cautions

Possible abuse/violence/bashing/death - I'm not sure.

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I'm about to start this one for my YA Book Club Summer Quarterly Book Challenge which can be found here (I'm commenter #16). The prompt is #6, basically to read an LGBTQ+ book for Pride Month. I was thinking about starting this later this month, to give others time get the book if they want and get situated. I have paperback ARC of the original 2008 Hardcover, the cover of which is linked to this thread. It doesn't matter what version you use just be sure that in discussion to state what version you are using, the page #, the chapter so everyone can pin-point the location.

I would say as a group we can decide on an end date for open discussion. Right now I'm finishing Alison Bechdel's graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (which also happened to be made into an "Award-winning" on Broadway Musical. So we have some time to acquire members to this thread!

Interesting blurb - I'm not sure if I'll join this one as the stories are piling up, but maybe a bit later along the way. Thanks for starting the thread.

Kaje wrote: "Interesting blurb - I'm not sure if I'll join this one as the stories are piling up, but maybe a bit later along the way. Thanks for starting the thread."

Can you possibly help me get this out there, so I can have at least 2-3 who will join me in reading?

I'll put a line in the "What's on your mind" thread for the two waiting buddy reads. If no one joins, I was going to put the Reardon into the newsletter on July 1st; I can add this one then too. I probably won't get to read it before then - I have a ton of stuff required of me in the next week and a half.

Kaje wrote: "I'll put a line in the "What's on your mind" thread for the two waiting buddy reads. If no one joins, I was going to put the Reardon into the newsletter on July 1st; I can add this one then too. I ..."

I can wait to read it next month. I'd just like to get it done this Summer for my challenge.

Well, I put this in the newsletter but didn't get much interest apparently. I'm just starting rereading Robin Reardon's Waiting for Walker for the other Buddy Read, but if you're still interested I'd enjoy picking this one up next.

I'm actually listening to Tim Federle's Better Nate Than Ever, so we can hold off on this one, to see if it might gain some traction. If not, I'll message you and we can set out a time to read together. Thanks for your consideration! Happy Reading!

I really liked "Better Nate Than Never" in print - I'll be interested what you think of the audio. Cool - we'll let it ride a bit.