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Librarian Book Reviews

Librarian Book Reviews

Librarian Reviews

What’s the T? By Juno Dawson

What’s the T is a guide written primarily for trans, nonbinary and questioning teens. Juno Dawson has included a section specifically for parents and guardians too. What’s great about this “parents’ section”, apart from the definitions of common LGBTQIA+ terms in everyday language, is that Juno Dawson covers the questions she wishes her parents had asked her when she came out – and then answers them. Questions like ‘How long have you felt this way?’ and ‘What do you want to happen next?’ Of course, any trans or nonbinary teen might have different answers to these questions, but Dawson’s questions will give parents a great starting place as well as an idea of what to expect. The guide is, however, mostly for the transgender and nonbinary readers themselves. Juno Dawson’s conversational style is accessible and engaging. She manages to cover a huge range of topics, including medical, fertility and sex advice, as well as legal advice and how to access services. There is information on trans terminology, history and the gamut of hurdles and delights a transgender or nonbinary individual might face. Dawson compiles a ‘Transgender Hall of Fame’, which she dots throughout the book, including famous transgender figures from all walks of life. What’s the T? is the kind of LGBTQIA+ book every library should have on its shelves. This guide answers all the questions the reader might have, whatever their age or gender.

Find me in: Wellbeing Collection

Review by: Ms Dickson

Previously published in Children’s Books Ireland’s Inis Magazine.

Catalogue link: Koha › Catalog › Details for What's the T? (interleaf.ie)

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The Summer We Turned Green, by William Sutcliffe

Thirteen-year-old Luke’s summer holidays are just beginning as he finds himself playing an active part in a drama he’d much rather just watch from the sidelines - or avoid altogether. His seventeen-year-old sister Rose has left the family home to join the environmentalist commune across the road. His parents are arguing all the time. The only person he can talk to is the quirky Sky who has moved to the commune with her mother. This is an engaging and beautifully-written book, and it manages to find the right levels of humour, fear and sadness that make Luke a credible and likeable protagonist. It is a book that punches just right for its age group. Many teen stories are branded as ‘coming of age’ but this is certainly one where the protagonist crosses the line from child to teenager. Luke is faced with a number of key moments where he has to make choices for himself – to side with one parent over another, to keep secrets for his sister, to holiday with his mother despite wanting to stay at home. The stage of the environmental crisis is relevant and will be resonant with younger readers, as will Luke being cast as the agent of change. It includes themes of family breakup, friendship, climate change and personal growth and even touches on the pandemic in the epilogue.

Find me in: Junior Fiction

Review by: Ms Dickson

Previously published in Children’s Books Ireland’s Inis Magazine.

Catalogue link: Koha › Catalog › Details for The Summer We Turned Green (interleaf.ie)

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Melt by Ele Fountain

In Melt we meet Yutu and Bea, teenagers from two different worlds. They meet when their stories converge in a hut on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Yutu is fighting for his life, and Bea will not make it out of the tundra without his expertise. Running parallel to this story of friendship is a heartbreaking story of loss. The sea is warming and the coastline shifting; seals and caribou are disappearing, along with traditions. The message about climate change could not be clearer.

Find me in: Junior Fiction

Review by: Ms Dickson

Previously published in Children’s Books Ireland’s See Yourself, Be Yourself Guide.

Catalogue link: Koha › Catalog › Details for Melt (interleaf.ie)

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Tomi by Eithne Massey and Tomi Reichental

Tomi Reichental was nine when he was taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. This story takes us from the summer Tomi was six up until after Bergen-Belsen was liberated. This story may be narrated in a child’s voice but the simplicity of the language could be misleading: Tomi is a difficult read. Tomi describes horrific scenes, including his cramped journey to the camp, the starvation, beatings and other horrors he experienced. With guidance, this book could provide an opening to conversations or lessons about the Holocaust.

Find me in: Junior Fiction

Review by: Ms Dickson

Previously published in Children’s Books Ireland’s See Yourself, Be Yourself Guide.

Catalogue link: Koha › Catalog › Details for Tomi: Tomi Reichental's Holocaust Story (interleaf.ie)

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Anna by Laura Guthrie

Anna’s father has died. She moves from London to Scotland and in with a mother she does not know. We are given a glimpse into her life as a thirteen-year-old with ASD. The portrayal of Anna’s Asperger’s is credible and sympathetic. Anna manages new friendships, a reluctant mother, and grief for her father. The story feels relentless at times, with Anna having to deal with an obstacle course of tragedies. It is, nevertheless, a hopeful story, thanks to Anna’s warming worldview and her unlikely friendships.

Find me in: Junior Fiction

Review by: Ms Dickson

Previously published in Children’s Books Ireland’s See Yourself, Be Yourself Guide.

Catalogue link: Koha › Catalog › Details for Anna / (interleaf.ie)

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