Review: Lily and Dunkin

Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. I haven't been enjoying middle grade books as much lately for some reason, but this was fantastic. I got some serious Wonder flashbacks when I read it, but that was a very good thing. Like Wonder, the characters face adversity that often comes in middle school (bullying, fitting in, friendships, etc.), but readers are able to hear representation from those that don't always get to tell their stories. I've never read a story about someone who is transgender, although I've been intending to for a long time. I'm not sure if I've read from the perspective of someone who is bipolar either, but both were compelling and important story arcs. Although it was not an Own Voices novel, the author's son is bipolar and she discusses in the author's note a bit about her own experience with it as well as her research process. She also writes about the research she did to work toward a fair portrayal of a transgender person.

I thought it was a thoughtful, important, and well-written book. It is another of the Battle of the Book picks for my students, but this is one that I am truly glad that I read.

View all my reviews