Book Lists

Writing About Gender and Sexual Orientation for Middle Grade Readers

By on October 28, 2015   /   Author Interviews, Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers  

At BEA this year, all the buzz was about GEORGE, a middle-grade novel by Alex Gino with a transgendered protagonist. But GEORGE isn’t the only recent  middle-grade fiction with a transgender theme. There’s also GRACEFULLY GRAYSON by Ami Polonsky, a sweet and poignant story about a boy who knows he’s a girl. And next spring, Donna Gephart, well-known author of popular middle-grade titles (DEATH BY TOILET PAPER; OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN) is coming out with LILY AND DUNKIN (Delacorte, May 2016).

Even five years ago, such books would never have been published by traditional publishing houses. But it seems that as our culture rapidly becomes more accepting of LGBT people and issues, there’s been an implicit acknowledgement that kidlit fiction–and not just books shelved in the YA section–should reflect this reality. When a book like Tim Federle’s BETTER NATE THAN EVER can become a mega-bestseller, I think it suggests that we’ve underestimated kids’ interest in, and need for, middle-grade books dealing with questions of sexual orientation and gender identity.

I’m currently writing STAR-CROSSED (S&S/Aladdin, Fall 2017), a middle-grade novel about a girl who develops a crush on another girl as they rehearse a middle school production of Romeo and Juliet.  It’s a departure for me; in my books I’ve always been careful not to push any boundaries. But I think that what GEORGE and NATE and GRAYSON have showed us is that middle-grade (or “tween”) fiction can explore themes of gender and sexuality in a way that feels authentic–and yet still remains age-appropriate.

So it’s been a great treat for me to chat with Donna Gephart, as she looks forward to next spring’s publication of LILY AND DUNKIN.

Why did you write this book now?

LILY AND DUNKIN  is a dual narrative of a big-hearted, nature-loving, word nerd transgender 13-year-old, Lily, and Dunkin, also 13, who has just moved to Lily’s neighborhood.  Dunkin is dealing with the move, an impossible secret and managing his bipolar disorder.  Somehow, this duo finds a way to help each other be their best, most authentic selves despite the obstacles they face.

When I began this book several years ago, it was a very different atmosphere when it came to talking about transgender issues as well as mental health issues.  Both were more taboo than they are today.  I decided to write the book despite that fact.  And because it takes a long time for a traditionally published book to come out, the tides have turned dramatically and thankfully, we’re having a more open national conversation about issues that must be addressed sensitively and compassionately.

Do you think standards for what’s “safe” in MG fiction are changing? 

I think the national conversation is changing.  When I wrote LILY AND DUNKIN, I needed to explain how Dunkin would have heard of the term “transgender.”  By the time I was revising it, I deleted that part.  Kids now have heard of the term “transgender.”  It’s my hope that with movies, TV shows and books featuring fully-realized transgender characters, everyone will understand more and fear less.  This tide of more exposure and more information can lead to much greater understanding and compassion.  And what safer way to share these characters than in the pages of a book?  It can be the starting point of meaningful discussions.  If a child has bonded with a transgender character or a character dealing with a mental illness in a novel, then when s/he meets a person like this in real life, s/he experiences recognition and a deeper understanding, instead of fear born from ignorance.

Do you expect resistance from adults who think of you as a “safe” MG author? 

I write with great respect for my young readers and I always tackle difficult subjects in my books — divorce, death of a parent, loneliness, bullying, etc.   Each of my novels has both the difficult and lighthearted, just like in life.  The topics in my upcoming novel are handled sensitively, accurately and with great love.  I’d be delighted to see it in the hands of many, many young readers because I think this book will make a difference in creating a climate of kindness.

How do we assure the gatekeepers that just because an MG book addresses certain topics, it’s still “wholesome”–and appropriate for all MG kids, even those who aren’t dealing with those particular issues?

Librarians and teachers are incredibly smart.  They want books in the hands of their students that will expand their minds and hearts and promote love and acceptance.  These are important kinds of books for all kids to read because we are all different in some way; it’s great to also notice the ways in which we’re similar:  We all need a feeling of belonging, of mattering and of being valued and loved.  That’s what my book is about.  And I can’t wait for it to make its way into the hands and minds and hearts of young readers.

Barbara Dee’s sixth middle-grade novel, TRUTH OR DARE, will be published by S&S/Aladdin in Fall, 2016. fall. STAR-CROSSED will be published by S&S/Aladdin in Fall, 2017.

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Multiple Narrators and Moral Development

By on October 26, 2015   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers  

Recently I was listening to a review of the TV series The Affair, an innovative show told from the points of view of four characters with intertwined lives. You’re probably wondering right now what this could possibly have to do with middle-grade novels. Bear with me.

The reviewer highlighted the fact that often when the same scene is shown through two different characters’ eyes, subtle changes, such as where the characters are sitting, what clothes they’re wearing, and what aspects of the situation they choose to highlight, reveal the differences in how they perceive things. As a result, the viewer is left with the task of finding the real truth among the “truths” that these characters believe they’re telling. The show’s technique is not only a lesson in perception, but also a device to have viewers empathize with all the characters and not just the one they most identify with.

Now here’s the part where middle-grade books come in: In his book, Teaching Children to Learn, author Robert Fisher states: “We develop empathy and understanding of others when our perception is broadened … One way to broaden perception is to try to see things from another person’s point of view.” That, he says, “requires an ability to listen to the views expressed by other people, and to make an imaginative leap to understand their feelings and ideas. This leap of imagination is fundamental to moral development and to an understanding of others (or what has been called interpersonal intelligence).”

Of course, reading fiction in and of itself contributes to this leap of the imagination. But I’m wondering if stories told from multiple points of view might result in an even greater leap toward moral development and the understanding of others.

Interestingly, writers are often told to write from one point of view in order for the reader to identify with the main character. Yet many books with multiple narrators have been extremely popular with readers of all ages. I suspect credit goes to the skill of the writer to be able to pull off a book in which a reader can empathize with several narrators. Here are a few favorites:

 

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Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

In Stead’s most recent novel, three narrators navigate the course of friendship, first love, politics, identity, and the pitfalls of adolescence throughout seventh grade.

 

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Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

This book and its two sequels Mr. Terupt Falls Again and Saving Mr. Terupt follow seven students from fifth to seventh grade. Written from the points of view of each of them, the books give readers a glimpse of how several different characters deal with their own challenges as well as each other.

 

FC9781423105169Schooled by Gordon Korman

This novel about a homeschooler forced to go to middle school when his grandmother is hospitalized highlights the issue of bullying. Events unfold from the points of view of the main character, Cap, as well as his social worker, her daughter, a bully, a victim, a popular girl, and others.

 

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Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This long-time best seller tells the story of Auggie, a boy with a facial deformity who enters school for the first time. The story is told from the points of view of Auggie, his friends, his sister, and her boyfriend.

 

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Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Narrated from the points of view of two characters, a boy and girl who have known each other since second grade, the novel goes back and forth, showing each one’s feelings now that they’re both in eighth grade and see life differently.

 

How do you think these books and others written from multiple perspectives add to the reading experience and/or moral development of middle-grade readers? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

Dorian Cirrone has written several books for children and teens. Her middle-grade novel, The First Last Day, which takes place on the New Jersey Shore, will be published in summer 2016 from S&S/Aladdin. You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter as @DorianCirrone. She gives writing tips and does occasional giveaways on her blog at: http://doriancirrone.com/welcome/blog/

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