Queer Ducks is so informative, enlightening, and FUN! This book explores animals who go beyond the typically male/female pairings in regards to sex. Yes, there are animals out there who choose to get with animals of the same sex! 

This book discusses the behaviors of several different animals who have been observed in the wild demonstrating same-sex sexual behaviors. The author describes how so many animals are bisexual and a lot of people don’t realize it. I love this quote from the book: 

“Maybe we don’t go about learning heterosexuality or homosexuality - maybe we just forget about our bisexuality.” 

I love that way of thinking! Imagine a world where bisexuality is the default. 

Queer Ducks is very easy to digest. I flew through it! The way it is written makes it very accessible. And it’s YA, so the teens in your life can read it as well! The physical book has comics at the beginning of each chapter and drawings throughout. The audiobook (which I paired with the physical book) is great too, and does a good job of incorporating the comics and drawings. 

Send this book to your great aunt who says that queerness is not natural, or that the whole purpose of sex is to reproduce. Animals are out there in the wild choosing same sex relations because they want to! Just for the fun of it! Nothing more natural than that. I’ll leave you with this final quote that I loved: 

“What I am saying is that we can no longer argue that humans are alone in their queerness, that nonheteronormative human sexualities and gender identities are unnatural because they don’t exist in the rest of the animal kingdom. That position is simply not valid. Queerness is a well established and fundamental part of nature.” 

Let’s get the bad part of this book out of the way: yes, there is a lot of lacking communication throughout this book. Yes it is annoying. But yes the book is still worth it. 

The romance in this is truly lovely. I thought the second chance was so well done. We’ve got a drop-out rockstar and a music review writer in a small town. They each have their own pasts they can’t seem to share and have to figure out how to let each other in. 

This book is so queer and I love it! While I really enjoyed the romance, I looooved the found family even more! The main character moved around a lot as a child and found stability and second family in her mom’s friends’ family. They end up staying in touch for years and are all just so supportive. 

If you like romance, I definitely recommend this! 

A bright, colorful book to affirm teens' identities, gender, and exploration! 

I had such high hopes for this book. I wish I could write a glowing “no notes” review. But I just didn’t love it like I hoped I would. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very cute, the writing is good, and it’s a fun plot. BUT. 

The book is set at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, which is where the author attended college. Wellesley is mentioned so much in the book, right down to what floor of what building the meeting room is on, the names of the dorms and dining halls, and many other uber-specific details. Which I am sure is great if you went to Wellesley, but really took away from the story for me. 

Now, for the good: I did love the layout of the book. There are instagram stories and posts in the book that are formatted to look like actual posts, which is very cool. I also enjoyed the alternating POVs. It was cool to get to see two characters from very different backgrounds, the way they think, and how they view themselves in relation to the rest of society. The advice given in the instagram posts is so college, I loved it. 

And most importantly: the acearo representation is SO. GOOD. I am so glad this book exists for the youth, as they discover who they are and are seeking labels to make them feel less alone. I love how the author goes into such detail with both of the main characters’ where the reader gets to see their inner thoughts and feelings which tie into their acearo identities. 

I still recommend this, just know it’s going to be Wellesley-heavy and is a YA. Especially recommend if you are ace, aro, or love someone who is either or both! 

THIS. BOOK. IS. BEAUTIFUL! 

Following the journey of a family with five children, one of whom is exploring their gender identity, Frankel's narrative is both heartfelt and enlightening. With her own experience as a parent of a trans daughter, Frankel brings an authenticity that deeply resonates.

The story delves into the tough decisions families with transgender members often face, from school disclosure to medical considerations. It's a thought-provoking journey. There are so many considerations for a trans child that I had never thought about. Do you tell the neighbors? What about teachers at school? Friends? So much to think about!

What makes this book truly exceptional is its focus not only on the trans child but also on how their journey ripples through the entire family. Throughout the book, the dad - Penn - is telling the children a magical story, which is always timely with what is going on with the family. The parallel narrative of Penn's bedtime stories adds a wonderful depth to the storytelling.

Emotional, educational, heartwarming, and inspiring, this book showcases the resilience and compassion within families navigating similar challenges. 

I recommend this to anyone and everyone. It is beautiful, and you will learn something. This book has been on my shelf since 2020, and I wish I had picked it up sooner.