Let’s start at the end. No, not with spoilers, but with part of debut author Ronnie Riley’s Author’s Note, in which they say, “I gave Jude my identities: queer, bisexual, nonbinary, trans, and neurodivergent. But I did not give Jude a struggle over who they are, because this is their gift from me. They know.”
That gift sets the tone for the story of 12-year-old Jude, who tells readers, “I know who I am, but I’m unsure how to tell the world.” While Jude’s mother knows and is supportive, their grandparents are not—and Jude’s mother insists they not come out to the grandparents during their weekly dinners. Jude also worries that “Being fat makes being a cis-presenting nonbinary person harder.” Jude has support, however, from their best friend Dallas, who is gay. Dallas isn’t out to his parents—who argue all the time—nor to his five sisters. He and Jude have each other, though, and for now, that’s enough.
Then Stevie, a girl from their class, is kicked out of the friend group of a popular but controlling girl. The rumor is that this was because Stevie had a crush on another girl. Kind-hearted Jude reaches out to check in with her, and she, Jude, and Dallas soon become a close-knit trio. Jude is inspired to create a community safe space where other LGBTQ and otherwise marginalized people can be among like-minded folks and share advice and stories.
They face some obstacles getting this started, but Jude is determined to make it happen, even though their mom is worried that school is hard enough for someone with ADHD—never mind another project in the mix. Can they bring their vision to life, while they, Dallas, and Stevie each have their own ongoing challenges with families and friends?
The book is at its best showing the characters’ varied coming out journeys. None is at the same place on their paths, and yet they are able to be there for each other across their differences of place and identity. I also appreciate that Riley never uses Jude’s deadname or reveals their gender assigned at birth. Jude changes their name and pronouns in their head when someone uses the wrong one, and we only see their (corrected) thoughts on the page.
Some of the explanations of LGBTQ identities and history that are introduced at various points feel a little pedantic, but might come off as less so to younger readers who haven’t learned about them before. Additionally, the use of “gay community” and “gay people” in reference to Stonewall would have been better as “LGBTQ community” and “LGBTQ people” (especially because of one line referring to transgender Stonewall icon Marsha P. Johnson).
Those minor points aside, this is a warm-hearted story about LGBTQ kids supporting each other and making change in their community, and we can always use that. If some of the storylines seem to wrap up a little too nicely, I’m not going to complain. Queer kids deserve happy endings.
Jude and Stevie are White; Dallas is Black.
Pair this with Small Town Pride and/or The Civil War of Amos Abernathy for more (but different) stories on the theme of queer kids changing their communities for the better.
