Different Kinds of Fruit
by Kyle Lukoff
LGBTQ+
Realistic Fiction
Tween
* * * * Stars (Great!)
When Annabelle returns for her final year at school (6th grade) there are two surprises waiting for her. The first is a new teacher who is interested in students’ input to create their social studies curriculum for the year. The second is a new student – Bailey – who uses they/them pronouns and helps Annabelle learn more about the LGBTQ+ community, as well as (eventually) navigate questions she has about her own identity. When Annabelle tells her folks about Bailey, though, they are less enthusiastic. Her father seems angry, and her mother is visibly upset, but it’s not for the reasons that Annabelle thinks. Her family has secrets she couldn’t have imagined! This is a really fantastic exploration of gender identity and the myriad ways folks have of identifying/expressing who they are. Great for readers who have questions and expanding minds.
