Tuesday, June 27, 2017

LSSL 5385- LILY AND DUNKIN

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. New York: Delacorte Press.




Lily and Dunkin are both going through a lot of emotions and identity issues- Lily, born Timothy, is transgender. Dunkin, born Norbert, is bipolar. They’re both in middle school, which is a time of identity crisis anyways, so the changes and emotions they are experiencing are truly deep and difficult. These two unlikely friends meet and change each other’s lives. We go on a journey through their lives and interactions with others, some who support them, some who have a hard time understanding, and some who flat out ridicule them. It’s an, emotional book that will open your eyes and your heart to a realm you may not have had personal experience with otherwise. I think it will encourage compassion among its readers.

When we talk about reasons that we share books with kids, we talk so much about building empathy and allowing them to use windows as windows to see into the lives of other experiences that they otherwise would not have. To me, this book provides that opportunity. It allows kids to develop their own opinions as well, and decide how they feel about some of these important issues that are prevalent in our world today.

I love this book as a middle school read- it’s funny how this age group has such touching novels that I love as an adult. Another book to connect to is This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, it’s another middle school book about a school shooting, perhaps an issue worth discussing with that age group as well. The reviews don’t seem great, but I’m intrigued by it.

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