Boteju, Tanya. Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. Simon Pulse, 2019. $18.99. ISBN 9781534430655. 369 pages. Ages 13+. P7 Q8
Nima has a crush on Ginny, but unfortunately, Ginny is straight and likes boys. Nima wants to declare her love to Ginny, but Ginny stops her and tells her she does not want anything to change the friendship they have. But what if that friendship is not enough for Nima? Nima attends a local festival and finds herself a “special guest” of a Drag queen, Deidre. Deidre takes her under her wing for a “night of gender-bending bliss” and opens her eyes to a whole new and exciting life. She has an instant connection with one of the Drag kings, Winnow. This starts an adventure, full of new experiences, self-discovery and fully realizing what she wants in life. The story is told in first person and includes Nima’s inner dialogue as she has self-doubt over her value, her actions and her desires. I learned a lot about the drag scene, including Drag kings. The text is cleverly written.
Verdict: Celebrating gender bending expression and teens as they explore their relationships, this LGBTQ+ novel will captivate and draw readers in. Readers will relate to Nima’s inner dialogue and realize that they are not the only ones who have insecurity. I highly recommend this book for high school and public libraries.
November 2019 review by Tami Harris.