Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

King e as libélulas by Kacen Callender

75 reviews

therealmsroth's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Sweet book about a young black boy questioning and accepting his own sexuality, while also dealing heavily with grief. Lots of conversations with friends and family that I found healing to my inner child. King finds love and acceptance, even if getting there is complicated and hard and scary and sad and sometimes shameful. 
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dominicangirl's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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kxc319's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A very emotional and moving story that covers a lot of ground - death of a family member, homophobia, child abuse at the hands of a parent, and racism. Even with all that, the story reads smoothly and your love for the characters helps you empathize with all these topics. I can’t wait to read more by Kacen Callender!
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kaitidid's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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throwback682's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A YA novel about death, grief, racism, homophobia, and Black masculinity. I wish I had more eloquent words for it but… it was just very good. Touching. Really captures well the middle school “dating” relationships, friendships, and bullying. 
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rockythefreak's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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jmass's review against another edition

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5.0

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aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

This was beautifully done. A story about loss, identity, family. I teared up multiple times towards the end. A quick read that I chose to fill time with while I waited in line for a concert and so glad I read it.
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cardanrry's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful

5.0

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writingcaia's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

It was so easy to rate this book.
Even though I rarely read middle grade I’m so happy I gave this one a chance because I loved the author’s work in their book Felix Ever After.
Now about King and The Dragonflies. What a wonderful, sad and hopeful journey along with King.
Kingston aka King is a twelve year old boy that just lost is 16 year old brother. Grief is what you first encounter, such pain and loss fill out young boy. But, King believes his brother has not left but instead is a dragonfly now. So, everyday we see him go to the bayou look at the dragonflies hoping one will make contact. It’s there he encounters is once friend Sandy. The best friend who once confessed to him he way gay. But, King’s brother overheard the talk and advises him to stay away from Sandy so people don’t think he’s gay too. King doesn’t hesitate to break the friendship. 
Through loss, grief and confusion on how to act, because all he’s told is Black man don’t cry, don’t cook, are not gay because being Black is bad enough in the world as is, King doesn’t know who to be or how to be. He makes mistakes, he lies, but he amidst all he also fights to help Sandy when he finds him hiding from his abusive father.
There’s so much in this story, all the characters from Sandy’s supposedly racist murderous brother, to King’s friends, Jasmine who likes him, and Breanna who sees him, to the little nasty Camille and their homophobic friend Darrel. 
They’re all so complex.
This book was a breath of fresh air, of warmth and light, even amongst all the hard feelings it portrays, because there’s also a lot of love and a lot of fighting for what’s right.
Loved, loved, loved.
My second book from Kacen and won’t be my last from them. They’re amazing writers and show such understanding of the emotions and lives they create on the page.
Another amazing for PRIDE MONTH 💖
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