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A review by pucksandpaperbacks
Camp QUILTBAG by A.J. Sass, Nicole Melleby
I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
CW: Mentions of minor transphobic comments, microagressions and hate crime, mention of injury, bullying, homophobia, menstruation scene and illusions to gender dysphoria.
Camp QUILTBAG by A.J. Sass and Nicole Melleby has something for everyone whether you’re like me and would prefer tye-dying t-shirts opposed to kayaking and roller derby or you like ballroom dance and trivia, this middle grade book needs to be on your TBR.
Kai (e/em/eirs) and Abigail (she/her/hers) are new campers at Camp QUILTBAG, a camp for queer and trans kids. Both kids are at camp for different reasons. Abigail wants to meet kids like her (she’s a lesbian who loves Jurassic Park, Laura Dern especially) after her friends at her Catholic school tease and shut her out for having a crush on Stacey’s mom. And Kai would rather be at home with eir friends doing parkour.
Filled with queer and trans joy plus queer and trans kids getting into competitive rivalries and learning from their mistakes, this book truly has something for everyone. What I loved the most is how every kid is different. This book is such a great introduction into the queer and trans community for kids. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think about how important this visibility is for kids to see neopronouns normalized and feel safe just like they would at camp.
I especially liked how it shows and tells kids you don’t have to know right away and each kid at the camp is accepting of the other and accepting of not knowing your label. Camp QUILTBAG is a safe space for LGBTQIAP+ kids and readers.
It’s a great escape but doesn’t shy away from having important conversations. One that resonated with me was Abigail talking about not feeling pride in her sexuality and feeling lonely and isolated since she doesn’t know anything about the LGBTQ+ community. But through her time at camp, that changes.
Highly recommend if you're in need of some hope, queer and trans joy and/or love books set at camp!
CW: Mentions of minor transphobic comments, microagressions and hate crime, mention of injury, bullying, homophobia, menstruation scene and illusions to gender dysphoria.
Camp QUILTBAG by A.J. Sass and Nicole Melleby has something for everyone whether you’re like me and would prefer tye-dying t-shirts opposed to kayaking and roller derby or you like ballroom dance and trivia, this middle grade book needs to be on your TBR.
Kai (e/em/eirs) and Abigail (she/her/hers) are new campers at Camp QUILTBAG, a camp for queer and trans kids. Both kids are at camp for different reasons. Abigail wants to meet kids like her (she’s a lesbian who loves Jurassic Park, Laura Dern especially) after her friends at her Catholic school tease and shut her out for having a crush on Stacey’s mom. And Kai would rather be at home with eir friends doing parkour.
Filled with queer and trans joy plus queer and trans kids getting into competitive rivalries and learning from their mistakes, this book truly has something for everyone. What I loved the most is how every kid is different. This book is such a great introduction into the queer and trans community for kids. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think about how important this visibility is for kids to see neopronouns normalized and feel safe just like they would at camp.
I especially liked how it shows and tells kids you don’t have to know right away and each kid at the camp is accepting of the other and accepting of not knowing your label. Camp QUILTBAG is a safe space for LGBTQIAP+ kids and readers.
It’s a great escape but doesn’t shy away from having important conversations. One that resonated with me was Abigail talking about not feeling pride in her sexuality and feeling lonely and isolated since she doesn’t know anything about the LGBTQ+ community. But through her time at camp, that changes.
Highly recommend if you're in need of some hope, queer and trans joy and/or love books set at camp!
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia
Mentions of minor transphobic comments, microagressions and hate crime, mention of injury, bullying, homophobia, menstruation scene and illusions to gender dysphoria.