Euphoria Kids

by Alison Evans

Overview

Ever since the witch cursed Babs, she turns invisible sometimes. She has her mum and her dog, but teachers and classmates barely notice her. Then, one day, Iris can see her. And Iris likes what they see. Babs is made of fire.
Iris grew from a seed in the ground. They have friends, but not human ones. Not until they meet Babs. The two of them have a lot in common: they speak to dryads and faeries, and they're connected to the magic that's all around them.
There's a new boy at school, a boy who's like them and who hasn't yet found his real name. Soon the three of them are hanging out and trying spellwork together. Magic can be dangerous, though. Witches and fae can be cruel. Something is happening in the other realm, and despite being warned to stay away, the three friends have to figure out how to deal with it on their own terms.
Anyone who loves the work of Francesca Lia Block and delights in Studio Ghibli films will be entranced by this gorgeous and gentle young adult novel about three queer friends who come into their power.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781760686499
Publisher:	Bonnier Books UK
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	981 KB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Alison Evans is a nonbinary author from Melbourne, Australia. Their first book Ida (Echo) was the winner of the People's Choice Award at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and their second novel Highway Bodies (Echo) was shortlisted for the Readings Prize. Their shorter work appears in the anthologies Everything Under the Moon: Fairy Tales in a Queerer Light, Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Stories, Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories and in other publications. They are co-editor of Concrete Queers and the fiction editor of #enbylife magazine. See: alisonwritesthings.com

Editorial Reviews

'More than just a coming-of-age novel, this is a story about queer teenagers realising the magic they have and allowing themselves to own it.' —The Saturday Paper
 

"Enchanting, whimsical, and refreshing. . . .Coming into Euphoria Kids, I knew that it had witches and it had trans and non-binary characters in it, but that was all. Whilst reading, I was not disappointed as it was so cute and heartwarming, and free of a lot of romance, which is something you don’t see very often in a lot of modern young adult literature! . . Definitely lives up to the ‘perfect for Studio Ghibli fans’ quote that is on the back cover! Overall, I really enjoyed the whimsical nature of this story, and I loved how all the parents were super accepting of the main characters, something we often don’t see in your typical young adult books." —Nerd Daily

"If I was only to read one book my entire life, I would make it this one. The entire point of reading is to transport yourself into another world and be somewhere other than this crazy, messed up Earth. No matter how shitty life gets, books give us hope and life and that’s exactly what Euphoria Kids does. Alison has made it know that they wanted to write a book in which trans kids felt safe and happy. Not only do I believe they have done that, but they’ve also created a novel that promotes love and acceptance in a version of our own reality, removing negativity and toxicity from the fictional world." —Jasper & Spice

★ “Euphoria Kids is a remarkable story. Its focus on its young LGBTQ+ leads, who navigate perilous situations in the process of self-discovery, is directed by positivity.” —Foreword Reviews, starred review

“A gentle meditation on finding your people and coming into your own magic.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Perfect for fans of Francesca Lia Block and Aiden Thomas, this will also appeal to fantasy and magical-realism enthusiasts." — Booklist

From the Publisher

05/07/2021

Gr 7 Up—Witchcraft, spells, faeries, and dryads weave themselves into the homework, coffee dates, and movie nights of three new friends exploring their identities and friendship. A whispering sort of magic lives in the forest around their homes and in their lives. Trans nonbinary Iris grew from a seed in the ground. Babs, a trans girl, was cursed by a witch to be sporadically invisible. The Boy, a trans boy of Arab descent, does not yet know his name but is relieved to have met Iris and Babs. While the story is about magic, known and unknown to the main characters, the real adventure is budding friendships, the ones that grow with careful nurturing and understanding. The strength of this work is in character building and the genuine friendships among the three protagonists. The world featured in the book, while beautifully described, takes time to be fully revealed. VERDICT A slow read but a welcome addition to collections and book lists seeking titles featuring platonic, queer friendships.—Sarah Voels, Cedar Rapids P.L., IA

School Library Journal

2021-04-10
Sixteen-year-old Iris, lonely for friends, feels different from their classmates at their Australian high school: Grown from a seed in their mothers’ garden, they’re also nonbinary.

Their life begins to change for the better when they meet Babs, the trans, lesbian daughter of a local witch, and a new student, also trans, who is referred to simply as the boy since his current name does not fit him. Iris is inclined to witchcraft and begins to learn spells while Babs deals with a diagnosis of depression and a curse that makes her periodically invisible. The boy, nameless for much of the novel, searches for both a name and a sense of self. All three support one another with pure and unconditional love as they tackle everyday problems alongside their dealings with magic. A quest to break Babs’ curse tests their courage but never their devotion to each other. Evans paints a world that is rich with strange magic but is unconcerned with the hows and whys of dryads and vanishing bus stops. Above all, this is a story of queer teens developing vibrant confidence in their own selves and, refreshingly, joy instead of heartache. Although the characterization is slight, some elements are twee, and the plot meanders, the book’s message remains necessary and important. Most characters default to White; the boy is Arab Australian.

A gentle meditation on finding your people and coming into your own magic. (Fabulism. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews