Publishers Weekly
03/07/2016
With humor and great sensitivity, Gephart (Death by Toilet Paper) juxtaposes the efforts of two eighth-graders—one struggling with gender dysphoria, one with mental illness—to establish new identities for themselves. Determined, gentle, and self-aware Tim was “born with boy parts” but identifies as a girl, preferring the name Lily; already “out” to her family and best friend Dare, Lily is both excited and terrified about reactions to a more public transformation. Meanwhile, mercurial newcomer Norbert hates his name—but loves the nickname Lily gives him, Dunkin, which alludes to his favorite haunt—and keeps deep secrets, even from himself. Their friendship develops slowly as Dunkin, desperate for acceptance, gets swept up by an intolerant basketball-playing crowd. Gephart sympathetically contrasts the physical awkwardness, uncertainty, and longings of these two outsiders during a few tightly-plotted months, building to a crescendo of revelation. Strong, supportive women accept these teens as they are, while their fathers struggle mightily. Despite an overly tidy resolution to Dunkin’s story and Lily being a bit too perfect, it’s a valuable portrait of two teenagers whose journeys are just beginning. Ages 10–up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. (May)
From the Publisher
One of YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults
One of YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
One of ALA's Rainbow Book List — GLBTQ Books for Children & Teens
Rainbow Awards Winner of Best Transgender Book
An Indie Next Pick
"Gephart clearly has a lot of heart, and she tells their stories with compassion." —Kirkus
"A thoughtfully and sensitively written work of character-driven fiction that dramatically addresses two important subjects that deserve more widespread attention." —Booklist, starred review
“Gephart sympathetically contrasts the physical awkwardness, uncertainty, and longings of these two outsiders during a few tightly-plotted months, building to a crescendo of revelation…[A] valuable portrait of two teenagers whose journeys are just beginning.” —PW
"Gephart has written a story that will speak not just to one specific community, but to humanity as a whole... This would be a fantastic addition to any middle grade library collection, and is highly recommended for all ages." —VOYA
"Lily and Dunkin is a delight. Here’s a book for anyone who’s ever struggled with being different—or anyone who’s ever loved someone who bears the burden of difference. . . . Crucial, heart-breaking, and inspiring.” —Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She’s Not There and Stuck in the Middle with You
APRIL 2016 - AudioFile
Narrator Michael Crouch portrays 13-year-old Tim, who tells his own story in the first person. When he’s alone, he whirls happily in a flowered dress—“practicing to be me.” Then his moods shift as he envies his sister, who CAN be herself; becomes angry at his anxious father, who worries he’ll be found out; and feels warmly toward his mother, who is able to acknowledge him as “Lily.” In alternate chapters, Ryan Gesell portrays Dunkin, who is new to the neighborhood. Dunkin feels uncomfortable with everything—with his friendlessness, his size, his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, his family’s move to Florida, his kissing up to the “Neanderthal” basketball players, and his discounting of Tim. That’s before he goes off his meds. As his emotions build, his words speed up. The dual narration helps the featured characters and their relationship sound more authentic and gives dimension to secondary characters. S.W. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2016-02-02
Lily is trans and is facing puberty, which will make her look less than herself than she does now, while new kid Dunkin's manic impulsiveness makes him a misfit; though they click immediately, life gets complicated. According to her author's note, Gephart promised her son a story with a character who is bipolar like him and promised herself a story of a trans girl, to help foster understanding of people like them. Gephart clearly has a lot of heart, and she tells their stories with compassion. They speak in alternating first-person narration with cursive headers for Lily and block capitals for Dunkin. Dunkin's insensitivity during manic episodes doesn't erase the fact that he's a good kid, and that comes through. But trans readers will likely not recognize themselves in Lily, even if they share some common ground. Lily is perfectly polite, unfailingly kind, with nary a bad thought, angelic right up to her fairy-tale ending. Though Gephart does a good job of rounding out her other characters, Lily is so pristine that she feels mythical, falling into the pile of fiction's magical misfits so perfect it's impossible not to accept this one little departure from the norm. There are too few messy, complicated trans heroes that still find love and acceptance in literature for kids, and while cis readers may find it educational, this isn't going to change that. Gephart's compassion is noble, but it's not enough to make Lily's story resonate. (resources) (Fiction. 10-14)
