#starring kitty

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Books with Young Teen Protagonists

Fave Five: Books with Young Teen Protagonists

Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow (13) Hazel’s Theory of Evolution and Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (13) Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton (14) Anything Could Happen by Will Walton (14) Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano (14) Bonus: Coming in 2022, Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass (13) and In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington (13)

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[teafueledcat]

Next read! I literally picked this up because it has a queer MC with my name. Rad. http://ift.tt/2qlQNVb

[funkyqueers]

Everyone loves a good, fluffy gay YA story, right? I'm not exempt from that but I'm not sure this was what I personally enjoy. It's cute, it checks some crucial diversity boxes (the mother has a chronic illness and the main character has a muslim friend) but some of that just felt forced. And after all, this is kinda a cautionary tale about the negative effects of not coming out. I get that. We want queer and trans kids to be able to come out, to be open and loved and supported and full of pride - but sometimes that's just not possible. Sometimes coming out is dangerous and sometimes you just aren't ready. That's okay! Sure, you shouldn't force people to hang out in the closet with you but it's totally fine if you need some time by yourself in there. But maybe I'm being to serious again... It definitely had adorable, lovely moments and made me ache for queer teen love which I never had. Another plus point: a family with more than one queer child! I was actually kind of ecstatic. That's was a pretty rad move. All in all: you can totally read this if you need simple, soothing positivity for your battered queer soul but I suppose there is better written, better executed queer YA out there. (As everyone's token bisexual friend I need to complain about the fact that bisexuality is not even mentioned once. I definitely don't need to see it used as a stepping stone in someone's coming out (not everyone is bi or ever thinks they are, I know) but erasing it reinforces the idea that non-heterosexuality exclusively means gay and that's harmful.)

[lgbt-ya]

Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton

Published by Catnip on June 5th 2014

Genres: contemporary, LGBT, middle grade.

Goodreads | The Book Depository

Blurb:Sometimes the greatest love stories happen behind the scenes… Kitty's keeping secrets. Like how she's struggling to cope with her mum's illness. And how she's falling for the girl with the purpley-red hair... A fun film competition with her friends Sunny and Hannah seems like the perfect distraction. But then Dylan wants to be more than Kitty's secret. Is Kitty ready to let her two worlds meet or will she risk losing Dylan forever?

Review: I love this book so much it's making me come over all emotional. I read it in one evening, interrupted only by walking home from the train station, making dinner and GBBO. I read it with a huge smile on my face from start to finish.

This is a sweet, beautiful, utterly heartwarming story, the kind there just aren't enough of. I don’t want to labour the point on this being an LGBT book, because I think doing so would take away from the fact that this book works so beautifully exactly as it is – it doesn’t feel like An LGBT Book (which is a good thing); it feels like A Book. It never reads like a conscious effort to tell an LGBT story. This is simply the story of Kitty and Dylan, two girls who fall in love and who are fully realised, complex characters. I rooted for them and their blossoming relationship from beginning to end and, when it ended, I felt bereft.

On a personal note, my own mother has MS, and Keris did a beautiful job of conveying the worry and confusion that affects the whole family in those difficult early days after diagnosis. That this was interwoven so well into the narrative without distracting from the main storyline is just one more reason why this is such a solid 5 star book.

I just LOVED it. I'd recommend it to everyone with a heart. And anyone without, for that matter.

5 stars

Guest review by Sara Barnard/blackbirdonthewire!

[lisalovestoread]

Starring Kitty By Keris Stainton

Published By Catnip Publishing 

Genre YA

Blurb:

Kitty's keeping secrets.

Like how she's struggling to cope

with things at home.

And how she can't stop thinking about 

the girl with the purpley-red hair...

A fun film competition with her friends Sunny and

Hannah seems like the perfect distraction.

But then Dylan wants to be more than

Kitty's secret.  Is Kitty ready to let her two worlds

meet or will she risk losing Dylan forever?

My Review.

On The Blurb.

A story about family, friendship, love and sexuality.

Reading the blurb made me eager to read it as soon as possible, it sounded perfect for an afternoon of reading.

On The Cover.

Such a simple cover and it reflects what the story was about so much, Two girls holding hands looking out to sea, though I did wonder what the red and white thing was tied around one of the girls wrists was...  Then as I read further on into the story i understood.

The Story.

The story starts with when Kitty sees Dylan (Who is a girl by the way, with a boy's name) and she is instantly smitten, cant take her eyes off her.  I loved the way that right from the very beginning we find out that Kitty is dealing with her sexuality and this is not your typical "Girl meets boy and falls in love story".

Kitty's home-life is difficult as her mother has MS and it has a huge affect on the family, they all used to sit down and talk but since her mother was diagnosed everything changed and her mum spent most of her days in bed, too ill to do anything.

Kitty and her two friends Hannah and Sunny decides to enter a school competition in which they have to capture their hometown as a tourist destination, this seems like the perfect detraction for Kitty to forget about her mum's illness for a little while and to have fun.

And then there is Dylan.

The growing friendship between Dylan and Kitty is so sweet and it had me rooting for them from very early on.  The connection that they had with each other and the sly little looks that were exchanged between the two girls just melted my heart.

Final Word.

Starring Kitty is a short and sweet read that can be devoured in one sitting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but with only two hundred and four pages it did leave me wanting more.

It dealt with:

Sexuality = Lesbian characters

Health = MS

Religion = Sunny is Asian

Friendship = Between the three main characters, Kitty, Hannah and Sunny.

Family =  Kitty's family

*This book is the first in the series*

The second book is called "Spotlight On Sunny" and will be out Spring 2015.

Star Rating.

4.5/5