What do you think?
Rate this book
The Language of Seabirds
A sweet, tender middle-grade story of two boys finding first love with each other over a seaside summer.
Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and his uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It's the first summer after his parents' divorce, and he hasn't exactly been seeking alone time with his dad. He doesn't have a choice, though, so he goes... and on his first day takes a walk on the beach and finds himself intrigued by a boy his age running by. Eventually, he and Runner Boy (Evan) meet -- and what starts out as friendship blooms into something neither boy is expecting... and also something both boys have been secretly hoping for.
Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and his uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It's the first summer after his parents' divorce, and he hasn't exactly been seeking alone time with his dad. He doesn't have a choice, though, so he goes... and on his first day takes a walk on the beach and finds himself intrigued by a boy his age running by. Eventually, he and Runner Boy (Evan) meet -- and what starts out as friendship blooms into something neither boy is expecting... and also something both boys have been secretly hoping for.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2022
67 people are currently reading
4,633 people want to read
About the author
Will Taylor
7books87followersWill Taylor (he/they) is an award-winning author, freelance marketing copywriter, and honeybee fan. He lives in the heart of Seattle surrounded by all the seagulls and not quite too many teacups, and when not writing can be found searching for the perfect bakery, talking to trees in parks, and completely losing his cool when he meets longhaired dachshunds. His books include The Language of Seabirds; The School for Wicked Witches series; Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort; Maggie & Abby and the Shipwreck Treehouse; Slimed (as Liam Gray); and Catch That Dog!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
March 5, 2023
Those last two pages had no business making me SOB the way they did.
A middle grade novel following two 12-year-old boys who experience love for the first time while spending two weeks of summer together. Full of many firsts, it’s a story of new friendship, hopeful love, and identity discovery. It is mostly beautiful and uplifting but also sad other times.
It shows how difficult it can be to navigate a relationship where you want it to become more but are unsure how to proceed.
It shows how carefree but scared young and first love can be.
It shows how difficult it can be to trust the people closest to you to come out and tell them a big and important part of yourself.
While there aren’t any themes like homophobia, the story still has a sad tone underneath its layers that shows a journey and process of self discovery. The coming of age theme is incredibly important and relevant to the story and main character, Jeremy, as he discovers new things about himself. Not only his growing feelings for his new friend, but feelings for the future, what he currently loves and is interested in, what he hopes to do in the future, and who he hopes to become. It’s inspiring, showing an important message of self acceptance, resistance, and maturity. It’s about learning to accept your feelings, stand up for yourself, and allow yourself to feel.
This is one of the few middle grade novels I have read, but it’s one I highly recommend.
The rain made a gray curtain against the world, and after another long, silent stretch of time that Jeremy knew he would carry with him for the rest of his life, they each took a corner of the blanket in one hand, tangled their fingers together in the other, and headed for home.
A middle grade novel following two 12-year-old boys who experience love for the first time while spending two weeks of summer together. Full of many firsts, it’s a story of new friendship, hopeful love, and identity discovery. It is mostly beautiful and uplifting but also sad other times.
It shows how difficult it can be to navigate a relationship where you want it to become more but are unsure how to proceed.
It shows how carefree but scared young and first love can be.
It shows how difficult it can be to trust the people closest to you to come out and tell them a big and important part of yourself.
While there aren’t any themes like homophobia, the story still has a sad tone underneath its layers that shows a journey and process of self discovery. The coming of age theme is incredibly important and relevant to the story and main character, Jeremy, as he discovers new things about himself. Not only his growing feelings for his new friend, but feelings for the future, what he currently loves and is interested in, what he hopes to do in the future, and who he hopes to become. It’s inspiring, showing an important message of self acceptance, resistance, and maturity. It’s about learning to accept your feelings, stand up for yourself, and allow yourself to feel.
This is one of the few middle grade novels I have read, but it’s one I highly recommend.
The rain made a gray curtain against the world, and after another long, silent stretch of time that Jeremy knew he would carry with him for the rest of his life, they each took a corner of the blanket in one hand, tangled their fingers together in the other, and headed for home.
July 5, 2022
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
A mesmerizing cover and title and one of the sweetest MGs I’ve ever read about two twelve-year-old boys falling in love for the first time.
Jeremy spends his summer holiday in a seaside cabin in Oregon with his dad. It’s hard, though, because his parents have just divorced. His dad, who always was mellow, is suddenly grumpy and drinks a lot. But when Jeremy meets Evan, he falls in love for the first time.
Two years ago, my family and I were supposed to go to Oregon in the summer. Until COVID struck. So, I have books of Oregon on my bookshelf, including one about birds. And when I started reading The Language of Seabirds, I felt so much recognition even though I still haven’t visited the state.
This is a book that slowly conquers a permanent place in your heart. It’s pure, tender, and inviting while covering heavier themes like coming out of the closet and the divorce of parents. While reading, a fluffy feeling settled in my chest, and my smile grew wider and wider. I loved the scenes where Jeremy and Evan ran for the first time together and how they used the names of seabirds as a secret language. At the same time, my heart broke for Jeremy because of how his dad treated him. It almost felt like his dad didn’t care for him. A twelve-year-old who disappeared at night and his dad just went to bed?
Tears clouded my eyes a couple of times because those boys were so gentle together, and a tear might have run down my cheek when I closed my ereader. This is what kids need who might be afraid that they have to hide who they really are.
I’m sure that I will visit Oregon someday, and whenever I see seabirds flying above the beach and the sea, I’ll think back to The Language of Seabirds. Thanks, Will! I’m so glad that just the title became a beautiful MG.
Thanks to Scholastic, who provided me with this beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Follow me on
A mesmerizing cover and title and one of the sweetest MGs I’ve ever read about two twelve-year-old boys falling in love for the first time.
Jeremy spends his summer holiday in a seaside cabin in Oregon with his dad. It’s hard, though, because his parents have just divorced. His dad, who always was mellow, is suddenly grumpy and drinks a lot. But when Jeremy meets Evan, he falls in love for the first time.
Two years ago, my family and I were supposed to go to Oregon in the summer. Until COVID struck. So, I have books of Oregon on my bookshelf, including one about birds. And when I started reading The Language of Seabirds, I felt so much recognition even though I still haven’t visited the state.
This is a book that slowly conquers a permanent place in your heart. It’s pure, tender, and inviting while covering heavier themes like coming out of the closet and the divorce of parents. While reading, a fluffy feeling settled in my chest, and my smile grew wider and wider. I loved the scenes where Jeremy and Evan ran for the first time together and how they used the names of seabirds as a secret language. At the same time, my heart broke for Jeremy because of how his dad treated him. It almost felt like his dad didn’t care for him. A twelve-year-old who disappeared at night and his dad just went to bed?
Tears clouded my eyes a couple of times because those boys were so gentle together, and a tear might have run down my cheek when I closed my ereader. This is what kids need who might be afraid that they have to hide who they really are.
I’m sure that I will visit Oregon someday, and whenever I see seabirds flying above the beach and the sea, I’ll think back to The Language of Seabirds. Thanks, Will! I’m so glad that just the title became a beautiful MG.
Thanks to Scholastic, who provided me with this beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Follow me on
February 13, 2025
It’s true that spending time on the Oregon Coast has healing properties. This book is a classic feel-good story that is equal measures adorable and nostalgic. I really don’t have much to say, it was simply a beautiful love story about growing up and finding yourself. Though if you ask me, the only one who needed to grow up was Jeremy’s dad. Reprehensible man-child, really. Oh, and I guess I’m officially upgrading from rating every book 4 stars to 5. Got to spread the joy around or whatever. Anyway, I loved reading this, it was like a warm bowl of soup, or a cup of chowder from Mo’s, Cannon Beach.
“Some grown-ups never really got that they didn’t always have to comment. Not everything needed to be pointed to and talked about.�
My. Thoughts. Exactly.
(This review is not sponsored by Mo’s, Cannon Beach.)
“Some grown-ups never really got that they didn’t always have to comment. Not everything needed to be pointed to and talked about.�
My. Thoughts. Exactly.
(This review is not sponsored by Mo’s, Cannon Beach.)
June 23, 2022
WOW.
As a gay guy this book truly moved me. Like truly. I feel like so many young gay boys meet another boy who they connect with when they are younger but it never ends happy like this and honestly I was terrified to read this and the emotions it would bring up. But honestly it was the exact warm hug I needed. I would definitely recommend this to any gay boy regardless of age as a nice warm hug. Please read this. ❤️
As a gay guy this book truly moved me. Like truly. I feel like so many young gay boys meet another boy who they connect with when they are younger but it never ends happy like this and honestly I was terrified to read this and the emotions it would bring up. But honestly it was the exact warm hug I needed. I would definitely recommend this to any gay boy regardless of age as a nice warm hug. Please read this. ❤️
May 19, 2022
A great read. Jeremy was a great character as well as Evan. Jeremy’s mom sounded like the responsible adult while his dad wasn’t. I liked that Jeremy remembered what his mom taught him and utilized her teachings. It’s always sad the kids got mixed up in parents relationship fallout. Good thing the divorce in this story was amicable. This story would have been more interesting if there was a view from Evan. Jeremy’s life was a bit boring to be honest. He constantly worried about which parent he will live with and often noticed his dad had a few too many beers. His dad complained about lack of father-son time but he forced his son up the roof cleaning on his own without his guidance. Adults during divorce can be miserable I guess.
This book began with Jeremy, 12 celebrating his birthday with his parents. It didn’t end well. Six months later, his parents divorced. His dad drove him to his uncle Becker’s house by the beach to stay for 2 weeks while his mom moved out. He’s been harboring his secret this whole time. While looking out over the beach, Jeremy caught sight of a guy he liked. Later he ran into that guy, Evan, 12 at a store in town. By some miracle, he got the Evan’s phone number and met up to run together at the beach. They both liked to look at the seabirds and recalled their names with a secret language of their own for what each bird stands for, such as hungry, feeling awful, goodbye. Just as their friendship were blossoming, Evan had to leave on a fishing trip with his family. Jeremy could come with but he worried he couldn’t hide his crush on Evan surrounded by Evan’s cousins. Later when Evan came back, they hung out more and outside of running together. Meanwhile, Evan constantly worried about his future, whether he will live with his mom or his dad and how the divorce is causing changes in his dad.
The Language of Seabirds was a good story about a young boy who’s going to be a teen soon and finding himself liking fashion magazines and boys. He didn’t have anyone to communicate with what he’s feeling. Not even his uncle as I had thought especially since his uncle was unmarried and lived alone. It’s sad to go through changes without having anyone to talk to, though eventually Jeremy got to talk to Evan about it. I liked the cover of this book as well as the illustrations for each chapter headings. The seabirds language was a good idea. Other than that, it would have been great if Jeremy got to talk to someone about his internal battles. The ending was bittersweet. There’s no guarantee that they will see each other again. His uncle indeed owned many beach houses so I’m going to say they will see each other again.
xoxo, Jasmine at for more details
Many thanks to Scholastic for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
This book began with Jeremy, 12 celebrating his birthday with his parents. It didn’t end well. Six months later, his parents divorced. His dad drove him to his uncle Becker’s house by the beach to stay for 2 weeks while his mom moved out. He’s been harboring his secret this whole time. While looking out over the beach, Jeremy caught sight of a guy he liked. Later he ran into that guy, Evan, 12 at a store in town. By some miracle, he got the Evan’s phone number and met up to run together at the beach. They both liked to look at the seabirds and recalled their names with a secret language of their own for what each bird stands for, such as hungry, feeling awful, goodbye. Just as their friendship were blossoming, Evan had to leave on a fishing trip with his family. Jeremy could come with but he worried he couldn’t hide his crush on Evan surrounded by Evan’s cousins. Later when Evan came back, they hung out more and outside of running together. Meanwhile, Evan constantly worried about his future, whether he will live with his mom or his dad and how the divorce is causing changes in his dad.
The Language of Seabirds was a good story about a young boy who’s going to be a teen soon and finding himself liking fashion magazines and boys. He didn’t have anyone to communicate with what he’s feeling. Not even his uncle as I had thought especially since his uncle was unmarried and lived alone. It’s sad to go through changes without having anyone to talk to, though eventually Jeremy got to talk to Evan about it. I liked the cover of this book as well as the illustrations for each chapter headings. The seabirds language was a good idea. Other than that, it would have been great if Jeremy got to talk to someone about his internal battles. The ending was bittersweet. There’s no guarantee that they will see each other again. His uncle indeed owned many beach houses so I’m going to say they will see each other again.
xoxo, Jasmine at for more details
Many thanks to Scholastic for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
May 2, 2024
Really sweet first love story that also tackles some heavier issues (divorce, alcoholism of a parent, coming out, etc.)
Most of this I listened to with my son and he liked it a lot as well. We both got angry at the parts where Jeremy’s dad is being a jerk though�
Most of this I listened to with my son and he liked it a lot as well. We both got angry at the parts where Jeremy’s dad is being a jerk though�
January 3, 2025
rtc once i wipe all the tears and snot off my face
jeremy is caught in the in-between—between childhood and whatever comes next, and on vacation on the oregon coast with his newly divorced father. there's a secret in his heart, one he keeps to himself, not yet put into words. on his first day, he sees a boy running by and can’t take his eyes off him. he later meets runner boy again and friendship blooms into adventures, a secret language, and something both boys have quietly been hoping for. summer vacation won’t last forever, but what if, in the in-between, jeremy has a chance to be himself and sing the song of his heart?
i talk a lot about loving queer YA. i read queer YA to heal my inner queer teen, for teenage me who didn’t have these books and couldn’t see herself on page, who missed out on so many experiences because she didn’t know that she existed. and now? now i read queer YA for unfettered joy, to bask in that fact that these books exist in droves for queer teens today.
but queer middle grade books? queer MG are the thoughts you whisper to yourself in the quiet of the night, the song your heart demands to sing, even if you don’t quite know the lyrics yet, even if you’re not ready to get up on the stage. it’s the warmth of possibility, of singing quietly under your breath, the comfort when you realize that someone next to you has been singing along too.
queer MG are feelings that don’t quite make sense, feelings that should be happy but end up with worry and fear mixed in. queer MG is discovery, hearts learning to beat, heartbeat by heartbeat.
i'm always surprised when queer MG makes me cry, but i shouldn’t be. because queer MG is timeless. queer MG is claiming the right to know your own heart, taking in a breath after a lifetime of being underwater. queer MG is love at it’s most honest and simple form—raw, vulnerable, and true. it’s love that always wins, that takes flight in spite of that fear, on the wings of a seabird.
“he wanted to say it. he did. but he was so afraid. knowing your own secret was one thing, but speaking it, opening your mouth and saying those words to the huge, crashing world, that was dangerous. that could hurt. and there would be no turning back.�
jeremy is caught in the in-between—between childhood and whatever comes next, and on vacation on the oregon coast with his newly divorced father. there's a secret in his heart, one he keeps to himself, not yet put into words. on his first day, he sees a boy running by and can’t take his eyes off him. he later meets runner boy again and friendship blooms into adventures, a secret language, and something both boys have quietly been hoping for. summer vacation won’t last forever, but what if, in the in-between, jeremy has a chance to be himself and sing the song of his heart?
i talk a lot about loving queer YA. i read queer YA to heal my inner queer teen, for teenage me who didn’t have these books and couldn’t see herself on page, who missed out on so many experiences because she didn’t know that she existed. and now? now i read queer YA for unfettered joy, to bask in that fact that these books exist in droves for queer teens today.
but queer middle grade books? queer MG are the thoughts you whisper to yourself in the quiet of the night, the song your heart demands to sing, even if you don’t quite know the lyrics yet, even if you’re not ready to get up on the stage. it’s the warmth of possibility, of singing quietly under your breath, the comfort when you realize that someone next to you has been singing along too.
queer MG are feelings that don’t quite make sense, feelings that should be happy but end up with worry and fear mixed in. queer MG is discovery, hearts learning to beat, heartbeat by heartbeat.
i'm always surprised when queer MG makes me cry, but i shouldn’t be. because queer MG is timeless. queer MG is claiming the right to know your own heart, taking in a breath after a lifetime of being underwater. queer MG is love at it’s most honest and simple form—raw, vulnerable, and true. it’s love that always wins, that takes flight in spite of that fear, on the wings of a seabird.
August 5, 2022
I liked this book enough to read it in one solid sitting (at the beach). But I would have liked a couple scenes re-written, to help keep the not-yet-teens from needing to be the grown-ups.
Jeremy meeting Evan started a great friendship, that fit nicely to the 12-year old ages they represented. I liked the inner-turmoil of Jeremy who was out only to himself, since his parents were divorcing and communications got complicated.
I was a bit surprised at two scenes with the boys: 1)Sneaking out of the houses at night to meet. Rather bold at 12, but I guess OK. 2)When they missed the 4th of July party and nobody missed them properly. I liked how Evan told his Grandma, but I really thought that this was the opportunity for Jeremy to tell more to his Dad, instead of a lie.
I appreciated that the author wanted to show the problems Mike (Jeremy's Dad) was having but it seemed to out-of-character for his professor character.
Mike's out-of-character traits:
I was sitting on an easy 4, hoping for a 5* ending, but I'm back into 3.5/4 territory per the spoiler points.
Jeremy meeting Evan started a great friendship, that fit nicely to the 12-year old ages they represented. I liked the inner-turmoil of Jeremy who was out only to himself, since his parents were divorcing and communications got complicated.
I was a bit surprised at two scenes with the boys: 1)Sneaking out of the houses at night to meet. Rather bold at 12, but I guess OK. 2)When they missed the 4th of July party and nobody missed them properly. I liked how Evan told his Grandma, but I really thought that this was the opportunity for Jeremy to tell more to his Dad, instead of a lie.
I appreciated that the author wanted to show the problems Mike (Jeremy's Dad) was having but it seemed to out-of-character for his professor character.
Mike's out-of-character traits:
I was sitting on an easy 4, hoping for a 5* ending, but I'm back into 3.5/4 territory per the spoiler points.
December 2, 2021
Catch me sobbing about two boys and their secret bird language on a random Thursday 😭
July 29, 2024
Did I stay up until 2:00 AM finishing this book and crying for a solid 10 minutes after I finished it in the middle of the night? The answer is yes.
Wow. This book blew me out of the water. I never really pick up middle-grade novels, as my preference is more towards young adult or contemporary adult fiction. This transcended my expectations for a MG novel.
This book was heartwarming, empathetic, insightful, and tackled sensitive topics so well -- alcoholism, divorce, and coming out. Exploring alcohol abuse in a book meant for younger readers is important, because alcoholism knows no age. Seeing the effects of divorce on a family is something readers of any age can identify with, and I think this book has done a great job at highlighting those effects.
The relationship between Jeremy and Evan was simply beautiful. I caught myself smiling at how adorable so many parts of this book were. Watching them find support in each other (and later, love) and finding themselves in the process was a joy to watch unfold. The symbolism of them creating their own secret language was lovely, and a great way to hold the themes of the book together.
SPOILER ALERT !
That ending. I fell apart a little. I wanted so bad for there to be some sort of closure on what would happen between the two boys in the future. Watching them part ways, and Evan not looking back, was so soul-crushing and sad -- it truly made my heart ache, though it was also a practical place to end the book. In my mind, I will go on believing that they remain close, that they both find themselves at the beach together again, and that they still love each other. Dear Will Taylor -- I would read a sequel in a heartbeat!
Wow. This book blew me out of the water. I never really pick up middle-grade novels, as my preference is more towards young adult or contemporary adult fiction. This transcended my expectations for a MG novel.
This book was heartwarming, empathetic, insightful, and tackled sensitive topics so well -- alcoholism, divorce, and coming out. Exploring alcohol abuse in a book meant for younger readers is important, because alcoholism knows no age. Seeing the effects of divorce on a family is something readers of any age can identify with, and I think this book has done a great job at highlighting those effects.
The relationship between Jeremy and Evan was simply beautiful. I caught myself smiling at how adorable so many parts of this book were. Watching them find support in each other (and later, love) and finding themselves in the process was a joy to watch unfold. The symbolism of them creating their own secret language was lovely, and a great way to hold the themes of the book together.
SPOILER ALERT !
That ending. I fell apart a little. I wanted so bad for there to be some sort of closure on what would happen between the two boys in the future. Watching them part ways, and Evan not looking back, was so soul-crushing and sad -- it truly made my heart ache, though it was also a practical place to end the book. In my mind, I will go on believing that they remain close, that they both find themselves at the beach together again, and that they still love each other. Dear Will Taylor -- I would read a sequel in a heartbeat!
February 5, 2023
This was a beautifully told, quiet little queer tale of self-acceptance taking place on the Oregon coast. I really enjoyed all that it included, despite its brevity, and loved the audio narration by Michael Crouch.
Our protagonist Jeremy grows to accept his burgeoning homosexuality amid a scenic vacation tempered by his father's growing post-divorce alcoholism and rough parenting. Trigger warning for that, because it was a little tough for me - there is an awful, cringey scene with the alcoholic father drunk in public near the 85% mark. It results in a major plot development but was still upsetting to get through.
I didn't realize this was middle grade, so it does lean extremely clean and tame, which was fine. It was more about feelings and growing into identity during a couple-weeks vacation stint at the sea. The boys' bonding over a secret friendship language wherein different seabirds represent different concepts and emotions was very cute.
And look at that gorgeous cover!
Our protagonist Jeremy grows to accept his burgeoning homosexuality amid a scenic vacation tempered by his father's growing post-divorce alcoholism and rough parenting. Trigger warning for that, because it was a little tough for me - there is an awful, cringey scene with the alcoholic father drunk in public near the 85% mark. It results in a major plot development but was still upsetting to get through.
I didn't realize this was middle grade, so it does lean extremely clean and tame, which was fine. It was more about feelings and growing into identity during a couple-weeks vacation stint at the sea. The boys' bonding over a secret friendship language wherein different seabirds represent different concepts and emotions was very cute.
And look at that gorgeous cover!
August 2, 2022
This book is truly Cormorant.
I was not expecting to get so emotional when I chose The Language of Seabirds for my next read, I haven't cried that much in a while.
I love this book with my whole heart!
I was not expecting to get so emotional when I chose The Language of Seabirds for my next read, I haven't cried that much in a while.
I love this book with my whole heart!
May 14, 2023
i prolonged reading this bc i knew it would alter my brain chemistry forever and i was right omg omg 😭
also, top 10 fictional fathers i wanted to murder. what a fucking manbaby.
also, top 10 fictional fathers i wanted to murder. what a fucking manbaby.
August 5, 2022
Part of the problem is that this book took itself a little too seriously. Hence, the author felt the need for like 3 or 4 afterwords.
I don't dispute that writing about adolescent gay love is important and touchy. Here, the protagonists were literally just 12 years old. And it was a pretty chaste romance, thankfully. (Because if we were reading about 12 year olds engaging in hardcore sexual activity, I'm pretty sure that's just child porn.) I don't know if the author was intentionally avoiding addressing the weightiest, most adult topics, because he was trying to keep the reader in the mindset of an adolescent.
This is a 2-week summer romance. While both boys have cell phones and the ability to text each other a lot, neither of them normally lives on the Oregon coast. The protagonist isn't even sure where he is going to be living the next year, because his parents were recently divorced and he had not yet decided which parent he was going to choose to live with. So, there is no chance that this relationship could truly last. The protagonist thinks to himself that a lot can happen in two weeks. That may be true, but from my adult perspective, I can usually feel two weeks slip through my fingers like sand. Usually, this is a two-week period in which I'm trying to remember to take my suits to the dry cleaners, and I never manage it.
The protagonist's father is not taking the divorce well (as it was not really his idea), and he is clearly showing signs of alcoholism. However, the word "alcoholism" is never used, not even briefly or in the protagonist's thoughts. His brain shies away from addressing the weighty adult topic.
That part actually is sort of realistic. When I was this age, I actually still was in such denial, I stopped myself from allowing the word "gay" to cross my mind. When I found myself admiring a guy's body, I would panic and try to convince myself that this must be a problem lots of people have, with hormones misfiring and finding the wrong gender attractive. I was convinced that it was some sort of mistake, a fluke that I could still fix because sexual attraction was so new.
Still, my adult perspective makes it difficult to take this summer romance seriously.
Realistically, the boys will text each other periodically for a few months, but one of them will meet a new guy at school who might be gay, and crush on him. One of them will possibly crush on a straight guy and have a painful, harlequin romance. One will decide he's sexually adventurous and give a random guy a blowjob in a bathroom, and when he proudly reports it to the other, the other will still have lingering feelings of jealousy and disgust, and then they'll stop talking.
It's also difficult to take the conceit of this book seriously. The boys decide to use the names of random seabirds as code for other words. This is just a hobby of theirs, and I don't begrudge them it. I just don't care. I know nothing about birds, I haven't seen any of the birds they're listing, and it's all meaningless drivel to me. What I find more curious is that each boy seems to have a few particular interests, but neither boy talks seriously about advanced schooling and careers or anything. Not even in the little kid sense of, "I'd like to be _______ when I grow up!"
The protagonist is into fashion, which I find cringe. He blithely tells his love interest to look at a dress and, "Imagine yourself wearing this, and how it would make you feel!" Okay, bitch. Not all gay men are into drag. And especially at this age, that should be a whole other conversation about one boy trying to explain to the other that he doesn't think he ever wants a sex-change operation, and no, he would never dress in drag, and isn't it kind of weird that gay men ever do that? Because, isn't the whole point that they're attracted to other men, so in the act of dressing like women, they're making themselves less attractive to their target audience?
The author bypassed all that.
He also gave our protagonist an interest in geology. Geology, fashion, and ornithology normally do NOT go together. He could major in each of those things in college, but there is no job that combines those things (other than maybe dressing Lady Gaga).
Then the author used those giant green cans of Arizona iced tea as somehow an indicator of gay, which was news to me. Am I supposed to be drinking those? Because I mostly just drink coffee and cream soda.
And, of course, the author never once used the word "gay." Or homosexual, or queer, or anything else. Presumably, this was an intentional choice because young people don't like labels. But by choosing to go that course, he once again bypassed all the truly adult topics.
Like, gay men fought and died in Stonewall riots for your rights, kid. There are activists fighting to this day to make sure that LGBTQIA folks have legal protections to prevent employers from firing them just for learning that the employee was gay. We have all these horrible stories about the allied forces leaving gay men in Nazi internment camps despite liberating the Jews, because they believed that we belonged there. We have been victims of lynchings and microaggressions alike.
But, the author doesn't want to talk about any of that. He just wants his "sweet" summer romance story. The backdrop of all the horrible things associated with being gay is just... ignored.
I don't dispute that writing about adolescent gay love is important and touchy. Here, the protagonists were literally just 12 years old. And it was a pretty chaste romance, thankfully. (Because if we were reading about 12 year olds engaging in hardcore sexual activity, I'm pretty sure that's just child porn.) I don't know if the author was intentionally avoiding addressing the weightiest, most adult topics, because he was trying to keep the reader in the mindset of an adolescent.
This is a 2-week summer romance. While both boys have cell phones and the ability to text each other a lot, neither of them normally lives on the Oregon coast. The protagonist isn't even sure where he is going to be living the next year, because his parents were recently divorced and he had not yet decided which parent he was going to choose to live with. So, there is no chance that this relationship could truly last. The protagonist thinks to himself that a lot can happen in two weeks. That may be true, but from my adult perspective, I can usually feel two weeks slip through my fingers like sand. Usually, this is a two-week period in which I'm trying to remember to take my suits to the dry cleaners, and I never manage it.
The protagonist's father is not taking the divorce well (as it was not really his idea), and he is clearly showing signs of alcoholism. However, the word "alcoholism" is never used, not even briefly or in the protagonist's thoughts. His brain shies away from addressing the weighty adult topic.
That part actually is sort of realistic. When I was this age, I actually still was in such denial, I stopped myself from allowing the word "gay" to cross my mind. When I found myself admiring a guy's body, I would panic and try to convince myself that this must be a problem lots of people have, with hormones misfiring and finding the wrong gender attractive. I was convinced that it was some sort of mistake, a fluke that I could still fix because sexual attraction was so new.
Still, my adult perspective makes it difficult to take this summer romance seriously.
Realistically, the boys will text each other periodically for a few months, but one of them will meet a new guy at school who might be gay, and crush on him. One of them will possibly crush on a straight guy and have a painful, harlequin romance. One will decide he's sexually adventurous and give a random guy a blowjob in a bathroom, and when he proudly reports it to the other, the other will still have lingering feelings of jealousy and disgust, and then they'll stop talking.
It's also difficult to take the conceit of this book seriously. The boys decide to use the names of random seabirds as code for other words. This is just a hobby of theirs, and I don't begrudge them it. I just don't care. I know nothing about birds, I haven't seen any of the birds they're listing, and it's all meaningless drivel to me. What I find more curious is that each boy seems to have a few particular interests, but neither boy talks seriously about advanced schooling and careers or anything. Not even in the little kid sense of, "I'd like to be _______ when I grow up!"
The protagonist is into fashion, which I find cringe. He blithely tells his love interest to look at a dress and, "Imagine yourself wearing this, and how it would make you feel!" Okay, bitch. Not all gay men are into drag. And especially at this age, that should be a whole other conversation about one boy trying to explain to the other that he doesn't think he ever wants a sex-change operation, and no, he would never dress in drag, and isn't it kind of weird that gay men ever do that? Because, isn't the whole point that they're attracted to other men, so in the act of dressing like women, they're making themselves less attractive to their target audience?
The author bypassed all that.
He also gave our protagonist an interest in geology. Geology, fashion, and ornithology normally do NOT go together. He could major in each of those things in college, but there is no job that combines those things (other than maybe dressing Lady Gaga).
Then the author used those giant green cans of Arizona iced tea as somehow an indicator of gay, which was news to me. Am I supposed to be drinking those? Because I mostly just drink coffee and cream soda.
And, of course, the author never once used the word "gay." Or homosexual, or queer, or anything else. Presumably, this was an intentional choice because young people don't like labels. But by choosing to go that course, he once again bypassed all the truly adult topics.
Like, gay men fought and died in Stonewall riots for your rights, kid. There are activists fighting to this day to make sure that LGBTQIA folks have legal protections to prevent employers from firing them just for learning that the employee was gay. We have all these horrible stories about the allied forces leaving gay men in Nazi internment camps despite liberating the Jews, because they believed that we belonged there. We have been victims of lynchings and microaggressions alike.
But, the author doesn't want to talk about any of that. He just wants his "sweet" summer romance story. The backdrop of all the horrible things associated with being gay is just... ignored.
December 31, 2022
A very moving queer Middle Grade story about a sweet summer romance between two boys. This just hit me in my heart. Will Taylor’s writing made everything just come to life, from the setting to the emotions and so much more.
The story follows Jeremy as he and his dad take a vacation to a seaside cabin in Oregon. But this summer is different because it’s the first one after his parents have gotten divorced. And his dad is starting to act differently, like being way more strict and drinking way more than he used to. Some of the really heartbreaking scenes in the book come from Jeremy’s interactions with his dad.
The friendship that Jeremy starts with Evan, a kid he meets during his vacation, was so adorable. Watching them get to know one another and slowly reveal their feelings was just so pure. There’s definitely a bittersweet feeling to the whole book because of knowing that they live in different places and only have a short time together this summer. But it’s just lovely overall.
The story follows Jeremy as he and his dad take a vacation to a seaside cabin in Oregon. But this summer is different because it’s the first one after his parents have gotten divorced. And his dad is starting to act differently, like being way more strict and drinking way more than he used to. Some of the really heartbreaking scenes in the book come from Jeremy’s interactions with his dad.
The friendship that Jeremy starts with Evan, a kid he meets during his vacation, was so adorable. Watching them get to know one another and slowly reveal their feelings was just so pure. There’s definitely a bittersweet feeling to the whole book because of knowing that they live in different places and only have a short time together this summer. But it’s just lovely overall.
August 9, 2022
nothing makes me cry more than queer middle grade
October 3, 2022
First of all, the title is one of the best I've seen in relation to what it means. I assumed it was a reference to some important scene with seabird sounds in the background, but it's not that. You'll get the meaning when you read the book.
This is a middle-grade story, taking place during the 2 weeks Jeremy spends in a small Oregon town with his recently divorced dad and his uncle. The exact timeframe of the book is a bit vague: there seems to be no internet, but there are text messages. And there are a lot of magazines around. So early 00s? The whole atmosphere and vibe could easily be 70s or 80s though if there wasn't the technology to show it's actually later.
It's a very sweet and fuzzy story: from the moment Jeremy meets Evan, to the growing realization of his feelings, his fear of whether Evan feels the same and what if someone finds out, the enthusiasm, the anger, the softness.
The adults of the story are either downright horrible (Jeremy's dad) or negligent. 13 year old boys working in the family business? Doing chores like cleaning the roof? This is something I only expect to see in books taking place several decads earlier in the past and I'm a bit baffled on how normalized it was in this book.
I have a huge complain that left me a sour aftertaste: the ending. . That's the only reason this book isn't a 5-star.
This is a middle-grade story, taking place during the 2 weeks Jeremy spends in a small Oregon town with his recently divorced dad and his uncle. The exact timeframe of the book is a bit vague: there seems to be no internet, but there are text messages. And there are a lot of magazines around. So early 00s? The whole atmosphere and vibe could easily be 70s or 80s though if there wasn't the technology to show it's actually later.
It's a very sweet and fuzzy story: from the moment Jeremy meets Evan, to the growing realization of his feelings, his fear of whether Evan feels the same and what if someone finds out, the enthusiasm, the anger, the softness.
The adults of the story are either downright horrible (Jeremy's dad) or negligent. 13 year old boys working in the family business? Doing chores like cleaning the roof? This is something I only expect to see in books taking place several decads earlier in the past and I'm a bit baffled on how normalized it was in this book.
I have a huge complain that left me a sour aftertaste: the ending. . That's the only reason this book isn't a 5-star.
March 29, 2023
read this gay middle grade summer story, they said. it'll be fun, they said...
fast forward to me sobbing. THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS felt like a warm hug and someone ripping my heart out of my chest (repeatedly) all at once. basically... i highly recommend this one!
fast forward to me sobbing. THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS felt like a warm hug and someone ripping my heart out of my chest (repeatedly) all at once. basically... i highly recommend this one!
March 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this, great book for parents and teens. Beautiful message
August 22, 2023
“he wanted to say it. he did. but he was so afraid. knowing your own secret was one thing, but speaking it, opening your mouth and saying those words to the huge, crashing world, that was dangerous. that could hurt. and there would be no turning back.�
reading middle grade stories often feels like an intrusion on language meant for a different generation, but this story was written with it’s heart wide open. it’s hard to understand how i was able to connect to taylor’s words so much. i am most definitely not a 12 year old boy, running the oregon coast, but i see even my current self in jeremy’s hesitance and the way he overthinks texts and knows his place in the world lacks permanance. the language of seabirds captures the idea of the in-between, the anticipation and fear of being in between two places both geographically and in your life, on the brink of childhood and teenagehood, not the before and after, but what falls into the cracks.
in one word, this book is healing. i found so much peace in jeremy’s oregon coast, and though this book is, by no means, happy-go-lucky, it, at it’s heart, is so,,, good. 12 year old me would have snatched this story with love and lack of understanding, but 17 year old me feels it’s freedom. evan, the boy jeremy meets when he spends a few weeks on the oregon coast with his dad in the midst of his parents divorce, complements jeremy perfectly. seeing the two boys both acknowledging what their future entails, what they know they will have to handle, while simultaneously finding safety in each other and in silly games, in playing with plastic dinosaurs under moonlight, god, that’s what gets me. it’s the in-between! and the, in a way, happy ending: that’s healing. there’s trauma, but there’s still air left to breathe.
“two boys, half-wrapped in a blanket, snack food wrappers and plastic dinosaurs heaped in the sand beside them, their faces full of terror and their legs all tangled. two boys caught somewhere between childhood and whatever came next.�
i think the point of this 12-year old romance isn’t for them to fall in love. they’re 12. the point is discovery, of learning to build connections and figure out who you are and who you can be. the beauty of middle grade isn’t a passionate romance, it’s a story told in friendship and emotions and how certain people can change everything. how our hearts learn to beat and our palms learn to sweat, and the newness and the fear and the beauty that comes with being 12 and confused and trying to find something for yourself.
this book feels so personal. it IS personal. it is a middle grade, but it’s also timeless? my queer teens, queer adults, those who have had to hold in their hands the burden of their parents. this book is meant for you. it’s healing, it’s 12 years old under the oregon sun, it’s really is the language of seabirds, of soaring and freedom and speaking in your own words, at your own timing. (how did i spend this entire review not talking about the literal language of seabirds? the way it’s not just a metaphor and literally a way for evan and jeremy to communicate their feelings- i digress.)
thank you to scholastic press for providing me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review! and thank you to will taylor for writing this and being vulnerable with your words! the language of seabirds releases july 19, so make sure to preorder. :,)
content warnings: alcohol abuse, separated parents, implied homophobia
reading middle grade stories often feels like an intrusion on language meant for a different generation, but this story was written with it’s heart wide open. it’s hard to understand how i was able to connect to taylor’s words so much. i am most definitely not a 12 year old boy, running the oregon coast, but i see even my current self in jeremy’s hesitance and the way he overthinks texts and knows his place in the world lacks permanance. the language of seabirds captures the idea of the in-between, the anticipation and fear of being in between two places both geographically and in your life, on the brink of childhood and teenagehood, not the before and after, but what falls into the cracks.
in one word, this book is healing. i found so much peace in jeremy’s oregon coast, and though this book is, by no means, happy-go-lucky, it, at it’s heart, is so,,, good. 12 year old me would have snatched this story with love and lack of understanding, but 17 year old me feels it’s freedom. evan, the boy jeremy meets when he spends a few weeks on the oregon coast with his dad in the midst of his parents divorce, complements jeremy perfectly. seeing the two boys both acknowledging what their future entails, what they know they will have to handle, while simultaneously finding safety in each other and in silly games, in playing with plastic dinosaurs under moonlight, god, that’s what gets me. it’s the in-between! and the, in a way, happy ending: that’s healing. there’s trauma, but there’s still air left to breathe.
“two boys, half-wrapped in a blanket, snack food wrappers and plastic dinosaurs heaped in the sand beside them, their faces full of terror and their legs all tangled. two boys caught somewhere between childhood and whatever came next.�
i think the point of this 12-year old romance isn’t for them to fall in love. they’re 12. the point is discovery, of learning to build connections and figure out who you are and who you can be. the beauty of middle grade isn’t a passionate romance, it’s a story told in friendship and emotions and how certain people can change everything. how our hearts learn to beat and our palms learn to sweat, and the newness and the fear and the beauty that comes with being 12 and confused and trying to find something for yourself.
this book feels so personal. it IS personal. it is a middle grade, but it’s also timeless? my queer teens, queer adults, those who have had to hold in their hands the burden of their parents. this book is meant for you. it’s healing, it’s 12 years old under the oregon sun, it’s really is the language of seabirds, of soaring and freedom and speaking in your own words, at your own timing. (how did i spend this entire review not talking about the literal language of seabirds? the way it’s not just a metaphor and literally a way for evan and jeremy to communicate their feelings- i digress.)
thank you to scholastic press for providing me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review! and thank you to will taylor for writing this and being vulnerable with your words! the language of seabirds releases july 19, so make sure to preorder. :,)
content warnings: alcohol abuse, separated parents, implied homophobia
May 4, 2022
This book is easily my new favorite queer middle grade book ever. Like out of all the queer middle grade books I’ve read, I have never connected to a character’s emotions as well as I did to Jeremy’s.
Honestly, going into this book, I would not have said “yeah this is gonna be my most favorite mg book of all time� because I didn’t think that. I’ve read quite a few middle grade books with queer rep and most of them have been good, but nothing has ever knocked the wind out of me. Well, I’ll tell you right now, past me had no idea what was coming. I had no clue that I would just break down into tears because I went through what Jeremy goes through. I had no clue that I would sit here and cry because the feelings he feels are the same ones running through my head. I had no idea that I would look around, lost, because I couldn’t understand how someone could so perfectly pull the thoughts from my head and put them on paper. But that, my friends, is what happened.
I was kicked in the chest, at least, thats what it felt like. And then I scrambled around, on all fours, trying to find anything, ANYTHING that would help me. And you want to know what I did? I went through and reread the parts that hurt the most and cried again. Because that is how much this meant to me.
I’ve talked to Will Taylor, the wonderful, wonderful author of this book, a few times and he is always overjoyed and shocked to hear how much people connect to it. Well, let me tell ya, if you’ve felt the fear of coming out, of having a crush on someone and thinking “oh no, why me?�, of worrying about what your parents are going to say, of being scared of losing that friendship because something with that person is better than nothing, then this is for you. This will break you. I’m warning you in advance. If you have parental trauma (hello there, we should start a club) then this will destroy you. I’m not kidding, this is not a joke, you have been warned. But this will also HEAL you.
The relationship Jeremy and Evan cultivate is beautiful. It starts off slow, builds and builds and builds and then they both realize what it means to them and it blossoms. I loved every second of it and just thought, wished, longed that this had existed when I was a kid. But it also gave me so much hope that kids now have such a wonderful story to read that shows them that who they are is okay.
Thank you, Will Taylor, for this beautiful story and for helping me heal.
Honestly, going into this book, I would not have said “yeah this is gonna be my most favorite mg book of all time� because I didn’t think that. I’ve read quite a few middle grade books with queer rep and most of them have been good, but nothing has ever knocked the wind out of me. Well, I’ll tell you right now, past me had no idea what was coming. I had no clue that I would just break down into tears because I went through what Jeremy goes through. I had no clue that I would sit here and cry because the feelings he feels are the same ones running through my head. I had no idea that I would look around, lost, because I couldn’t understand how someone could so perfectly pull the thoughts from my head and put them on paper. But that, my friends, is what happened.
I was kicked in the chest, at least, thats what it felt like. And then I scrambled around, on all fours, trying to find anything, ANYTHING that would help me. And you want to know what I did? I went through and reread the parts that hurt the most and cried again. Because that is how much this meant to me.
I’ve talked to Will Taylor, the wonderful, wonderful author of this book, a few times and he is always overjoyed and shocked to hear how much people connect to it. Well, let me tell ya, if you’ve felt the fear of coming out, of having a crush on someone and thinking “oh no, why me?�, of worrying about what your parents are going to say, of being scared of losing that friendship because something with that person is better than nothing, then this is for you. This will break you. I’m warning you in advance. If you have parental trauma (hello there, we should start a club) then this will destroy you. I’m not kidding, this is not a joke, you have been warned. But this will also HEAL you.
The relationship Jeremy and Evan cultivate is beautiful. It starts off slow, builds and builds and builds and then they both realize what it means to them and it blossoms. I loved every second of it and just thought, wished, longed that this had existed when I was a kid. But it also gave me so much hope that kids now have such a wonderful story to read that shows them that who they are is okay.
Thank you, Will Taylor, for this beautiful story and for helping me heal.
August 20, 2023
this is the most precious book in the whole entire world
September 27, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book. If it were just for the story about Jeremy and Evan, I'd give this book five stars without missing a beat. Their story has everything you could wish for. It's age appropriate and relatable. Exactly the kind of story you'd wish you could have read when you were their age.
Sadly I can't say the same about the rest of the book. Everything about Jeremy's family situation, especially his father, but also all the other adults in this was so off and unsettling. It was a very uncomfortable read and it already threatened to put me into a reading slump. I'm not saying it isn't realistic, it very much is. But the way all of this is treated like it's completely normal and nothing unusual was really disturbing and I think that's problematic.
Not going into details, but let's just pick out the worst of the worst: Jeremy's dad is an asshole. A complete and utter asshole. I didn't like him from the very beginning and it only got worse. There's absolutely no redeeming quality to him. And all the other adults, who clearly noticed his semi-abusive and neglecting behavior and , did absolutely nothing until they were forced to and could no longer look away. And even after that everything went back to normal in the blink of an eye. This guy needs therapy and and not be around a teenage son.
I'm well aware that a lot of the things happening in this book are absolutely normal to Americans, like kids having to work for a living, or people having to pay for literally everything, even your own brother or grandmother. But outside of the US this is considered fucked-up behavior and it feels like reading some dystopian novel. But it's not just this book, there are others just like that.
Apart from the Jeremy-Evan-plot everything felt like it's going nowhere or even in the wrong direction. And there were also a lot of dead ends. I also felt like it's leaving out a lot of the good parts. The third person narrative adds to this misery because it feels so strangely aloof.
There's a scene in the middle of the book where they visit a house. And while it has an amazing view of the beach, Jeremy feels like there's something off with this house, because nothing really fits together. That's how I feel about this book. It has an amazing main plot about Jeremy and Evan, but everything else doesn't fit together and feels off.
I'm still undecided about how to rate this book.
Edit: After some consideration I'll go with three stars.
Sadly I can't say the same about the rest of the book. Everything about Jeremy's family situation, especially his father, but also all the other adults in this was so off and unsettling. It was a very uncomfortable read and it already threatened to put me into a reading slump. I'm not saying it isn't realistic, it very much is. But the way all of this is treated like it's completely normal and nothing unusual was really disturbing and I think that's problematic.
Not going into details, but let's just pick out the worst of the worst: Jeremy's dad is an asshole. A complete and utter asshole. I didn't like him from the very beginning and it only got worse. There's absolutely no redeeming quality to him. And all the other adults, who clearly noticed his semi-abusive and neglecting behavior and , did absolutely nothing until they were forced to and could no longer look away. And even after that everything went back to normal in the blink of an eye. This guy needs therapy and and not be around a teenage son.
I'm well aware that a lot of the things happening in this book are absolutely normal to Americans, like kids having to work for a living, or people having to pay for literally everything, even your own brother or grandmother. But outside of the US this is considered fucked-up behavior and it feels like reading some dystopian novel. But it's not just this book, there are others just like that.
Apart from the Jeremy-Evan-plot everything felt like it's going nowhere or even in the wrong direction. And there were also a lot of dead ends. I also felt like it's leaving out a lot of the good parts. The third person narrative adds to this misery because it feels so strangely aloof.
There's a scene in the middle of the book where they visit a house. And while it has an amazing view of the beach, Jeremy feels like there's something off with this house, because nothing really fits together. That's how I feel about this book. It has an amazing main plot about Jeremy and Evan, but everything else doesn't fit together and feels off.
Edit: After some consideration I'll go with three stars.
August 21, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up! This was such a precious book, managing to feel both real and ultimately unique. Jeremy was such a great character to read about and watch grow, and his and Evan’s love story was incredibly sweet. Forehead kisses to them both!! I wish I had this book when I was younger, but I’m glad I was able to read it now. The ending was absolute perfection, closing what needed to be and leaving open enough so that the future feels like a promise of possibility. (I may or may not have teared up!)
May 24, 2022
This middle-grade coming-of-age story is beautifully conveyed and tackles quite a few deep topics and feelings—from the collateral damage of divorce to the acceptance of identity and also the anxieties around coming out. 👏🏻
What I find really remarkable is the complexity of the characters and their interpersonal relationships. Watching Jeremy’s and his father’s individual journeys through the aftermath of divorce is so multi-dimensional and heart-wrenching. And of course, the budding friendship between Jeremy and Evan is 🥹🥲😍
Also a huge shoutout to Will for writing a story that stems from such a personal place 💖 this is the kind of book that I wish were around when I was a wee lil bish myself and I’m so thrilled the youngins of today have such a plethora of queer books to choose from 🥰
I would highly recommend this book for pre-teens and parents alike. It really teaches so much about stepping up, taking accountability, as well as self-discovery, integrity, and honesty.
What I find really remarkable is the complexity of the characters and their interpersonal relationships. Watching Jeremy’s and his father’s individual journeys through the aftermath of divorce is so multi-dimensional and heart-wrenching. And of course, the budding friendship between Jeremy and Evan is 🥹🥲😍
Also a huge shoutout to Will for writing a story that stems from such a personal place 💖 this is the kind of book that I wish were around when I was a wee lil bish myself and I’m so thrilled the youngins of today have such a plethora of queer books to choose from 🥰
I would highly recommend this book for pre-teens and parents alike. It really teaches so much about stepping up, taking accountability, as well as self-discovery, integrity, and honesty.
August 13, 2022
3,5 ⭐️
It was alright. The dad felt a bit unrealistic. The chemistry was mwah. And they were a bit too young for my liking. I kept forgetting they were 13/14 even though the felt like 16 year olds
It was alright. The dad felt a bit unrealistic. The chemistry was mwah. And they were a bit too young for my liking. I kept forgetting they were 13/14 even though the felt like 16 year olds
September 20, 2024
First love on the Oregon coast. The story of Jeremy and Evan perfectly captures the innocence of being twelve again.
December 5, 2022
Dieses Buch war wie für mich gemacht. Die Figuren und das Setting waren großartig und Geschichten über das erste Verliebtsein kriegen mich immer.
Am Ende habe ich sogar ein Tränchen verdrücken müssen. Es war einfach ein herzerwärmendes Buch für den Sommer.
CW: Alkoholismus
Am Ende habe ich sogar ein Tränchen verdrücken müssen. Es war einfach ein herzerwärmendes Buch für den Sommer.
CW: Alkoholismus
August 10, 2022
A heartfelt middle grade book about a young boy dealing with his parent's divorce and figuring out how to come out for the first time. Set over the course of one seaside Oregon summer, Jeremey explores first love and complicated family dynamics in this wonderful book. Great on audio and definitely recommended!
May 4, 2022
This was such a lovely middle grade read. Books like this are extremely important for queer youth, even the older ones like me, to be seen and heard. I remember the difficulties of growing up with trying to fit in while hiding parts of me I wasn’t sure if others would accept.
This book covers that fear of trying to grow but also having obstacles that can affect it. Will Taylor perfectly covered queer youth with a side of romance that didn’t overpower the other important aspects the book contained. I would’ve loved to have this book at twelve years old, and I’m jealous but also proud of the literature the queer youth get to experience.
This book covers that fear of trying to grow but also having obstacles that can affect it. Will Taylor perfectly covered queer youth with a side of romance that didn’t overpower the other important aspects the book contained. I would’ve loved to have this book at twelve years old, and I’m jealous but also proud of the literature the queer youth get to experience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.