Lily & Dunkin

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2016

Review

Lily & Dunkin is one of those transcendent books that puts you through every emotion; chills as you read through some dire bullying scenes, a warming of your heart during scenes of genuine connection, and in the end, a tickle in your eye as you cheer for the brave, sweet protagonists. Everything about the story and characters rings true and the subject is so gracefully handled and so necessary to put in front of readers that it should be in every library. The two remarkable protagonists are Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy living with bipolar disorder. Both are looking for a place to belong and true friends to see them for who they are. Lily, born Timothy, is struggling to convince her father that she is not the son he wishes he had, and Dunkin is struggling to convince his mother that he has his disease under control and with the fact that his father is missing from his life for reasons he'd rather not think about. The book was written for a middle grade audience, but high school readers and adults would also benefit from reading it. Highly recommend.

Overall Book Score: excellent