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LGBTQ+ Stories
The books in this collection celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Whether exploring different types of families or gender roles, each of these books highlights the LGBTQ+ experience, and the importance of empathy and inclusion.
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{"id":7347178635323,"title":"Wavelength","handle":"wavelength","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e in this story of a teen pop star on the run from fame who finds family, love and gender euphoria when they become entangled with a local band.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeen pop sensation Sasha may be famous, but they’ve always kept a layer of anonymity by covering their face to perform. Facing pressure to unmask in public, Sasha runs away to a nowhere midwestern city, planning to finish senior year and come out as nonbinary away from the limelight. But their plan falters from the moment they meet Wavelength, an alt-rock band, and their lead singer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLillian is struggling to keep the band together, caught in a mess of lyrics, late-night texts and ill-conceived love notes. She’s torn between feelings for her ex-girlfriend (and ex-bandmember) and her new infatuation with Sasha. Maybe this stranger is the new singer and the new love she’s looking for — even though Sasha’s stories don’t seem to quite add up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a whisper of Sasha’s fame gets out, their new life is over. Sasha’s manager is tracking them down, Wavelength is on the rise, and everyone’s hearts are in the mosh pit. Turn off the houselights. The band’s counting in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003elyrics\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2025-02-14T12:21:39-05:00","created_at":"2025-02-14T11:58:11-05:00","vendor":"Groundwood Books Ltd","type":"","tags":["age range 12 - 18","By (author) Plett Cale","Childrens Coming Soon","Groundwood Books","LGBTQ+ Voices","pub date: 2025-10-07","Young Adult"],"price":1699,"price_min":1699,"price_max":1899,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":42015790792763,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781779460295","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Wavelength - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":1899,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781779460295","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":42015790956603,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781779460301","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Wavelength - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1699,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781779460301","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781779460295.jpg?v=1743601022"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781779460295.jpg?v=1743601022","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":25256629370939,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781779460295.jpg?v=1743601022"},"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781779460295.jpg?v=1743601022","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e in this story of a teen pop star on the run from fame who finds family, love and gender euphoria when they become entangled with a local band.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeen pop sensation Sasha may be famous, but they’ve always kept a layer of anonymity by covering their face to perform. Facing pressure to unmask in public, Sasha runs away to a nowhere midwestern city, planning to finish senior year and come out as nonbinary away from the limelight. But their plan falters from the moment they meet Wavelength, an alt-rock band, and their lead singer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLillian is struggling to keep the band together, caught in a mess of lyrics, late-night texts and ill-conceived love notes. She’s torn between feelings for her ex-girlfriend (and ex-bandmember) and her new infatuation with Sasha. Maybe this stranger is the new singer and the new love she’s looking for — even though Sasha’s stories don’t seem to quite add up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a whisper of Sasha’s fame gets out, their new life is over. Sasha’s manager is tracking them down, Wavelength is on the rise, and everyone’s hearts are in the mosh pit. Turn off the houselights. The band’s counting in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003elyrics\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781554989720","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781773063638","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781773068893","AudienceRangePrecision_1_0":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_1_1":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_1_2":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_2_0":"04","AudienceRangePrecision_2_1":"04","AudienceRangePrecision_2_2":"04","AudienceRangeQualifier_0":"17","AudienceRangeQualifier_1":"11","AudienceRangeQualifier_2":"26","AudienceRangeValue_1_0":"12","AudienceRangeValue_1_1":"7","AudienceRangeValue_1_2":"7","AudienceRangeValue_2_0":"18","AudienceRangeValue_2_1":"12","AudienceRangeValue_2_2":"12","BASICMainSubject":"YAF058120","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"YOUNG ADULT FICTION\/Social Themes\/Friendship","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCALE PLETT\u003c\/strong\u003e (they\/them) is a nonbinary, genderfluid writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their short fiction and poetry have been published in journals across Canada. Cale emphasizes diverse queer representation in settings where LGBTQ+ characters can exist safely within their identities. \u003cem\u003eWavelength\u003c\/em\u003e is their publishing debut, with their second YA novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Saw Mouth\u003c\/em\u003e, forthcoming in 2026. Cale has attended the Emerging Writers Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and is a Lambda Literary fellow.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"YOUNG ADULT FICTION \/ Social Themes \/ Friendship","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"YOUNG ADULT FICTION \/ Romance \/ LGBTQ+","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"YOUNG ADULT FICTION \/ Performing Arts \/ Music","BISACSubject_0":"YAF058120","BISACSubject_1":"YAF052040","BISACSubject_2":"YAF047030","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCALE PLETT\u003c\/strong\u003e (they\/them) is a nonbinary, genderfluid writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their short fiction and poetry have been published in journals across Canada. Cale emphasizes diverse queer representation in settings where LGBTQ+ characters can exist safely within their identities. \u003cem\u003eWavelength\u003c\/em\u003e is their publishing debut, with their second YA novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Saw Mouth\u003c\/em\u003e, forthcoming in 2026. Cale has attended the Emerging Writers Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and is a Lambda Literary fellow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Plett, Cale (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e in this story of a teen pop star on the run from fame who finds family, love and gender euphoria when they become entangled with a local band.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeen pop sensation Sasha may be famous, but they’ve always kept a layer of anonymity by covering their face to perform. Facing pressure to unmask in public, Sasha runs away to a nowhere midwestern city, planning to finish senior year and come out as nonbinary away from the limelight. But their plan falters from the moment they meet Wavelength, an alt-rock band, and their lead singer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLillian is struggling to keep the band together, caught in a mess of lyrics, late-night texts and ill-conceived love notes. She’s torn between feelings for her ex-girlfriend (and ex-bandmember) and her new infatuation with Sasha. Maybe this stranger is the new singer and the new love she’s looking for — even though Sasha’s stories don’t seem to quite add up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a whisper of Sasha’s fame gets out, their new life is over. Sasha’s manager is tracking them down, Wavelength is on the rise, and everyone’s hearts are in the mosh pit. Turn off the houselights. The band’s counting in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003elyrics\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781779460301","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Groundwood Books","KeyTextFeatures":"\u003cp\u003echapters;dialogue;lyrics\u003c\/p\u003e","NumberOfPages":"348","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003eAn electric, poignant and fun! ride, \u003cem\u003eWavelength\u003c\/em\u003e feels like a finger on the pulse of this generation.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Katherena Vermette","OtherText_Accolades_1":"\u003cp\u003ePlett weaves together some of my favourite romantic comedy tropes like hidden identities and small town settings, with some of the most beautiful writing I’ve seen in YA literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Tanya Boteju, author of 'Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens'","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cp\u003eThere were shows with Admirer that blurred by, highway driving, reaching the final song and not remembering how I got there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith Wavelength, I feel awake for every moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights in my eyes, unfiltered by a visor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking my microphone off the stand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNever putting it back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrouching at the front of the stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaching out to touch people’s hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaughing with eyes I meet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause who am I to reach toward?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe weight of sound around me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unfiltered kick drum beating across the stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCyprus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuinn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLillian\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Long_description_1":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLGBTQ+ LOVE STORY: \u003cem\u003eWavelength\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautifully written dual-POV queer love story suffused with music and friendship. Sasha is nonbinary and Lilian is bisexual, and their relationship involves a lot of flirting, banter and identity-affirming moments of connection. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCRITIQUE OF FAME: This YA novel is a smart critique of fame factories like the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon that monetize young talent, too often at the expense of the wellbeing and livelihood of child stars. At the same time, it's an homage to the DCOM and Disney Channel's original programming that readers will remember well from their own childhoods. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQUEER TEENS IN A BAND: \u003cem\u003eWavelength\u003c\/em\u003e is a queer \u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e-esque story of fame and double-identities, full of gender euphoria and the found-family warmth of \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e, and suffused with a love for music.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e in this story of a nonbinary pop star on the run who collides with a regular teenager and her alt-rock band.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","ProductFormDescription":"epub","PublicationDate":"2025-10-07","Publisher":"Groundwood Books Ltd","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHannah Montana\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/em\u003e in this story of a nonbinary pop star on the run who collides with a regular teenager and her alt-rock band.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
ages 12
to 18
/ grades 7
to 12
Wavelength
Hannah Montana meets Heartstopper in this story of a nonbinary pop star on the run who collides with a regular teenager and her alt-rock band.
Quick View
{"id":7168169869371,"title":"Who We Are in Real Life","handle":"who-we-are-in-real-life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIRL, Darcy has just moved to the small prairie town of Unity Creek with her two moms. It feels like she left everything good behind in the city. She misses her tabletop gaming friends and her boyfriend — and is horrified by the homophobia her family faces in their new home. Then she meets kind, quiet Art, who invites her to join his \u003cem\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/em\u003e game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt is mostly happy fading into the background at school and only really coming alive during his friends’ weekly \u003cem\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/em\u003e game — until meeting Darcy pulls his life off-course in wonderful and alarming ways. Suddenly he has something worth fighting for. But what if that something puts him in conflict with his father, an influential and conservative figure in their town? Can Art stand up against his father’s efforts to prevent Darcy and her friends from starting a queer-straight alliance at school?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, in game, Darcy’s and Art’s \u003cem\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/em\u003e characters join forces to fight corruption as they grow closer in the homebrew world of Durgeon’s Keep — as fantasy and reality collide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2023-07-27T17:29:32-04:00","created_at":"2023-07-27T16:53:14-04:00","vendor":"Groundwood Books Ltd","type":"","tags":["age range 12 - 18","By (author) Koops Victoria","Groundwood Books","LGBTQ+ Voices","Mental Health","pub date: 2024-02-06","Young Adult"],"price":1499,"price_min":1499,"price_max":1799,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":41383382089787,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781773068893","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Who We Are in Real Life - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":1799,"weight":290,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781773068893","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":41383385006139,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781773068909","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Who We Are in Real Life - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1499,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781773068909","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_1eeefd2d-6343-4743-ba93-cc468156be7f.jpg?v=1695491729"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_1eeefd2d-6343-4743-ba93-cc468156be7f.jpg?v=1695491729","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Who We Are in Real Life. Victoria Koops. Two teens sit at a gaming table. The girl has medium skin tone, dark curly hair and glasses, and wears a red plaid shirt over a black top. She looks over at the boy, who smiles back. He has red hair, pale skin tone and freckles. He wears a blue shirt. Above them, two fantasy characters appear back to back. One is a witch with a pointed black hat, a plague mask and pink hair. The other is a tiefling rogue with gray skin, horns and long black hair.","id":23812596498491,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.653,"height":2451,"width":1600,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_1eeefd2d-6343-4743-ba93-cc468156be7f.jpg?v=1695491729"},"aspect_ratio":0.653,"height":2451,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_1eeefd2d-6343-4743-ba93-cc468156be7f.jpg?v=1695491729","width":1600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIRL, Darcy has just moved to the small prairie town of Unity Creek with her two moms. It feels like she left everything good behind in the city. She misses her tabletop gaming friends and her boyfriend — and is horrified by the homophobia her family faces in their new home. Then she meets kind, quiet Art, who invites her to join his \u003cem\u003eDungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003c\/em\u003e game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt is mostly happy fading into the background at school and only really coming alive during his friends’ weekly \u003cem\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/em\u003e game — until meeting Darcy pulls his life off-course in wonderful and alarming ways. Suddenly he has something worth fighting for. But what if that something puts him in conflict with his father, an influential and conservative figure in their town? Can Art stand up against his father’s efforts to prevent Darcy and her friends from starting a queer-straight alliance at school?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, in game, Darcy’s and Art’s \u003cem\u003eD\u0026amp;D\u003c\/em\u003e characters join forces to fight corruption as they grow closer in the homebrew world of Durgeon’s Keep — as fantasy and reality collide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781773062358","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781773063638","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781773068091","AudienceRangePrecision_1_0":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_1_1":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_1_2":"03","AudienceRangePrecision_2_0":"04","AudienceRangePrecision_2_1":"04","AudienceRangePrecision_2_2":"04","AudienceRangeQualifier_0":"17","AudienceRangeQualifier_1":"11","AudienceRangeQualifier_2":"26","AudienceRangeValue_1_0":"12","AudienceRangeValue_1_1":"7","AudienceRangeValue_1_2":"7","AudienceRangeValue_2_0":"18","AudienceRangeValue_2_1":"12","AudienceRangeValue_2_2":"12","BASICMainSubject":"YAF031000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"YOUNG ADULT FICTION\/LGBTQ+\/General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003eSaskatchewan author \u003cstrong\u003eVICTORIA KOOPS\u003c\/strong\u003e never stopped playing make-believe and often writes while wearing a tiara. Her books are full of epic adventure and swoony romance, and navigate social issues through the power of fandom and geek culture. \u003cem\u003eWho We Are in Real Life\u003c\/em\u003e is her debut novel. As a practicing counsellor, Victoria lives with her family in Treaty 4 Territory. Victoria loves to sing off-key, tease her sisters and pretend that she’ll choose a different romance the next time she plays \u003cem\u003eDragon Age: Inquisition.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"Young Adult Fiction \/ LGBTQ+","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"Young Adult Fiction \/ Romance \/ Contemporary","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"Young Adult Fiction \/ Social Themes \/ Prejudice \u0026amp; Racism","BISACSubject_0":"YAF031000","BISACSubject_1":"YAF052020","BISACSubject_2":"YAF058200","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003eSaskatchewan author \u003cstrong\u003eVICTORIA KOOPS\u003c\/strong\u003e never stopped playing make-believe and often writes while wearing a tiara. Her books are full of epic adventure and swoony romance, and navigate social issues through the power of fandom and geek culture. \u003cem\u003eWho We Are in Real Life\u003c\/em\u003e is her debut novel. As a practicing counsellor, Victoria lives with her family in Treaty 4 Territory. Victoria loves to sing off-key, tease her sisters and pretend that she’ll choose a different romance the next time she plays \u003cem\u003eDragon Age: Inquisition.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Koops, Victoria (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIRL, Darcy has just moved to the small prairie town of Unity Creek with her two moms. It feels like she left everything good behind in the city. She misses her tabletop gaming friends and her boyfriend — and is horrified by the homophobia her family faces in their new home. Then she meets kind, quiet Art, who invites her to join his \u003cem\u003eDungeons \u0026 Dragons\u003c\/em\u003e game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt is mostly happy fading into the background at school and only really coming alive during his friends’ weekly \u003cem\u003eD\u0026D\u003c\/em\u003e game — until meeting Darcy pulls his life off-course in wonderful and alarming ways. Suddenly he has something worth fighting for. But what if that something puts him in conflict with his father, an influential and conservative figure in their town? Can Art stand up against his father’s efforts to prevent Darcy and her friends from starting a queer-straight alliance at school?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, in game, Darcy’s and Art’s \u003cem\u003eD\u0026D\u003c\/em\u003e characters join forces to fight corruption as they grow closer in the homebrew world of Durgeon’s Keep — as fantasy and reality collide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Text Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003echapters\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edialogue\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781773068909","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781773068909\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Groundwood Books","KeyTextFeatures":"\u003cp\u003echapters;dialogue\u003c\/p\u003e","MetaKeywords":"gender expression;LGBTQ;bi;trans;non-binary;queer characters;QSA;activism;social conscience;social justice;overcoming adversity;embracing differences;imagination and play;role-playing games;TTRPGs","NumberOfPages":"288","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003eWhat an intense but ultimately joyful ride! This book deals with identity, family trauma, and difficult and abusive relationships, but it ultimately bends towards hope and finding courage in all parts of yourself to do what’s right. This is Koops’s first book, and I can’t wait to see where her marvelous brain takes us next!\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Ashley Schumacher, author of 'The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway'","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMore than 50 million people worldwide have interacted with Dungeons \u0026 Dragons since it was created in the 1970s. Pop culture like \u003cem\u003eStranger Things\u003c\/em\u003e and the new Dungeons \u0026 Dragons movie have raised the game’s profile. Even more people started playing during the at-home days of the pandemic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e’ Amelia Diamond wrote an article in 2022 titled: “Dungeons \u0026 Dragons Moves Beyond Nerd Culture.” It goes into detail about D\u0026D’s cult-turned-mainstream status and looks at how more people — and people of more diverse backgrounds — have gotten into the game.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood LGBTQ+ rep — one of the main characters, Darcy, is bisexual. She has two moms, who are loving, supportive parents. One of the subplots revolves around Darcy joining forces with other queer students at school to form a QSA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe author was inspired by her own experience running a D\u0026D game in which her sister started to fall for one of the other players — and watching them flirt through gameplay.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cp\u003eDarcy pulls her messenger bag closer and fiddles with a keychain hooked to the strap loop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI do a double take, then I check my pockets. My keys are there, just like always.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey!” I point at her keychain. “Where did you get that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“From Fantasyland—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Fantasyland Comics! In the city, right?” …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI pull out my keys and push them across the table to her. My d20 keychain looks like a long-lost twin beside hers, except that hers is colorful, swirls of pastel blues, pinks, and purples, and mine is solid black. She picks up mine. “Did you know that d20s are called icosahedrons?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course I knew that. “Did you know that a full Dungeons \u0026 Dragons dice set includes seven types of dice?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that’s how everything changes. Darcy looks up from our keychains. A small, bashful smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe plays with my keychain. “So, are you a gamer?”\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Long_description_1":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMore than 50 million people worldwide have interacted with Dungeons \u0026 Dragons since it was created in the 1970s. Pop culture like \u003cem\u003eStranger Things\u003c\/em\u003e and the new Dungeons \u0026 Dragons movie have raised the game’s profile. Even more people started playing during the at-home days of the pandemic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e’ Amelia Diamond wrote an article in 2022 titled: “Dungeons \u0026 Dragons Moves Beyond Nerd Culture.” It goes into detail about D\u0026D’s cult-turned-mainstream status and looks at how more people — and people of more diverse backgrounds — have gotten into the game.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood LGBTQ+ rep — one of the main characters, Darcy, is bisexual. She has two moms, who are loving, supportive parents. One of the subplots revolves around Darcy joining forces with other queer students at school to form a QSA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe author was inspired by her own experience running a D\u0026D game in which her sister started to fall for one of the other players — and watching them flirt through gameplay.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are character sheets included in the back of the book for the two main characters and their D\u0026D characters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003eA charming story about standing up for what's right.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Kirkus Reviews","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003eThis endearing romance ... shines when the protagonists begin to bring the strengths of their \u003cem\u003eDungeons \u0026 Dragons\u003c\/em\u003e characters into real life.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"School Library Journal","OtherText_Review_2":"\u003cp\u003eVictoria Koops takes full advantage of the \u003cem\u003eD\u0026D\u003c\/em\u003e subculture of her setting to create a fun and original narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Canadian Children's Book News","OtherText_Review_3":"\u003cp\u003eA great contemporary depiction of young adults' lives in high school, with the extra bonus of having diverse characters and representation from the 2SLGBTQI+ community.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"CM: Canadian Review of Materials","OtherText_Review_4":"\u003cp\u003eTabletop gamers, especially fans of \u003cem\u003eDungeons \u0026 Dragons\u003c\/em\u003e, will appreciate \u003cem\u003eWho We Are in Real Life\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"Winnipeg Free Press","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eFans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","PrizeCodeText_0":"Nominated","PrizeCodeText_1":"Commended","PrizeCodeText_2":"Winner","PrizeCodeText_3":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_4":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_5":"Short-listed","PrizeCode_0":"07","PrizeCode_1":"03","PrizeCode_2":"01","PrizeCode_3":"04","PrizeCode_4":"04","PrizeCode_5":"04","PrizeName_0":"Forest of Reading White Pine Award","PrizeName_1":"Globe 100 Best Books","PrizeName_2":"Ontario Library Association Best Bets","PrizeName_3":"Saskatchewan Book Awards, Young Adult Literature Award","PrizeName_4":"Saskatchewan Book Awards, First Book Award","PrizeName_5":"Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards, Snow Willow Award","PrizeYear_0":"2025","PrizeYear_1":"2024","PrizeYear_2":"2024","PrizeYear_3":"2025","PrizeYear_4":"2025","PrizeYear_5":"2025","ProductFormDescription":"epub","PublicationDate":"2024-02-06","Publisher":"Groundwood Books Ltd","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eFans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
ages 12
to 18
/ grades 7
to 12
Who We Are in Real Life
Fans of Rainbow Rowell and Casey McQuiston will fall for this story of tabletop gaming, romance and epic campaigns — both in game and IRL.
