King and the Dragonflies, written by Kacen Callender, reviewed by Stephanie Wilson

Summary: Grief has overwhelmed King since his brother Khalid died. Sadness has swallowed his family completely. King believes his brother has returned to him as a dragonfly. Khalid appears to him in his dreams. King comforts himself by reading the words Khalid spoke in his sleep. King escapes alone every day after school to the bayou to look for his brother. He can't lean on his best friend, Sandy anymore. Sandy's confession that he's gay shattered their friendship. King secretly struggles with wondering if he is gay, too. Sandy’s sudden appearance at the bayou shakes up everything King thought he knew. Sandy needs his help, but King is worried about the consequences. Callender’s writing is so smooth and fluid that it belies the seriousness of the subjects it tackles. The reader is gently carried along with King on his journey of self-discovery and grief. Khalid is so thoughtfully rendered that he seems almost as alive as King. He lives on in the novel in a nearly dreamlike state through King’s memories and in the journal King keeps. King is dealing with several impossible situations at once but clinging to his memories of Khalid keeps him grounded. Khalid wasn’t perfect and dying doesn’t elevate him to sainthood. King especially struggles with Khalid’s role in his decision to end his friendship with Sandy. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Callender tackles multiple difficult topics with an age-appropriate and gentle touch. King and the Dragonflies has won numerous awards including the National Book Award. It deserves every single one of them. However, not everyone will appreciate that a middle-grade book is tackling the topics of grief, homosexuality, and abuse all in one book. The reality is many students in upper elementary school and middle school are struggling with t