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Bibliographic Information:
- Title: The Black Flamingo
- Author: Dean Atta
- ISBN: 978-0062990297
- Publisher: Balzer + Bray
- Copyright Date: 2020
Genre / Format of the Title :
Reading Level/Interest Level:
-
Novel in Verse, LGBTQ+, realistic fiction [Book & Audiobook]
- subject tag: #OwnVoices
- Winner, 2020 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award
Reading Level/Interest Level:
- Appropriate for Grades 7-12 according to TeachingBooks.net; Amazon.com states Age 14+
Plot Summary:
At the start of the story, Michael was a young boy living in London with his mother and sister and wishing he would get a Barbie for his birthday but is disappointed to get a plastic ninja turtle toy instead. Later, we watch as he navigates his growing up years, attending high school and being friends with a beautiful girl who has issues of her own. Michael knows he is gay so this is not a coming out story but rather a coming of age story and we witness Michael’s maturation as we read his poetry.
At the start of the story, Michael was a young boy living in London with his mother and sister and wishing he would get a Barbie for his birthday but is disappointed to get a plastic ninja turtle toy instead. Later, we watch as he navigates his growing up years, attending high school and being friends with a beautiful girl who has issues of her own. Michael knows he is gay so this is not a coming out story but rather a coming of age story and we witness Michael’s maturation as we read his poetry.
Author Background:
Dean Atta was born and raised in London and is of Greek and Jamaican heritage. The Independent, a UK Newsmagazine, named Atta one of the top 100 influential LGBT people in th UK in 2012. That same year, he also won the London Poetry award (Independent Digital News and Media, 2013). In an interview, Atta mentioned that he often was made to feel like an outsider in England, often being asked where he’s from and experiencing discrimination even within the LGBTQ+ community where he used to be the only other person of color in the dance clubs (Stewart, 2019).
Dean Atta was born and raised in London and is of Greek and Jamaican heritage. The Independent, a UK Newsmagazine, named Atta one of the top 100 influential LGBT people in th UK in 2012. That same year, he also won the London Poetry award (Independent Digital News and Media, 2013). In an interview, Atta mentioned that he often was made to feel like an outsider in England, often being asked where he’s from and experiencing discrimination even within the LGBTQ+ community where he used to be the only other person of color in the dance clubs (Stewart, 2019).
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items:
Poetry is spoken word and listening to this as an audiobook is such a treat, first because it’s read by the author, and second because the reading brings to life the beautiful language and the sometimes harrowing stories in this coming of age book. The sound quality of the recording is so professionally done and Dean, as narrator, sounds like a friend telling me a story. The diction is so clear and descriptive that it leaves little room to the imagination. I can still hear and feel the energy of the room that he captures when he first performs as the Black Flamingo. This story is so authentic and Atta’s reading makes it even more believable.
As a book, the text is laid out so that he incorporates concrete poetry along with free verse. For example, the prologue is about flamingo eggs being taken away and replaced with dummy eggs. On one page, the words are shaped like an egg and on the next, a damaged egg is represented by words shaped like a broken egg. The rest of the poems incorporate dialogue and text messages and provocative titles like “Some Men Have Vaginas” or “Men Are Sandcastles” and a change in font whenever it's the alter ego Black Flamingo speaking.
Poetry is spoken word and listening to this as an audiobook is such a treat, first because it’s read by the author, and second because the reading brings to life the beautiful language and the sometimes harrowing stories in this coming of age book. The sound quality of the recording is so professionally done and Dean, as narrator, sounds like a friend telling me a story. The diction is so clear and descriptive that it leaves little room to the imagination. I can still hear and feel the energy of the room that he captures when he first performs as the Black Flamingo. This story is so authentic and Atta’s reading makes it even more believable.
As a book, the text is laid out so that he incorporates concrete poetry along with free verse. For example, the prologue is about flamingo eggs being taken away and replaced with dummy eggs. On one page, the words are shaped like an egg and on the next, a damaged egg is represented by words shaped like a broken egg. The rest of the poems incorporate dialogue and text messages and provocative titles like “Some Men Have Vaginas” or “Men Are Sandcastles” and a change in font whenever it's the alter ego Black Flamingo speaking.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Storytelling with drag queens, although not without its critics in Juneau, would be a fun event to host in our high school. We have a very active Drag scene and I would love to invite a few of them to come and do a short reading from this book. Having a Q&A afterwards would be helpful, too.
Storytelling with drag queens, although not without its critics in Juneau, would be a fun event to host in our high school. We have a very active Drag scene and I would love to invite a few of them to come and do a short reading from this book. Having a Q&A afterwards would be helpful, too.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer:
Michael knew he was an anomaly like that black flamingo he saw on a TV documentary once. But all he wanted was to belong somewhere. From the day he asked for a Barbie on his sixth birthday to the day he finds his calling in university, immerse yourself in the poetic voice and dramatic story in Dean Atta’s novel in verse.
Michael knew he was an anomaly like that black flamingo he saw on a TV documentary once. But all he wanted was to belong somewhere. From the day he asked for a Barbie on his sixth birthday to the day he finds his calling in university, immerse yourself in the poetic voice and dramatic story in Dean Atta’s novel in verse.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
Some crude language, sex, drinking, and LGBTQ+ subject are all potential challenges to using this book in the high school setting. However, there is nothing lewd or even remotely pornographic in any of the scenes involving sex and the subject of Michael’s queerness should not be an issue. Libraries are tasked to serve all students and that includes those who identify as LGBTQ+. I would make sure to prominently post this infographic that condensed all the crucial information presented in this seminal document: AASL Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries. This document contains specific suggestions for how to handle challenges starting with making sure we have a policy in place for challenges and ALA’s challenge support contact information (American Association of School Librarians, 2020).
Some crude language, sex, drinking, and LGBTQ+ subject are all potential challenges to using this book in the high school setting. However, there is nothing lewd or even remotely pornographic in any of the scenes involving sex and the subject of Michael’s queerness should not be an issue. Libraries are tasked to serve all students and that includes those who identify as LGBTQ+. I would make sure to prominently post this infographic that condensed all the crucial information presented in this seminal document: AASL Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries. This document contains specific suggestions for how to handle challenges starting with making sure we have a policy in place for challenges and ALA’s challenge support contact information (American Association of School Librarians, 2020).
Reason for Inclusion:
I loved the cover and was intrigued by the title. Reading the hard copy is like sitting down with a friend. Listening to this as an audiobook is a treat as the author himself reads his work and his lilting British accent is both soothing and mesmerizing even as he narrates painful experiences.
I loved the cover and was intrigued by the title. Reading the hard copy is like sitting down with a friend. Listening to this as an audiobook is a treat as the author himself reads his work and his lilting British accent is both soothing and mesmerizing even as he narrates painful experiences.
Dean Atta reads a powerful piece from his book, one that gives his protagonist, Michael, a different perspective on his identity (EpicReads, 2020)
REFERENCES
American Association of School Librarians. (2020, August 11). Defending Intellectual Freedom. National School Library Standards. https://standards.aasl.org/project/lgbtq/.
EpicReads. (2020, June 2). "University" from The Black Flamingo | Dean Atta Live Performance. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_md7EbZlRN4
Independent Digital News and Media. (2013, October 12). The IoS Pink List 2012. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/ios-pink-list-2012-8216187.html.
Stewart, H. (2019, July 20). "When I was growing up, I can remember going to clubs and being the only black person there": TQ meets Dean Atta. TQ At the intersection of LGBTQ+ life...Interview. https://thequeerness.com/2019/07/20/when-i-was-growing-up-i-can-remember-going-to-clubs-and-being-the-only-black-person-there-tq-meets-dean-atta/.
TeachingBooks.net. (2020, July). Meet the author recording with Dean Atta. TeachingBooks.net. https://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=19267#.
TeachingBooks.net. (2020). The Black Flamingo. TeachingBooks. https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=68486.
EpicReads. (2020, June 2). "University" from The Black Flamingo | Dean Atta Live Performance. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_md7EbZlRN4
Independent Digital News and Media. (2013, October 12). The IoS Pink List 2012. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/ios-pink-list-2012-8216187.html.
Stewart, H. (2019, July 20). "When I was growing up, I can remember going to clubs and being the only black person there": TQ meets Dean Atta. TQ At the intersection of LGBTQ+ life...Interview. https://thequeerness.com/2019/07/20/when-i-was-growing-up-i-can-remember-going-to-clubs-and-being-the-only-black-person-there-tq-meets-dean-atta/.
TeachingBooks.net. (2020, July). Meet the author recording with Dean Atta. TeachingBooks.net. https://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=19267#.
TeachingBooks.net. (2020). The Black Flamingo. TeachingBooks. https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=68486.
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