The Black Flamingo
HarperCollins · Paperback · May 25, 2021
Stonewall Book Award Winner * A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta.
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- Who it’s for
- A lyrical, genre-blending read that moves between intimacy and instruction with poised ease.
- Genres
- Novels in Verse for Teens, YA LGBTQ+, Diverse YA Fiction
- Published
- HarperCollins, May 25, 2021
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Start with this bookAbout this book
Stonewall Book Award Winner * A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, and Kacen Callender. Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he’s navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican—but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough.
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As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs—and the Black Flamingo is born. Told with raw honesty, insight, and lyricism, this debut explores the layers of identity that make us who we are—and allow us to shine. "In this uplifting coming-of-age novel told in accessible verse, Atta chronicles the growth and glory of Michael Angeli, a mixed-race kid from London, as he navigates his cultural identity as Cypriot and Jamaican as well as his emerging sexuality." (Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")
Poetic Identity
A lyrical, genre-blending read that moves between intimacy and instruction with poised ease.
Come here for
- poetry-forward voice
- identity, Blackness, and self-making
Expect
- verse-driven storytelling
- LGBTQ+ and Black coming-of-age perspective
Where it sits
| YA LGBTQ+ | 91% |
|---|---|
| Novels in Verse for Teens | 63% |
| Diverse YA Fiction | 47% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Diverse YA Fiction
- YA LGBTQ+
- Novels in Verse for Teens
- Europe for Teens
Show all 8 publisher categories
- African American YA
- Contemporary YA Romance
- YA Romance - LGBTQ+
- Friendship for Teens
- Authors
- Dean Atta
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- May 25, 2021
- Format
- Paperback
- Reading lane
- Diverse YA Fiction