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Felix Ever After

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Felix Ever After
AuthorKacen Callender
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult novel
PublisherBalzer + Bray
Publication date
May 12, 2020
Publication placeUnited States
Pages368
ISBN978-0-06-282025-9

Felix Ever After is a young adult novel written by Kacen Callender and published in 2020 by Balzer + Bray. The story is narrated by a Black trans teen as he grapples "with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time".[1]

Summary

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It follows trans teenager Felix Love, grappling with identity issues as a Black, queer boy, unsure if he’s too complicated to find love.

Reception

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Time named Felix Ever After one of "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time" alongside Catcher in the Rye, The Outsiders, and others.[2]

Reviews

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The book was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,[3] Publishers Weekly,[4] and School Library Journal.[5]

Booklist's Kaitlin Connor noted, "Felix's hard-fought and dramatic journey toward self-discovery will resonate with teens looking for narratives about diverse LGBTQIA characters learning to love themselves."[6] Amanda MacGregor, writing for the School Library Journal, praised the book's diverse cast of characters and the protagonist MacGregor calls "achingly relatable".[5] The Publishers Weekly said Callender created "an exhilarating cast of queer characters, many of whom are people of color, who are as relatable as they are realistic."[4] The magazine also praised the whodunit plot and all its twists, concluding the review with an overall praise of the main character and the story.[4]

Reviewing for The Horn Book, Luann Toth mentioned the "sound information and responsible psychological guidance" present in the novel without detracting from the overall experience.[7] Shelf Awareness's Kieran Slattery, noted, "Callender ... adeptly weaves a poignant bildungsroman that builds suspense as, layer by layer, new dimensions of Felix's identity are unmasked with each failed attempt to identify his tormentor."[8] Slattery continued, stating, "In a society where the lines between in-person and social media interactions blur, Callender believably captures this interconnectivity with teenagers whose identities are shaped, dismantled and reconfigured by their social media use."[8]

Kirkus Reviews offered a negative review, calling it "an exhausting read" due to the complicated story and the "devastating episodes of self-doubt and anxiety" Felix goes through.[9] The reviewer concluded Felix Ever After is a "trauma- and drama-filled demiboy's story that's not for the faint of heart."[9]

Banning

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In 2023, the book was challenged but kept at Old Rochester Regional High School.[10] In 2024, the book was banned in Beaufort County, South Carolina.[11]

Awards and honors

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Year Award/honor Category Result Ref.
2020 Booklist Editors' Choice Books for Youth Selection [12]
Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fiction Nominee [13]
2021 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 [14][15]
Stonewall Book Award Children's & Young Adult Honor [16][17]
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Selection [18]

References

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  1. ^ "17 sublime books by Black LGBT+ authors you should read this Black History Month". PinkNews. October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time". Time. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  3. ^ Bittner, Rob (May 15, 2020). "Felix Ever After". Booklist. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Children's Book Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  5. ^ a b MacGregor, Amanda. "Felix Ever After". School Library Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Conner, Kaitlin (June 5, 2020). Felix Ever After. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  7. ^ Toth, Luann. "Review of Felix Ever After". The Horn Book. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Slattery, Kieran (May 22, 2020). "Felix Ever After". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Felix Ever After". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "UPDATED: Two challenged books to remain in Old Rochester libraries". Sippican. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  11. ^ Pelley, Scott; Chasan, Aliza; Schuster, Henry; Turcotte, Sarah (March 3, 2024). "See the full list of 97 books parents tried to ban from Beaufort, South Carolina school library shelves - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020. January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  13. ^ "Felix Ever After". Goodreads. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  14. ^ Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2021. March 15, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  15. ^ "2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  16. ^ Morales, Macey (January 25, 2021). "ALA announces 2021 Youth Media Awards". American Library Association. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  17. ^ Morales, Macey (January 25, 2021). "'We Are Little Feminists: Families' wins 2021 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award". American Library Association. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  18. ^ "2021 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 5, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.