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Reviewed by: Lisa Rice, Middle School Librarian Title: Ryan and Avery
Author: David Levithan
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 7-11 Genre/Type of Book: YA romance, LGBTQ+ romance
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Some discussion of sex, underage drinking, eating disorder
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: I love this author and read anything written by him!
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
"Queerness is stolen moments and stolen victories. It is stolen time and stolen glances. It is the thrill of the theft, for sure, but also the knowledge deep in your heart that none of this stealing is wrong. It is, in fact, the most honest thing you can do." (page 90)
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Review:
As I started reading this book, the characters and scene felt very familiar to me. With some help from the internet, I found that Ryan and Avery were first introduced in Two Boys Kissing, and this is the novel-length version of their love story. Their story is not told in chronological order. The book starts on their fifth date and throughout the book we learn about their first ten dates. Their very first date is actually told towards the end of the book. I thought it was a unique way to tell their story and sometimes I enjoyed it and other times I didn't. Hearing about the first date towards the end was interesting because I already knew so much backstory about them and the relationship.
Blue-haired Ryan meets pink-haired Avery at a gay prom. Avery, who is transgender, talks openly about his gender identity. He explains that he was born a boy in a body a lot of other people saw as a girl's. Avery's parents are, "old-fashioned and new-fashioned at the same time, the two combining to become something that might be called good-fashioned" (Avery, page 70), and they are the parents you would want for Avery- kind, loving, accepting, and supportive. Ryan's parents are strict and controlling. Ryan's anger issues cause him to lash out, which causes Ryan's parents to restrict him to the house. In Ryan's words, he has "a hard time unwinding the coil." Ryan is much more comfortable with his accepting Aunt Caitlin who tried to be a mediator between Ryan and his parents.
It is heartbreaking to see how the two parties, Ryan and Ryan's parents, just don't want to see the good in each other.
There are some great talking points in this book. The arbitrary assigning of color based on gender (pink for girls, blue for boys, when, historically, pink was for boys), and the difficulties our transgender students face. Avery hates using public restrooms because he has a hard time deciding which one to use. He wants to use the one he feels comfortable in and also wants to use the one that will get him the least amount of looks from the public. He brings up a great point. Why don't we use "all-gender" instead of "gender-neutral," which "makes it sound like the genders are at war with each other" (page 82). I think I agree. Also, is it "coming out" or "inviting in?" I loved that question. Ryan has some anger issues he needs to deal with. His friend Alicia says, "It's not who he is at heart. It's who he is when pushed" (page 144). I can see having some great conversations with students on some of these points.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the part where Ryan and Avery are so honest with each other, sharing their life stories. I love how I learn to be more accepting and inclusive after hearing their struggles. A quote from one of their friends, Dennis, on page 244, really sticks with me, especially as we struggle with what books we can keep in our libraries: "If we play it safe, if we don't make people feel anything, especially not discomfort, then no one will complain, and if no one complained- well, that's the definition of victory in the administrations mind, isn't it?"
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Find resources for Ryan and Avery on TeachingBooks
For more information about this book, see the publisher's website.