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Lily and Dunkin
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Award-winning author Donna Gephart crafts a compelling dual narrative about two remarkable young people: Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy dealing with bipolar disorder. Their powerful story will shred your heart, then stitch it back together with kindness, humor, bravery, and love. "Lily and Dunkinis a delight. Here's a book for anyone who's ever struggled with being different--or anyone who's ever loved someone who bears the burden of difference. Donna Gephart's book is about trans children, and bipolar children, and their parents, of course, but what it's really about is friendship, and the redeeming power of love. Crucial, heart-breaking, and inspiring." --Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She's Not There, and Stuck in the Middle with You. Lily Jo McGrother, born Timothy McGrother, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Especially when you're in the eighth grade. Dunkin Dorfman, birth name Norbert Dorfman,is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved from the New Jersey town he's called home for the past thirteen years. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse. One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change. "Gephart clearly has a lot of heart, and she tells their stories with compassion."--Kirkus "A thoughtfully and sensitively written work of character-driven fiction that dramatically addresses two important subjects that deserve more widespread attention."--Booklist, starred From the Hardcover edition.
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NeedsMoreBooks
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Thank you for the tag @Cupcake12 and apologies for the delay.
1. Planning to catch up on blog posts.
2. Horror and erotica.
3. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

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cewilf
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Finished this yesterday and really enjoyed it. It was a little predictable and some of it felt repetitive, but this is such an important book, and I am so thankful that I‘m able to offer it to students in my 8th grade classes. This will be 1 of 7 books dealing with issues of justice and varying perspectives that my English dept is using for a new book club unit. Making my way through the rest of the books this week before we start mid-Feb.

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Kalalalatja
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

When a book makes ypu tear up in your car on the way to work, you know it is a good one. This book felt like a squeeze to the heart and a big hug all in one. It was sweet, diverse, sad at times, and fun at times. Lily and Dunkin felt, to me, like great representations of a transcender child and a child with mental illness in the form of bipolar disorder.

#DiverseMiddleGrade #Booked2019

TrishB Lovely review ❤️ 4y
Cinfhen Just goes to show #NeverJudgeABookByItsGenre 4y
alisiakae Great review! 4y
81 likes3 comments
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Kalalalatja
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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When Dunkin sees a #beautifulstranger in the form of a blond girl, in a red dress, with eyes as blue as forest lakes, he becomes instantly interested in learning more about her. But the next time he meets the girl, she is wearing boy‘s clothes and says her name is Tim. Which is the name Lily was given at birth, but not the name of her real self.

And so begins the story of Lily and Dunkin, which is shaping up to be just wonderful ❤️

#MOvember

JennyM This sounds a great read! 4y
Kalalalatja @JennyM I‘m using it as my #diversemiddlegrade book for #Booked2019, and it is really great so far. I got through half of it on audio during my commute today 👌 4y
Cinfhen Lovely MG choice 💕 4y
64 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Victoriahoperose
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

I did a quick search for diverse middle grade novels for the #booked2019 summer prompt and this came up. It‘s a book I had in my stack and I decided to give it a try. This book tackles so many issues - mental health, transgender identity, suicide, etc. This is the type of book that we need to be read to raise awareness and break boundaries. Excellent writing and storyline. 5 stars from me.

Cinfhen Great review and so happy that your MG pick was a hit. Overall, I think majority of readers enjoyed their MG books and were pleased with the quality and content 💕💕 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Nice! I may have took this one up. I like MG so much more than YA. Maybe because there‘s not usually insta-love. 🤪 5y
32 likes2 comments
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laur89
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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🍩☕️🏀🌳💄👗👫
Dear Lily and Dunkin,

Don‘t let anybody try and #FixYou. You‘re both wonderful the way you are. Anyone who can look past stigmas associated with “gender identity” and “mental health issues” can see that. A person shouldn‘t be measured just based on looks, or diagnoses on a piece of paper. A person is so much more than that. 💞

#JulyColdplay

Eggs 🤗👏🏻😍👏🏻 5y
14 likes1 comment
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Sarahreadstoomuch
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

I‘m so glad I read this MG novel of two friends: Lily (born Timothy) just trying to live her truth among bullies all around, and Dunkin who is navigating life in a new town and bipolar disorder.

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laur89
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

My heart is ugly crying right now. 😭❤️

This was a super sweet, cute, emotional book. It totally reads as a middle grade/YA book but it does a wonderful job of addressing some serious topics. I fell in love with Lily and Dunkin and their families, as well as Dare.

Already recommended it as a wonderful choice for a book about diversity and friendship! Do yourself a favor and spend a weekend reading this. 😊

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Stephaniereads1
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Stephaniereads1 My next book. 5y
53 likes1 comment
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laur89
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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#CurrentlyReading

My April reads have been a little all over the map 🤪

~Planning on finishing Pillow Thoughts tonight so I can crack open another book!

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laur89
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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When you can‘t have 🍩s, you settle for 🍪s.

#LitsyAtoZ

mrsmarch 🇺🇸🏃🏼‍♀️on ☕️ 🍩 5y
Drocchio03 Super cute and clever! 5y
HeathHof I loved this one 💕 5y
Grrlbrarian Oh no now I want some of those cookies 😢 well, and books too! 5y
laur89 @mrsmarch 😂 so creative! @Drocchio03 thanks! @Mynameisacolour it‘s cute so far! Good to know I have the rest to look forward to 😁 @Grrlbrarian story of my life hahaha always wanting 📖 and 🍪 5y
22 likes1 stack add5 comments
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ashly._.vera
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Pickpick

This book was a good read. I really enjoyed it. Lily and Dunkin is a story about two peoples lives. Lily is a boy but wants to be a girl and Dunkin has a secret he doesnt want to share. When they run into eachother their lives change... I rate this book a 8/10

Cfischbuch I‘m glad you liked it. It‘s a great example of ‘walking a mile in another‘s shoes‘ and a terrific addition to the”We Need Diverse Books” theme. 5y
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broughtyoubooks
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

This ended up being a hardcore read, between the lives of two 13 year old kids, one a trans girl and the other a boy dealing with bipolar. And it was decent portrayal of both, even if Dunkin does go hero complex a bit and Vasquez never really gets his returns but...otherwise really good

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Peddler410
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

So glad Lily and Dunkin came into my life! Lily, transgender, trying to be her true self going into 8th grade; Dunkin, trying to find his place in a new town, living with bipolar disorder.

The author gets middle school — Lily and Dunkin are struggling while assuming the other has it all together.

The last part of the book tore out my heart then mended it beautifully.

all middle schoolers read this!

#2018mglgbtq #huggable #lgbtq #caudill2019

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AndreaReads
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

My librarian asked me to read this book to help determine whether we should keep it on our shelves (Davis County, Utah can be pretty conservative). Absolutely we should keep this on the shelf. Knowing that my state ranks highest in teen suicides, I think it‘s important that ALL students are reflected in what they read, and that they know they are loved. This was a cute story about being true to yourself.
#IReadYA #ReadDiverse #TeachersofLitsy

LiteraryinLawrence Glad you came to that conclusion. I liked it a lot too! 6y
Reggie I forgot where in Utah it is but it is a house where kids whose parents have died of suicide go to get therapy. It was featured on the podcast This American Life. The kids stay until they themselves feel like they don‘t need it anymore. A lot of them felt they made connections with other kids who understood what they were going through. Other kids would at school would say stuff like you know your parent is in hell, right? The house has a volcano 6y
Reggie Room that is made out of nerf material where they can get as angry as they want and hit walls and scream for as long as they want. (Doesn‘t every school need this room?) The thing that killed me was that some of the kids who went there were 3-4yo‘s. Anyways, sorry this was a little off topic but I‘m glad you kept the book in, also. 6y
JaclynW I agree with what you've said (although I haven't read this book yet). Thanks for doing your part to keep books like this on the shelves of Utah libraries! 6y
Peddler410 Oh my gosh! Thank you for coming to that conclusion. I really think this is a very important book right now. 6y
76 likes5 stack adds5 comments
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AndreaReads
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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We‘ve spent the weekend at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino National Forest, and today was the first decently warm day where I could lay in the hammock and read! So while the rest of the fam is kayaking at the lake, I am in my happy place. #ReadingWeekend #IReadYA #LakeLife

Cinfhen Looks so relaxing!! Enjoy 6y
mrp27 Hasn't been the warmest in SoCal this weekend. Curious about your thoughts on this book, I can't decide if I want to add it to my tbr or not. 6y
AndreaReads @mrp27 I loved it. It‘s a cute little story about being true to yourself. I‘m happy with how it ended, and I‘ll share it with my students. 6y
mrp27 Thanks, I'm stacking it! 6y
overtheedge I'm jealous of your hammock!! Hope you got some good reading in! 6y
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AndreaReads
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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The dedication page and I‘m already tearing up. I had a student who witnessed his brother commit suicide this week, so this is hitting particularly close to home today. I have no words for how completely useless I sometimes feel when faced with the battles my students fight every day.

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

vkois88 Beautiful quote in your caption ❤ This book was exactly what I needed, right when I didn't know I needed it. Such a strong book for advocacy of LGBTQ & for Mental Health Awareness. I hope you like it 6y
LiteraryinLawrence I‘m so sorry about your student and his brother. 6y
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TheBookHippie So sorry, it's rough ...we've had 4 this year...it's just so horrifically sad. 6y
AmyG My daughter is a school counselor...I hear this from her. Just keep being kind. Always. How heartbreaking for your student. 😪 (edited) 6y
rather_be_reading 😢😢 6y
BookNAround I‘m so sorry. My son lost a friend to suicide in February. It‘s a hard and lingering thing that continues to hit him (and me) out of the blue. 6y
Trashcanman You care... It make makes all the difference sometimes. 6y
JaclynW Oh man. That's rough. How sad. 😢😢😢 There is a lot of suicide with young kids here in Utah. 6y
66 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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vkois88
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Norbert, aka Dunkin, has a past filled with more bad experiences than you would expect for an 8th grader. Will he be able to turn his #sorrowintotreasuredgold by befriending Lily? #AdelesMayMashUp @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

BookaholicNatty ❤️this!!!! Haven‘t read this book but looks very interesting!!! 6y
vkois88 @BookaholicNatty it was SUCH a good story. It was exactly what I needed to read without even knowing it. 6y
BookaholicNatty @vkois88 I loooove when that happens!!!!! Stacking it! 6y
35 likes1 stack add4 comments
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vkois88
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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It all started with a #Hello between the pretty blond with a red dress, and the tall boy with a mop of brown curls waving a Dunkin Donuts bag. Will they make a friendship work, or will one end up on the other side? I started this one at work last night and I'm really enjoying it so far. #AdelesMayMashUp @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

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blondie
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Mehso-so

"Don't do what you think will make them happy. Do what will make you happy. It's not that complicated, McGrother."

I liked parts of it. I liked the heavy topics involved. It wasn't my favorite, I skimmed quite a bit of it at the end. I'm sure I would've loved this in highschool or middle school. But it just wasn't my thing.

BibliophileMomma Donuts 🍩 🤤 6y
TricksyTails 😂😂😂 What @Tiffy_Reads said. 👆 6y
BibliophileMomma @TricksyTails I had dental work done yesterday and I have stitches so I‘m on a soft diet I‘m drooling over everyone‘s food pics. 🤣🤪 6y
TricksyTails @Tiffy_Reads Ouch! 🤕 And now food torture! I'd use it as the perfect excuse to eat all the ice cream. Wishing you a speedy recovery! 🤗♥️ 6y
38 likes4 comments
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blondie
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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29 likes1 stack add
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Sarahandhella
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

This book tackles quite a lot of heavy material for the two main characters. As a 30-something, Cisgender Woman I have to admit that I don‘t see the negatives in the storylines that some of the reviewers point out. I feel for all the characters; the children, the parents, and even the bullies. I thought back on my young self when I had a transgender classmate and how I thought of them. Being a young adolescent is the worst. I cried.

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MsDurall
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Now reading

DrSpalding Can't wait to hear how it is? 7y
1 like1 comment
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lovelybookshelf
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Panpan

NOPE. Lily's transition centers cis feelings, and the author doesn't differentiate between gender expression and gender identity. Once Lily confides in Dunkin, his narrative (not dialogue, yet) should have changed. But he didn't refer to her as Lily until the END, when she shows up at the school dance in a dress, wearing makeup. This reinforces the harmful idea that you have to look a certain way before others will see you as "really truly trans."

lovelybookshelf I chose "pan" instead of "bail" because of the bipolar representation. Dunkin's story was moving, and I learned a lot. 7y
Bibliogeekery I really appreciate your review. I haven't read this one yet but it's definitely been on my list. #transbooks 7y
lovelybookshelf @Bibliogeekery I was super disappointed because I'd seen it on tons of #translit lists, and once in a while a cis author gets it right but sadly, not here. 😐 I'm going to write a fuller review on my blog soon. 7y
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Peddler410 Thank you for your review. In Duncan‘s defense, it is Lily who tells him to use the name Tim. Maybe the author was wrong to write it that way? I‘m not sure. 6y
lovelybookshelf @Peddler410 The narrative should have used Lily once Lily came out to Duncan. The dialogue is a different story, because Lily didn't want to be outed to others yet. But the way this (cis) author went about it felt wrong because she reinforces the idea that you have to appear a certain way before your transness is valid. 😞 This is an ongoing problem trans and nonbinary people face with cis people and it has very harmful repercussions. 6y
Peddler410 Thanks @lovelybookshelf I understand the point you were making more clearly now. As a cis reader, I agree with what you are saying though I did not pick up on it as I was reading. Thank you for educating me, sincerely. 6y
lovelybookshelf @Peddler410 you're very welcome! 💜 6y
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monalyisha
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

This MG novel about two brave kids - one transgender (Lily/Tim) and one bipolar (Dunkin/Norbert) - is tender, big-hearted, and well-written.

I love that kids who are struggling with their own identities might be able to recognize themselves in these characters, and that kids outside of this experience might gain some insight & understanding.

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monalyisha
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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"I need an iced coffee and a doughnut before I pass out. Caffeine and sugar. Breakfast of champions. Maybe two doughnuts and a really large iced coffee. Maybe two iced coffees."

...Is it bad that I suddenly feel connected with this middle-school character on a spiritual level?
#treatyoself

vivastory A doughnut (or 2) & a large iced coffee sounds perfect right now 7y
readinginthedark That's what I had for breakfast this morning! 7y
14 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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"I wish the world were made of dogs."

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Johanna414
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

I have tears running down my face and I want to gift this book to everyone I know.

SpiderCrafts I'm making a note to seek this out at the library 💖 so many great books out this year on gender, identity, and strong friendships. ☺️ 7y
24 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Johanna414
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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"Why can't they put a neutral color hat on the baby and wait to see what happens?"

First of all, a book with high schoolers who knit? Yes, please!
Second, why is this such a scary concept to so many people?!? The whole pink/blue thing drives me nuts...

Bibliogeekery I'm really looking forward to reading this one! #transbooks 7y
18 likes1 comment
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Johanna414
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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I think Gephart really nails the middle school experience - each so hopelessly insecure while thinking the other has the confidence and ease they're lacking...

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Johanna414
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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My book cover collage is starting to wrap around the pillar! Here's a few titles I read recently...

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ChaseNight
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

I wasn't thinking when I wore ENTER TITLE HERE, but the next time I borrowed a book from my niece who had borrowed it from her school library, I realized I didn't know who else might have been wearing it, so decided to...not. #bookhats #booksandcats

MrBook 😻 7y
9 likes1 comment
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ReadingSusan
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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Pickpick

I wish this was required reading in schools. #thankfullyreading

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RoofBeamReader
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Mehso-so

Important story about a transgender youth and a friendship built with another youth suffering from severe loss and mental trauma. Powerful and much needed diversity... wish the story had been a bit better crafted, and the writing as well.

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WanderingBookaneer
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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auntie_jenn i haven't voted yet - too many good choices! 7y
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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HeathHof
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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#somethingforsept It's September Wrap up with a Three way tie between Lily and Duncan, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Melancholy Death of Oyster boy. They are all so special and awesome in their own ways. ✨💗✨

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HeathHof
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I'm not a crier but this one got me. Reading this makes me feel more empathetic and I genuinely believe this book will do some good in the world. I will be recommending it to as many people as possible💘🌎

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HeathHof
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
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My little reading buddy seems to have found a cozy place for napping😾💤

WanderingBookaneer Loved that heartbreaking book! 8y
MrBook 😻 8y
31 likes1 stack add2 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
Lily and Dunkin | Donna Gephart
Pickpick

This book has a nuanced plot that deals with issues not normally found in middle school fiction. Lily is a transgendered eighth grader and Duncan has bipolar disorder. Their lives are conveyed in a realistic, touching, heartbreaking way. This book should be read by most students so that they understand the struggles some of their peers face.

Carol 💔 8y
LauraBeth That's a heartbreaking statistic 8y
Bibliogeekery 💔😭💔😭 8y
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MrsV 💔 8y
Laura317 😢💔😢💔 8y
quirkyreader When I was still working in education there were two kids at my school making the transition. I made sure that both of them knew that I was there for both of them to talk to. 8y
Hooked_on_books 43%?!? Oh no, that's so awful. The heartening part is seeing books like this, which did not exist when I was young. Here's hoping we can turn this problem around. 8y
Laalaleighh 😔 I had no idea. Adding because obviously I need to understand this topic more. Thank you. 8y
HeathHof Ordering now! 8y
46 likes6 stack adds9 comments