Ann Heron

For gay and especially for questioning youth, Two Teenagers in Twenty is a great resource for teens who may lack a sense of community or understanding of their own situation. Each chapter contains a short essay by a gay or lesbian youth about their experiences in coming out, fitting in, and keeping it together in their teenage years. The lack of sections communicates the idea that every story is different, highlighting the individuality of each writer. The inconspicuous design of this book show more makes it particularly "safe" for questioning youth. The author’s dedication: “If you found this book, it’s dedicated to you,” offers readers a resource that is whatever they need-information, perspective, comfort, etc. Patron population should be considered in light of the book’s strong language and frank sexuality, but it is highly recommended for young adult non-fiction collections in school and public libraries. show less

A good collection of first-person accounts from teens in the '80s. Much more heavily weighted towards boys, unfortunately (probably about 2:1). And a lot of stories involved a significantly older "lover" (e.g., 16/32, 12(!)/24) with no critical reflections on the part of the publisher.

From Amazon: Grade 2-6-- Jasmine thinks she's lucky to have three dads--a stepfather, her natural father, and his lover. However, her schoolmates and even teachers find this hard to accept. Jasmine's brother is subjected to name-calling and almost ends up in a fight over his father's lifestyle. At home, the two dads are supportive and understanding, and the children's natural father contacts the principal about it. A special assembly is the result, with a children's counselor discussing show more different kinds of families. A subplot, featuring a lesbian and her son, speaks nonjudgmentally to the issue of the sexual preferences among the offspring of homosexual parents. This book with a purpose does a good job of raising the issues sensitively and answering the questions reasonably. Scratchy ink drawings depict an African-American family living in an average neighborhood, with the children attending a racially balanced school. --Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library. show less

From Amazon: Grade 2-6-- Jasmine thinks she's lucky to have three dads--a stepfather, her natural father, and his lover. However, her schoolmates and even teachers find this hard to accept. Jasmine's brother is subjected to name-calling and almost ends up in a fight over his father's lifestyle. At home, the two dads are supportive and understanding, and the children's natural father contacts the principal about it. A special assembly is the result, with a children's counselor discussing show more different kinds of families. A subplot, featuring a lesbian and her son, speaks nonjudgmentally to the issue of the sexual preferences among the offspring of homosexual parents. This book with a purpose does a good job of raising the issues sensitively and answering the questions reasonably. Scratchy ink drawings depict an African-American family living in an average neighborhood, with the children attending a racially balanced school. --Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library. show less