THE BLACK FLAMINGO

THE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta is one of the most heartwarming coming-of-age stories I’ve read in a long time. Loosely based on the author’s own life and written in verse, the novel introduces us to Michael, a gay, mixed-race teen living in London, on his journey to embrace his identity. As he struggles to figure out where he belongs, he joins his campus’ Drag Society and thus his persona, The Black Flamingo, is born. I loved reading about a life so different from my own, told with incredible honesty and vulnerability. Atta is deftly able to pull from his own experiences to portray Michael’s intersecting values and multifaceted identities. Through this lens, we’re able to explore the complicated layers that make Michael who he is, and push us to make these same considerations about who we are.  

—Marisa Harris, Executive Assistant