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    King and the Dragonflies
    King and the Dragonflies
    King and the Dragonflies
    Audiobook5 hours

    King and the Dragonflies

    Written by Kacen Callender

    Narrated by Ron Butler

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.

    It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy—that he thinks he might be gay. "You don't want anyone to think you're gay too, do you?"

    But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death.

    Editor's Note

    National Book Award winner…

    A bittersweet YA National Book Awards winner about a Black boy in Louisiana grappling with the the backlash to the possibility that he’s gay, the shame at outing his friend, and the grief of losing his brother. The beauty of the bayou is lyrically rendered with a touch of magical realism, as King wonders if his brother didn’t die, but instead was turned into a dragonfly.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherScholastic
    Release dateFeb 4, 2020
    ISBN9781338617900
    King and the Dragonflies
    Author

    Kacen Callender

    Kacen Callender is originally from Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Kacen has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MFA from the New School’s writing for children program. They are also the author of the young adult novel This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story and the middle grade novel Hurricane Child, winner of the Stonewall Book Award and Lambda Literary Award. They can be found online at www.kacencallender.com.

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    Reviews for King and the Dragonflies

    4.5/5

    383 ratings14 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I loved this book, it always been favorite my book.
    • 5/5
      I cried. No. I bawled... more than once. Yes, this was book beautifully written. But there was more to it! When King grieved, I grieved. When he was angry, I was angry. I felt his emotions– his love for Khalid, his confusion about the kind of world we live in, our lives and the people we love are questions I find myself asking from time to time. It was a wonderful time. I don’t think I’ll stop thinking about this one for a while.
    • 4/5
      The story gets a 5 but the narration brings it to a 4 just because I didn’t like his kid voice. I understand why he did it because King and everyone are 12 y/o but I just didn’t like it.
    • 3/5
      Very cute tale about growing up, family, coming to terms with differences in others are yourself great middle grade reading
    • 5/5
      This was a charming book overall. I didn't realize it was YA until I got started though. I really wish I had found literature like this when I was younger, honestly. I feel that this is an important book for anyone grappling with sexuality and grief, two very difficult topics for anyone, let alone kids. Not to mention race and racism and how this young boy of color is trying to figure out his sexuality in the deep south. He is trying to figure that out with the crushing weight of grief... I would like to see this book hit the big screen and I hope it does someday.
    • 5/5
      Love this book and the narrator’s voice. It was a great listening.”
    • 5/5
      Excellent book about some very tough issues to tackle for a middle grade audience. Kacen callender does so with great care and love for his characters and readers. Absolutely recommend.
    • 3/5
      The plot didn’t grab me. It was rather mundane not much excitement
    • 5/5
      Very beautiful, bittersweet and heartbreaking. i'm amazed by how well the author handled all these heavy topics so it could be a middle grade book. i'm glad children can read books like this one.
    • 5/5
      Well, this is just amazing. ?? This book explored grief, self-identity, sexuality, friendship, and family in a melancholic yet tender way. Such a great ending to King's story (which I loved), but now I feel like I want more. Kudos to the author and the narrator!
    • 5/5
      This book is a coming of age book that should be part of all the Scholastic Fairs we had as children. It promotes self acceptance for little boys that are questioning their own sexuality. Truly a wonderful book.
    • 5/5
      I can't wait until someone makes a movie out of this, with all the special effects.
    • 5/5
      I don't often read MG and this was probably my first one in a couple of years but it was beautiful. It perfects depicts a MG protagonist with a blend of worldliness and yet him still being naïve and innocent. It is light and breezy, while also asking important questions about how we as a society function. King is a delightful child dealing with grief, trauma and repressed emotions and he goes on a beautiful journey of growth and self-realisation. Not only him, the side characters also go through some major growth. It is such a small book but its impact is as big as a meteor. I loved reading it.

    • 4/5
      Pretty good, coming of age story. Really cute and not prolonged.