Constellations / Kate Glasheen.

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Title:

Constellations / Kate Glasheen.

Author:

Glasheen, Kate, author, artist.

ISBN:

9780823450718

9780823454884

Edition:

First Edition.

Physical Description:

221 pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm

Contents:

Denial -- Acceptance -- Boundaries -- Relapse -- Homecoming -- Commencement.

Abstract:

In 1980s Troy, New York, nonbinary teenager Claire's stint in court-ordered rehab may be exactly what they need to unpack all the bad they have experienced--if they can stay sober in a world seemingly never made for them.

Reading Level:

Ages 14 & up. Holiday House.

Grades 10-12. Holiday House.

Subject Term:

Gender-nonconforming youth -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Gender-nonconforming youth -- Juvenile fiction.

Gender identity -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Gender identity -- Juvenile fiction.

Alcoholism -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Alcoholism -- Juvenile fiction.

Counseling -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Counseling -- Juvenile fiction.

Interpersonal relations -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Interpersonal relations -- Juvenile fiction.

Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- Juvenile fiction.

Graphic novels -- United States.

Gender identity -- Fiction. (DLC)sj2022050056

Alcoholism -- Fiction. (DLC)sj 96004727

Counseling -- Fiction. (DLC)sj2021052649

Interpersonal relations -- Fiction. (DLC)sh2008104850

Gender Identity.

Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Alcoholics.

Alcoholism -- rehabilitation.

Counseling.

Interpersonal Relations.

Juvenile Delinquency.

Non-binary people.

LGBTQ+ people in recovery.

Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation (OCoLC)fst00985409

Interpersonal relations (OCoLC)fst00977397

Graphic novels (OCoLC)fst00946656

Gender-nonconforming youth (OCoLC)fst02000652

Gender identity (OCoLC)fst00939593

Counseling (OCoLC)fst00881212

Alcoholism (OCoLC)fst00804461

Geographic Term:

United States (OCoLC)fst01204155

Genre:

Graphic Novel.

Fictional Work.

Young adult works (OCoLC)fst01726790

Juvenile works (OCoLC)fst01411637

Fiction (OCoLC)fst01423787

Coming-of-age comics (OCoLC)fst01985352

Comics (Graphic works) (OCoLC)fst01921613

Young adult fiction.

Graphic novels. (OCoLC)fst01726630

Graphic novels.

Coming-of-age comics.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791003064462	GRAPHIC T GLA	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

A raw graphic novel debut about a queer teen living in the margins who is determined to find their way ahead.

Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?

It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. But as long as they have ride-or-die best friend Greg at their side and a drink in their hand, everything will be okay. Right?

Except, Claire can never have just one drink. And when harassment at school reaches a fever pitch, Claire begins a spiral that ends in court-ordered rehab. Feeling completely lost, Claire is soon surrounded by a group of new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire's release gets closer so does the question- Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?

Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way ahead. Done in watercolor and ink, debut author-artist Kate Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.

An SLJ Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Top Ten First Novel for Youth

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 10 Up--Glasheen draws from personal experience to create the story of Claire, a teen struggling with their identity in 1980s New York. Claire is constantly asked whether they are a girl or boy. The frequent questions and hostility from some of the adults and family members in their life leads them to cope with alcohol abuse. Eventually their alcohol abuse becomes so severe that they are sent to inpatient treatment for substance abuse. While in treatment, Claire meets a variety of teens struggling with their own addictions and begins to gain a better understanding of their identity and possible romantic interests. Claire's counselor, Charlie, is a strong positive role model who helps Claire through their journey of recovery. Substance abuse and its consequences are not shied away from, and later pages show what happens to some of the characters in the book. Claire's narration of the story is featured in watercolor illustrations enhanced with surreal notebook drawings that both mirror their journaling and provide additional insight into their thoughts. Emotions are drawn with exaggerated expressions so that readers can see the depth of Claire's feelings. VERDICT A tale of gender identity and recovery that will resonate with readers and leave them thinking long after the final page. A first purchase for all young adult library collections.--Ashley Leffel

Publisher's Weekly Review

In the 1980s, high schooler Claire doesn't know exactly who they are or where they fit in their Irish Catholic family and the surrounding Troy, N.Y., community ("Having a girlfriend isn't the part that feels the most wrong. It's the being a girl part"). The conflict between conforming to their family's pressure that they "act like a normal girl" and their own discomfort with their gender identity throws them into a spiral that they try to mitigate with increased alcohol consumption. Claire falls further into alcohol dependency when classmates begin bullying them for kissing a girl, and a subsequent spiral results in them being placed in a juvenile recovery program. Loosely lined art by Glasheen (A Radical Shift of Gravity), rendered in soft watercolors, lends a sense of nostalgia to Claire's tale, varied panel shapes contain a youthful verve, and overflowing text fittingly captures Claire's feelings of overwhelm. This solo debut--a fictionalized, somewhat autobiographical accounting, as indicated in an author's note--explores its protagonist's struggles to be a part of their family and community while learning to accept themself, potently reflecting on themes of addiction, healing, and identity. Ages 14--up. Agent: Anjali Singh, Ayesha Pande Literary. (May)

Kirkus Review

A tale of gender and addiction. Claire Dunroe lives in the crumbling industrial city of Troy, New York. The androgynous White teen often butts up against the question of what gender they are, and Claire's working-class Irish Catholic family is not one to deal with issues of gender-based bullying or violence with sensitivity or support. With good friend Greg, Claire discovers that beer is a great way to dull the pain and starts drinking regularly. One particular bender--inspired by a girl who kisses Claire and then spirals into gay panic, followed by severe bullying at school--leads to Claire's getting picked up by the police and then sent by a judge to a teen rehab facility. This is a brutal story with glimmers of hope shining through, complemented by harsh art, tangled lines, and blunt facial expressions. While this story may be cathartic for those who can relate to the subject matter or appreciated by readers seeking narratives dealing with trauma, overstuffed text boxes often devolve into melodramatic exposition or lengthy dialogue scenes in which Charlie, the main addiction counselor, lectures the audience both on and off the page about addiction and recovery. The author's afterword gives a heartfelt explanation of how this not-quite-memoir dovetails with their life. Successfully delves into issues but never quite coalesces into an engaging story. (Graphic fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.