Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution

Starred review from July 4, 2022
Callender (Moonflower) explores themes such as accountability, honesty, and self-love in this West Philly–set novel that follows a queer Black teen searching for a place to belong. Persistent online bullying causes nonbinary Lark Winters, who’s 17 and self-diagnosed as neurodivergent, to feel self-conscious and lonely. Nevertheless, they believe that an active Twitter presence is the only way they’ll get to publish their in-progress novel about a winged teen named Birdie. When Lark’s former best friend, Black trans 17-year-old Kasim, mistakenly posts—from Lark’s Twitter account—a thread about Kasim’s secret crush, the tweets go viral. Lark agrees to say they wrote the thread to protect Kasim’s “hardcore” image after they realize the tweets are increasing their platform, but the more popular the thread becomes, the more lies Lark must tell, and the more they stand to lose. Lark’s fictional protagonist, Birdie, is a constant companion, offering advice and solace as events unfold. Callender proffers complex perspectives on activism, bullying, respectability politics, and polyamory, among other timely topics via a queer, socially conscious cast. Lark’s experiences are emotionally fraught but not overwrought, emblematic of a deeply kind soul who is growing and learning from every triumph and mistake. Ages 14–up. Agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

September 23, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Fans of Callender's Felix Ever After (2020) will find a lot to love in this introspective story about friendship, social media, self-love, and accountability. Lark is a nonbinary aspiring writer, which is why they feel the need to keep up with their Twitter presence, even when it goes awry. After their former best friend Kasim accidentally posts a thread to Lark's Twitter account about his unrequited and anonymous love, Lark gains an immense following, along with questions, criticism, and bullying. Kasim doesn't want anyone to know it was he who posted it, so Lark keeps it a secret. The Twitter thread spreads, pressing Lark to be dishonest to the world and everyone they love. Are the growing lies worth the renewed closeness they feel with Kasim? The protagonist in Lark's work-in-progress, Birdie, is a very present character in the novel, offering feedback and advice to Lark as they navigate their feelings and their own self-diagnosed neurodivergent mind. Callender carefully and compassionately addresses topics like rejection, activism, racism, transphobia, polyamory, mental health, and navigating the publishing industry as a marginalized person. This is a strongly character-driven novel that will certainly make readers root for Lark, Kasim, and their community and chosen family. It might even make them want to start revolutions of their own.

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September 1, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Lark is sure that once they hit fifty thousand Twitter followers, an agent will pick up their novel, and they'll finally be able to prove they're "worthy of being loved." Lark -- who lives in West Philly and is Black, nonbinary, polyamorous, and neurodivergent -- takes summer writing classes with other Black, queer teens, including their ex-best friend Kasim. Lark and Kasim butt heads because Lark believes in unconditional love and forgiveness, while revolutionary Kasim would rather "burn down" everything wrong with society. But when Kasim accidentally posts about his own unrequited love from Lark's Twitter account, the thread goes viral, and Lark takes credit. As Lark lies for internet fame, they can't help but wonder: who is Kasim really in love with? And does Lark even love themself? The Twitter posts re-created throughout are sometimes hilarious, sometimes unsettlingly real, exploring internet callout culture and what it truly takes to grow from one's mistakes. The novel can be didactic at times, but the characters and their relationships are complex, engaging, and delightfully flawed. References to the COVID-19 pandemic are seamlessly interwoven into everyday life; frank discussions of topics like autism and ADHD in the Black community, and how to navigate polyamorous relationships, feel fresh and necessary in the YA sphere. A brief writing guide for aspiring teen authors is appended. Bodie Shanis

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

December 16, 2022

Gr 9 Up-A queer Black neurodivergent teen learns about the revolutionary power of love and truth amidst the messiness of teenage life both online and off. Lark, 17 and nonbinary, hopes that if they crack 50,000 followers on Twitter, they will land a literary agent. When a viral tweet thread professing their love to an unknown friend gains them those followers, there's just one problem: Lark didn't write it; former best friend Kasim, who is trans, accidentally posted it on Lark's account. For complicated reasons, Lark takes credit for it. Suddenly, Lark's social media persona, all about love and peace, is threatened. The online world finds Lark's very public proclamations of being in love with another nonbinary person, Eli, to be inspiring and hopeful, but peers from their writing class believe Lark is toxic and fake. Lark, scared of rejection and honesty, navigates realizations about feelings for Kasim; about Eli, who may have ulterior motives; and about Sable, Kasim's girlfriend and Lark's unexpected crush. This introspective, character-driven novel tackles thoughts on community, accountability, intersectional identities, mental health, polyamory, online clout, self-worth, and the right to take up space just exactly as you are. While some secondary characters are underdeveloped, Callender's nuanced portrayals of the main characters and their sincere, vulnerable voices provides important representation. Lark and Kasim make plenty of mistakes but also change and grow from them, leading to self-reflection that feels genuine and earned. VERDICT A heartfelt and thoughtful look at a fractured friendship and the transformative capability of love and compassion.-Amanda MacGregor

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Lark is sure that once they hit fifty thousand Twitter followers, an agent will pick up their novel, and they'll finally be able to prove they're "worthy of being loved." Lark -- who lives in West Philly and is Black, nonbinary, polyamorous, and neurodivergent -- takes summer writing classes with other Black, queer teens, including their ex-best friend Kasim. Lark and Kasim butt heads because Lark believes in unconditional love and forgiveness, while revolutionary Kasim would rather "burn down" everything wrong with society. But when Kasim accidentally posts about his own unrequited love from Lark's Twitter account, the thread goes viral, and Lark takes credit. As Lark lies for internet fame, they can't help but wonder: who is Kasim really in love with? And does Lark even love themself? The Twitter posts re-created throughout are sometimes hilarious, sometimes unsettlingly real, exploring internet callout culture and what it truly takes to grow from one's mistakes. The novel can be didactic at times, but the characters and their relationships are complex, engaging, and delightfully flawed. References to the COVID-19 pandemic are seamlessly interwoven into everyday life; frank discussions of topics like autism and ADHD in the Black community, and how to navigate polyamorous relationships, feel fresh and necessary in the YA sphere. A brief writing guide for aspiring teen authors is appended.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)