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The Black Flamingo: The much loved, award-winning, queer coming-of-age story (Black Stories Matter) Paperback – 5 Mar. 2020
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"Intensely moving and heart-warming" Cosmo
"Bold" Guardian
"I loved every word" Malorie Blackman
WINNER OF THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD 2020
This is not about being ready, it's not even about being fierce, or fearless, IT'S ABOUT BEING FREE.
Michael waits in the stage wings, wearing a pink wig, pink fluffy coat and black heels.
One more step will see him illuminated by spotlight.
He has been on a journey of bravery to get here, and he is almost ready to show himself to the world in bold colours ...
Can he emerge as The Black Flamingo?
SHORTLISTED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK BOOK PRIZE
*The paperback edition has beautiful gold foil added to the striking cover design*
- Reading age12 - 15 years
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions12.6 x 2.8 x 19.4 cm
- PublisherHodder Children's Books
- Publication date5 Mar. 2020
- ISBN-101444948601
- ISBN-13978-1444948608
Frequently bought together
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From the Publisher
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Find your wings
A stunning coming of age story about the power of embracing your uniqueness and showing your true colours.
Perfect for fans of Sarah Crossan and Poet X.
Product description
Review
The short lines give Michael's story an epigrammatic quality and an urgent pace that is deeply involving. A compact hardback edition, it has been beautifully produced by Hodder ― Financial Times
The heartwarming coming-of-age YA novel ― Bustle
A novel told in beautifully-written verse...an uplifting coming of age story ― The Independent
Beautiful...a delight to read, whatever your age ― The Independent
This incredibly raw debut novel excellently captures internal struggles of growing up and learning to find your voice. Written in verse, this is one that is sure to make you shed a tear. ― Grazia
A powerful and revealing young adult novel...bold, tender and full of blossoming moments of heartache and joy ― Attitude
Studded with poetry and illustrations, The Black Flamingo shows us what life can look like when we begin to live in bold color. ― Buzzfeed
One of poetry's greatest modern voices...The Black Flamingo is a powerful coming-of-age story about finding who you are, all told in beautifully-written verse...with an overarching message of embracing who you are and showing your true colours in the world that often imposes mundanity, it's a book that anyone can appreciate ― Gay Times
A force to be reckoned with, and a voice that demands to be heard ― PRIDE magazine
A deeply moving story of love, self belief and identity. It is a wonderfully honest and moving read - perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Sarah Crossan. told through beautifully constructed poetry, this is the coming of age story of Michael, a mixed race gay teen. Readers will be completely absorbed by Michael's personal journey, and will laugh, cry and cheer for him ― The Scotsman
Ultimately inspiring ― Irish Times
A moving coming-of-age story, written with heart and panache ― Irish Independent
Beautifully constructed poetry ― Scottish Booktrust
A gorgeous and moving first person exploration of sexuality, poetry, blackness and love...a nuanced piece of freeform verse that oozes with warmth, insight and forgiveness...a beautiful piece of work, filled with love and insight and words I would have longed to read as a teenager/20-something and still to hear them again as an adult ― The Queer Review
Readers won't be left disappointed ― The Queerness
Uplifting and dazzlingly unique ― LoveReading4Kids
Big hearted and dizzyingly flamboyant ― Achuka
Beautiful, sharp, bold and utterly original ― Book Riot
An excellent book to spark discussions, break down barriers, open peoples eyes to other lives ― Independent Book Review
One of our top reads this year ― Just Imagine
This book felt both quiet and ferociously loud and proud at the same time, tackling deep emotions and giving me frequent goosebumps. It tackles toxic masculinity, internalised homophobia and racism with thought-provoking, phenomenal writing that utterly entranced me ― Suffolk Libraries
A fierce, poetic, moving coming-of-age story...There's plenty of fabulous, rousing scenes to inspire, amuse and move. Lyrical, direct, honest and witty, The Black Flamingo is a breath-taking exploration of race, identity, sexuality and gender ― Pen & inc.
A masterful, evocative, imperative snapshot of our time - who we are today, and everything we could be, if we gave ourselves a try...Emotionally, there are plenty of gut punches, but there's also warmth, wisdom, and hope ― Justin Myers, The Strategist UK
An important, necessary and hopeful book that should be enjoyed by readers of all ages ― Wasafiri
Clever and unique ― Book Clubs In Schools
If you're going to read one verse novel this year, this decade, or in your life, make it this one. You won't regret it. ― Vee Bookish Blog
A classic in the making ― Bookworms Anonymous Blog
I adore this book...The world needs to know more about Michael. We need books like this to spread acceptance, inclusivity, diversity. This gorgeous book has just smashed my heart and made me fall so deeply in love with it. ― A Little Haze Book Blog
Every inch of it is full of heart and power and joy ― Did You Ever Stop To Think blog
A beautiful, real story told with grit...Dean Atta has a fresh narrative voice and he is a gifted poet. I'd definitely recommend this read. ― A Take From Two Cities
An intimate contemporary verse novel that explores identity and belonging...Michael's journey to embracing his identity as The Black Flamingo is long and often painful, but ultimately triumphant. ― Happy Golden Kim blog
A gorgeous story ― Lisa Talks About...blog
This book is inspiring and uplifting and inclusive and raw and...well, a masterpiece. Please, everyone, go out and read it. As one of the best books I've read this year, I can tell you that you won't be disappointed, trust me. ― Novel Ideas Blog
The Black Flamingo is a powerful and emotional coming of age story...Dean Atta has written a beautiful coming of age story that teens and young adults desperately need. The Black Flamingo has opened my eyes and broadened my understanding with it's bold and powerful story telling. ― Library Looter blog
The Black Flamingo is a must-read for everybody...The Black Flamingois a beautifully written, poignant story that deserves to be experienced by all ― Unapologetically Kelly blog
Beautiful and eloquent ― The Book Duchesses blog
I so amazed by the sheer beauty of this...this is one of the most brutal and honest reads I have come across. On each page you can feel the heart poured onto it, can feel the emotion bleeding from each page, and share in the vulnerability...This has to be the most powerful and beautiful book I have read ― Babbles n Books blog
The Black Flamingo is all about being free in our minds and our bodies, not conforming to gender rules of society and finding our place in the world. The pages layout is stunning, with a lot of drawings and different shapes. To read this book is to enter Michael's life, from his birth to his rebirth, his struggles, his questionings. The writing style took my breath away multiple times and made me shiver at the end. I L O V E D I T. ― The Bookish Garden blog
An emotive read ― The Teacher Bookworm blog
I cried with joy ― The Hungry Reader blog
Emotive, strong and powerful ― Lost In Literature blog
An excellent book to spark discussions, break down barriers, open peoples eyes to other lives. ― Independent Book Reviews
A beautifully written coming-of-age story...I cried, I laughed, and overall, it's a really empowering book. ― Anniek's Library blog
The Black Flamingo is a celebration of complex layered identity...It leaves room for messiness, mistakes, and the strange meandering coincidences of life as we watch Michael grow up, exploring the facets of his identity and celebrating the intersections between them. It handles a lot of topics and nuance in a way that keeps the underlying messiness while reaching for something healthier and more whole with every page. There's a lot of growth in the secondary characters as well, even minor characters learn and change in meaningful and obvious ways by the time the story is over. I loved reading this and highly recommend it. ― Reviews That Burn
Absolutely fantastic ― Kalafudra's Stuff
This book really does have it all...This book is a wonderful celebration of being Black, being queer and doing Drag. ― The Books Are Everywhere
Beautiful...I cannot praise this book enough, please read it I'm sure you will love it ― Reviews By Rhiannon
Beautifully written ― The School of English
Powerful ― Paperback Princess
I absolutely loved this book...written so beautifully ― Books For All 245
Inspiring ― Books Let Us Escape
A very modern masterpiece ― The Guyliner
The Black Flamingo is the book I wish I had when I was younger ... joyful, emotional and full of depth -- Travis Alabanza ― performance artist and poet
A bold and joyous hymn to self-discovery and acceptance ― The Bookseller
Dean Atta's tender coming of age novel casts a fresh and enriching perspective on what it means to be seen as different at the level of race, culture, identity, heritage and gender ... an important book for young people -- Malika Booker ― Poet
Book Description
Fiercely told, this is a powerful coming-of-age story told in verse, from one of the UK's leading poets, Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Sarah Crossan and Poet X.
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Anshika Khullar is an illustrator based in Southampton, England, whose bold and vibrant work aims to showcase the ordinary as beautiful. Anshika is an Indian, non-binary transgender creative with a BA in English Literature & Media from the University of Brighton; they have a focused interest in intersectional feminist narratives, a study which has invariably informed their art practice, with illustrations that are colourful, detail-oriented, and thoughtfully studded with hidden gems of metaphors made literal, often dealing in overarching socio-political themes.
?
They are a CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal nominee for their work on the cover and interiors of YA novel The Black Flamingo (by Dean Atta, published by Hodder Books).
In addition to commercial, editorial and literary projects, Anshika has appeared as a guest speaker on panels at London Illustration Fair and House of Illustration.
Product details
- Publisher : Hodder Children's Books; 1st edition (5 Mar. 2020)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1444948601
- ISBN-13 : 978-1444948608
- Reading age : 12 - 15 years
- Dimensions : 12.6 x 2.8 x 19.4 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 146,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer reviews:
About the author
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Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story meaningful and relatable. They appreciate the writing style, which is beautifully written in verse. The book is described as powerful, touching, and a quick read. Readers also mention that the story is brave and emotional.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the story meaningful and relatable. They feel inspired by it, and the story is told in verse that is engaging. The book is described as uplifting and joyful, with many emotions and themes. It's a journey of self-discovery and identity, a celebration of queerness and finding power.
"...When I finished this book, I had tears in my eyes and I actually clapped. The final poem especially was an experience...." Read more
"...such as race, sexuality and gender, in such a sensitive and informative way. Own voices truly is the best way to express stories such as these...." Read more
"...The story was told in verse that was incredibly engaging. In addition, Michael was a poet and so there were poems peppered throughout the book...." Read more
"...I loved this book so so much. This book touches on so many topics and has so much emotion that I picked it up and didn’t put it..." Read more
Customers enjoy the writing style. They find it easy to get into and appreciate the verse format. The book is described as a well-written story in verse, tracking the life of Michael, who is half Jamaican.
"...Remember you have the right to be you.' This book is written is verse and is beautiful and powerful and poignant and heartbreaking...." Read more
"...I would highly recommend this book as not only is the writing so beautiful, but the story it recounts is very important...." Read more
"...The Black Flamingo is a novel written in verse that tracks the life of Michael, who is half Jamaican and half Greek-Cypriot, from when he is a baby..." Read more
"...all perfectly accompanies a wonderfully constructed and well-written story. Wow, the concept of a novel in verse is powerfully phenomenal!..." Read more
Customers find the book powerful and touching. They say it's a coming-of-age story about a mixed-race gay character, written in verse that works nicely.
"...This book is written is verse and is beautiful and powerful and poignant and heartbreaking...." Read more
"...Wow, the concept of a novel in verse is powerfully phenomenal!..." Read more
"...unsure about reading a book written entirely in verse, but it works nicely...." Read more
"A powerful and touching coming-of-age story about a mixed-race gay teen..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read.
"...And his tale warmed my gay little heart 💟 A super quick and easy read...." Read more
"I read it super fast, in two sittings! I just couldn't put it down...." Read more
"...This book was stunning. It was such a quick read, but managed to get through so many aspects of this boy's life...." Read more
"Buy this book. So beautiful inside and out, and a wonderful, quick read." Read more
Customers find the book brave and emotional. They describe it as an addictive read about a fierce love that they can't see.
"This is quite a recent love for me but it is a fierce and burning love that I can't see going away any time soon...." Read more
"A stunning book from beginning to end, nuanced and emotional and brave. A brilliantly addictive read. Highly recommend!" Read more
"Beautifully Brave Book..." Read more
Customers enjoy reading the book. They find it meaningful and enjoyable.
"...read books in this format and this one, in particular, was an enjoyable experience...." Read more
"...It is also an amazing book just for enjoying. It is very meaningful. Enjoy reading! Have a nice day" Read more
"...A brilliantly addictive read. Highly recommend!" Read more
Reviews with images
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An Experience
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2020'Be a beautiful thing
Be the moonlight, too.
Remember you have the right to be proud.
Remember you have the right to be you.'
This book is written is verse and is beautiful and powerful and poignant and heartbreaking. And at it's core this is a book about identity and acceptance.
The book follows Michael as he grows up and eventually goes off to university. Michael is a mixed race gay man struggling to find acceptance from the outside world and from within. He eventually finds the place where he can be 100% himself - the University Drag Club.
This book has so so many important takes on what is means to be a man, the gay identity, friendships, belonging, family and race and it leaves you feeling completely raw after reading it.
At every turn you feel so deeply for Michael and how so many events in his life don't go as he planned. The whole way through you just want to give him a hug.
I also really liked how this book is told from a British perspective. We now have a lot more own voices books being released by black authors but a good deal of those books are from US authors and I think some of the language and humour and identity issues resonated with me a bit more in this book because I am also British.
When I finished this book, I had tears in my eyes and I actually clapped. The final poem especially was an experience. I have so much love for Dean Atta and Michael and I'm so excited for their next book.
This book is something to have to experience for yourself so no words can really do it justice.
I will just say this is a Must Read.
'Be a beautiful thing
Be the moonlight, too.
Remember you have the right to be proud.
Remember you have the right to be you.'
This book is written is verse and is beautiful and powerful and poignant and heartbreaking. And at it's core this is a book about identity and acceptance.
The book follows Michael as he grows up and eventually goes off to university. Michael is a mixed race gay man struggling to find acceptance from the outside world and from within. He eventually finds the place where he can be 100% himself - the University Drag Club.
This book has so so many important takes on what is means to be a man, the gay identity, friendships, belonging, family and race and it leaves you feeling completely raw after reading it.
At every turn you feel so deeply for Michael and how so many events in his life don't go as he planned. The whole way through you just want to give him a hug.
I also really liked how this book is told from a British perspective. We now have a lot more own voices books being released by black authors but a good deal of those books are from US authors and I think some of the language and humour and identity issues resonated with me a bit more in this book because I am also British.
When I finished this book, I had tears in my eyes and I actually clapped. The final poem especially was an experience. I have so much love for Dean Atta and Michael and I'm so excited for their next book.
This book is something to have to experience for yourself so no words can really do it justice.
I will just say this is a Must Read.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2020Who is the black flamingo?
✨”He is me, who I have been, who I am, who I hope to become. Someone fabulous, wild and strong. With or without a costume on.” ✨
What an incredible book!!
This is an own voices story of Michael, a young, gay, Black man growing up in the UK. It recounts his childhood through to his university experiences and was so wonderful.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that’s written in verse before but I loved it and it was so beautiful. I devoured this book in one day as the writing was so lyrical and the storyline so captivating and interesting.
It dealt with so many important issues such as race, sexuality and gender, in such a sensitive and informative way. Own voices truly is the best way to express stories such as these. One quote that really got to me was one from Michael’s uncle - “they interrupt our joy. Our history. Our progress. They know they can’t stop us unless they kill us but they can’t kill us all, so you’re living your life and suddenly interrupted by white fear and suspicion. They fear sharing anything. Our success is a threat.”
The final few pages brought tears to my eyes and solidified this as a five star read for me. I would highly recommend this book as not only is the writing so beautiful, but the story it recounts is very important. I loved how it touched on self esteem and self love in such a raw and emotional way.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2020THE BLACK FLAMINGO was a beautiful, real story told with grit. A coming of age, coming out, all while being black story. What felt unique to me about this story and different to other coming-out stories was that it started in young childhood. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t linger for ages in that age-range but it depicted Michael’s experiences from a young age and I loved that.
Michael’s blackness and the experience of having Greek/Cypriot mother and black father who deserted them was fresh and insightful reading. Michael’s own realisations about the colour of his skin alongside his sexuality were thought-provoking and poignant. Seeing Michael become his true self, cast off other people’s presumptions and eventually being drawn to drag was absorbing reading.
The story was told in verse that was incredibly engaging. In addition, Michael was a poet and so there were poems peppered throughout the book. In particular, I loved Maybe I’m a Merman and I Wanna Be Fierce. The book was illustrated and formatted in a way that enhanced the reading process (or should have done, see my next paragraph).
I bought the ebook for this read and unfortunately there was a problem with the text formatting, nearly every single page of the 300+ pages had a problem with text doubling over itself. I went to report it on amazon but I could see that it is not currently for sale and under review; this surely means they know about the problem and it’s being fixed.
THE BLACK FLAMINGO was a quick but impactful read that was inspirational. Dean Atta has a fresh narrative voice and he is a gifted poet. I’d definitely recommend this read.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2020
I loved this book so so much.
This book touches on so many topics and has so much emotion that I picked it up and didn’t put it down again until I had finished.
The book is about Michael and his life and all the conflicts he sees from, gender inequality to racism, bigotry and homophobia. He spends his life feeling like he doesn’t quiet fit anywhere.
This book opened my eyes to so many things including how decisions as a parent, even made with good intentions can cause a child to feel left out of their heritage and how, for a black person, there is levels of black so when he goes to join the African Caribbean Society they tell him he is not black he is mixed, is it any wonder he feels like he doesn’t belong? I can’t even imagine someone saying I wasn’t white enough for a group which just shows how privileged I have been in my life.
The author isn’t afraid to have his character admit to having his own preconceived notions about things and the poem ‘Some men have vaginas’ really hit home for me.
The speech that Michael makes as the Black Flamingo at the end of this book absolutely phenomenal and you should get this book just for that!!
I definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone and will be keeping on my shelves for my sons to read when they grow up.
Top reviews from other countries
- Mx. Phoebe's ViewpointReviewed in the United States on 25 August 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars I've listened to this book TWICE and then read it. Must Read book!!
I listened to The Black Flamingo…twice. I didn’t have the hard copy and I’m a big word person and I wanted to make sure I heard the words. Dean Atta made me laugh and nod my head.
There is one poem in particular “What It’s Like to be a Black Drag Artist” that keeps playing in my head. There is one advantage to listening to a poetry book before reading it, you don’t have the words locked in your head. I listened to this particular poem and started to cry. I missed all of the references to drag queens when I first heard it. All I heard were the uplifting words that I needed to hear and still need to hear to be honest. I replayed it. I quoted it to my best friend. It resonates.
Sometimes poetry can just be beautiful. Or painful. Or just dull. Dean Atta not only had me laughing a lot, but they provided me with a comfort I didn’t know I needed. I cannot say thank you enough to the author for sharing their stories in verse. I can definitely raise my hand and say I hear you.
- Faye D.Reviewed in Canada on 20 April 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've read in a long time!
Delivery. The condition of the book and the book itself was excellent AND I got a deal on the book!!!
-
Ana Carolina SimõesReviewed in Brazil on 22 February 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfeito, amei demais!
Simplesmente amei tudo sobre esse livro!
O design é lindíssimo e o conteúdo perfeito!
Ana Carolina SimõesPerfeito, amei demais!
Reviewed in Brazil on 22 February 2021
O design é lindíssimo e o conteúdo perfeito!
Images in this review
- AdityaReviewed in India on 23 February 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Soooo beautifulllll!!!!
Oh yes!! Loved each and every word of this book. It's just so neatly written and the characters are just over the top!
-
Angélica Obregón OchoaReviewed in Mexico on 19 January 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Buen regalo
Fue un regalo de cumpleaños para mi hermano, le gustó mucho. Le sorprendió que está escrito en formato poesía pero al parecer terminó por ser una grata sorpresa. Lo terminó rápido, lo que indica que lo atrapó.