The Letter Q

April 16, 2012
In a thoughtful, humorous, and moving collection of letters and comics (not all seen by PW), 64 queer authors and artists tell “their younger selves what they could do to make their lives a little better, a little lighter.” Though largely hopeful, these correspondences often include painful references to bullying, self-harm, feelings of isolation, and thoughts of suicide. Readers may be surprised by entries from contributors like Marion Dane Bauer and editor Arthur Levine, who remember growing up in a world that depicted gay people as perverts (“I may as well be one of those inverts you once saw pictured in an old psychology book,” writes Richard McCann). But the stories are also frequently funny, as the authors tell of successful careers (“you get to be friends with some of your heroes,” writes Gregory Maguire. “Like oh not to name names but like Maurice Sendak! I know!”), friendships, marriages, sex lives, and repaired relationships with parents. Read together, the letters become a powerful refrain. Jacqueline Woodson concludes hers by writing, “The world is big—and there is so much love in it. I promise you—you will find it.” Ages 14–up.

March 15, 2012
To hear the more than 50 contributors tell it, one might think that queer adults mostly end up living in ritzy corners of New York City and becoming published authors. That, perhaps, is the necessary consequence of this project, which compiles lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer writers' letters to their younger selves. Big names in adult, teen or children's literature have contributed, including Michael Cunningham, Armistead Maupin, Marion Dane Bauer, Arthur Levine, Gregory Maguire and Amy Bloom. A number of comics artists--including Michael DiMotta, Jennifer Camper and Jasika Nicole--have penned letters in comic form. Many authors use their short (usually two- to three-page) letters to talk about the future. Some letters read like a memoir in second person; some describe past addictions, suicide attempts and other grim circumstances; many give advice. Comparisons to the It Gets Better video campaign, in which LGBT adults promise queer and questioning teenagers that life improves after high school, are inevitable. Contributors Jacqueline Woodson and Erik Orrantia even use the language of "getting better" outright. Yet the disproportionate achievement of fame, wealth and successful careers in the arts among the authors here seems an unfair promise to make to most readers. Inspiring but not universal. (Anthology. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-This anthology features 64 LGBTQ authors and illustrators, both well-known and not, who send letters to their younger selves. Whether it's Paige Braddock's graphic-style note or Brent Hartinger's letter to his teenage self, the message is clear: it gets better; you will find love; don't give up. Read on an individual basis, these missives can range from boastful to witty to extremely touching. Unfortunately, when read as a whole, they become somewhat monotonous; thus, the letters seem most suitable for classroom use on LGBTQ issues or bullying when paired separately with a story from a good collection such as Michael Cart's How Beautiful the Ordinary (2009) or Marion Dane Bauer's Am I Blue? (both, HarperCollins).-Betty S. Evans, Missouri State Univ., Springfield, MO

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2012
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* The letter Q stands for queer, of course, and in this lovely, often funny, and always heartfelt book, more than five-dozen celebrated writers send letters to their teenage selves. Each note, in its own way, promises the author's younger self hope that, in the future, life will get better. In a moving introduction, editor Moon offers her own personal testimony to that. The assembled authors, actors, playwrights, and illustrators are a veritable who's who of the LGBT creative world, and their audiences include both young adults and adults. The YA writers include such luminaries as Julie Anne Peters, Jacqueline Woodson, David Levithan, Brian Selznick, Brent Hartinger, Marion Dane Bauer, and Nick Burd. Not every adult author will be familiar to teens, but whether known or not, they are an amazing array of talentMichael Cunningham, Terrence McNally, Paul Rudnick, David Leavitt, and more. Appended brief biographies of the contributors provide necessary introductions and background information. Though similar in intent to Dan Savage and Terry Miller's It Gets Better (2011), this collection offers its own uniquely personal promise to young readers. In any case, both are books that may save livesand we can never have too many of those.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)