3 Questions
What inspired Dean to write his debut novel in verse?
A real black flamingo sighting in Cyprus in 2015
What difficult topics does the book address?
Race and sexuality
What cultural perspective does the author hope to provide for American readers?
British
Study Notes
- Dean is a debut novelist from London, England, currently living in Glasgow, Scotland.
- He wrote his first novel in verse, inspired by a real black flamingo sighting in Cyprus in 2015.
- The protagonist, Michael, has a dual-heritage identity and struggles to find his place in British culture and society.
- The book doesn't shy away from difficult topics such as race and sexuality.
- Michael experiences racial microaggressions, but they are never explicitly named as such.
- The book is written from Michael's perspective as a child and teenager, so the author had to stay true to his voice and understanding.
- The book encourages readers to bring their own experiences and understanding to the story.
- Michael and other characters make mistakes and have misunderstandings, but the book emphasizes the importance of learning from them.
- The author was influenced by other recent verse novels by Elizabeth Acevedo and Jason Reynolds, as well as Claudia Rankine's Citizen.
- The book is published in North America, and the author hopes it will provide a different cultural perspective for American readers.
"Test Your Knowledge of Dean's Debut Novel in Verse About Dual-Heritage Identity and Race" - Take this quiz to see how much you know about Dean's thought-provoking novel inspired by a real black flamingo sighting. Explore the protagonist Michael's journey to find his place in British culture and society, and navigate difficult topics such as race and sexuality. See if you can identify the subtleties of racial microaggressions and understand the importance of learning from mistakes. Discover how
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