How Well Do You Know Dean's Debut Novel in Verse?

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.