Lily and Dunkin

Citation:

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. NY: Delacorte.

Summary:

Lily and Dunkin meet the week before the start of their eighth grade year at Gator Lake and though they have very different backgrounds and families, there is an instant connection. Both feel like outcasts at school and struggle to find a way to fit in. Lily works at being true to herself, while Dunkin lives a lie, ignoring his illness so that he can fit in with the school basketball team. Though the boys Dunkin hangs out with make fun of Lily, the two somehow manage to protect each other from afar. After all truths are exposed, and many have turned their backs on Lily and Dunkin for different reasons, the space to create a true friendship is formed, based on truly knowing and accepting one another.

Response:

This is a great and engaging story. Bouncing back and forth from the first hand perspectives of both characters, readers must use context clues to determine which character is narrating. This unique point of view let’s readers understand the flaws and weaknesses of both characters, giving them a richer understanding of how the characters connect in a deep way despite their lack of interaction at school. Lily is transgender and Norbert “Dunkin” is bipolar, each dealing with struggles related to accepting who they really are and how they are seen by others. Friendship, acceptance, and bullying are on the forefront of the story. Family relationships are also examined through the eyes of both characters. This is an honest book that allows readers to gain wisdom and empathy about those who are different from them

Textbook Connections:

Genre: fiction

Topics include transgender acceptance, bipolar disorder, death of family members, finding oneself, standing up for what you believe in, and the importance of kindness.

Other Resources:

Goodreads book review  

Teenreads article 

Goodreads booklist for transgender teens 

Goodreads booklist for bipolar disorder