Bibliographic Information:
Title: Black Flamingo
Author: Dean Atta
Narrator: Dean Atta
Publisher: Harper Collins Audio
Copyright Date: 2020
Genre: Realistic fiction, poetry
Format: Audiobook
Awards or Honors: 2020 Stonewall Award (print book), 2021 YALSA Amazing Audiobook nominee
Reading Level/Interest Level: 14+
Plot Summary: Ever since he was little, Michael felt like he didn’t fit in. Half Greek and half Black, he wasn’t enough of either, and he didn’t quite feel like other boys either. And then when he comes out in high school, he doesn’t always feel like he fits in with the other queer kids. It’s not until he discovers the Drag Club at university that he starts to believe he can share his whole self with the world.
Told in verse, this coming of age story is also a coming into self story. It’s an exploration of all the aspects that create an identity, and a powerful assertion of worth.
Author Background: Dean Atta is a poet, writer, teacher and spoken word performer who grew up in London and lives in Glasgow. He has a Masters in Writing and Teaching from Goldsmiths, University of London, and has spent over a decade leading writing workshops for universities, companies, and organizations, the list of which is far too long to replicate (Atta, n.d.)! He has performed at poetry festivals around the world, and The Black Flamingo is his first novel in verse.
Critical Evaluation: This story is one that needs to be told, and is told simply and well. I skimmed the print edition as well, and honestly, the audiobook is really how you should experience it. Atta is an accomplished spoken word performer and his quiet but powerful voice and cadence pull you straight into the story. You feel as though he’s reading Michael’s poetry straight off the page and out of his heart.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Host an open mic poetry slam! Invite teens to bring their poetry to perform for other teens. Video can be recorded and shared on the library’s social media accounts.
Speed-Round Book Talk: Michael Angeli has always felt out of place; too Greek to be Black, too Black to be Greek, too queer to be straight, but somehow, sometimes, not queer enough. When he gets to university, he finds the Drag Club, and things start to make sense… this verse novel explores what it’s like to find your place in a complex world.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: The Black Flamingo has been challenged in Wyoming and Texas (Haynes, 2022), presumably due to its positive representation of drag and gender fluidity. I would argue that since our library is for all teens, we need to represent them. None of the material in the book feels unnecessary or gratuitous or inappropriate for teenagers.
Reason for Inclusion: I love this exploration of gender, race, and sexuality, and a young man’s place in the world. The simple verse is accessible for reluctant readers, and an engaging read for enthusiastic ones!
Want to hear it? Here’s an excerpt:
References
Atta, D. (n.d.) Biography. Retrieved from https://www.sites.google.com/site/deanatta/cv?authuser=0
Audiophile magazine (n.d.). The black flamingo by Dean Atta read by Dean Atta [review]. Retrieved from https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/178170/the-black-flamingo-by-dean-atta-read-by-dean-atta/
Haynes, K.G. (April 5, 2022). The black flamingo by Dean Atta. Retrieved from https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-299029-7
Publisher’s Weekly (n.d.). The black flamingo [starred review]. Retrieved from https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-299029-7
YALSA (August 26, 2020). Amazing audiobooks (#AA2021) nominees roundup, August 26th edition. Retrieved from https://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2020/08/26/amazing-audiobooks-aa2021-nominees-round-up-august-26-edition/
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