Audience: 13-17 years
Review by Kristen Higgason (she/her)
MLIS Student, Kent State University iSchool
M.Ed Student, Kent State University EHHS
Tammy and Sharon are paired as pen pals for a school assignment. As they grow closer, they divulge secrets they don’t dare tell anyone about who they truly are. A historical fiction look at being LGBT in The 1970s.
Written through letters between Tammy and Sharon, Sharon, and her diary, and Tammy and Harvey Milk, this book has a little something for everyone. The use of the letters keeps you on your toes and it feels a little risqué with how personal and vulnerable the letters are. You’ll also find all kinds of love (mostly forbidden love because it’s the 1970s and LGBT love is considered wrong). However, the perseverance of the main characters is undeniable. You will root for Tammy and Sharon to come out, be authentic, and live a life that they deserve. This book is a really great look into the past and how LGBT folks were treated (and sometimes still are). This was a great read and I learned so many things while also feeling like I was part of history.