Description
Who will be brave enough to make friends with the boy named Queen? Sara Cassidy’s acclaimed novel, A Boy Named Queen, is now available in paperback!
Evelyn is both aghast and fascinated when a new boy comes to grade five and tells everyone his name is Queen. Queen wears shiny gym shorts and wants to organize a chess/environment club. His father plays weird loud music and has tattoos.
How will the class react? How will Evelyn?
Evelyn is an only child with a strict routine and an even stricter mother. And yet in her quiet way she notices things. She notices the way bullies don’t seem to faze Queen. The way he seems to live by his own rules. When it turns out that they take the same route home from school, Evelyn and Queen become friends, even if she finds Queen irritating at times. Why doesn’t he just shut up and stop attracting so much attention to himself.
Yet Queen is the most interesting person she has ever met. So when she receives a last-minute invitation to his birthday party, she knows she must somehow persuade her mother to let her go, even if Queen’s world upends everything her mother considers appropriate.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
Author Bio
Sara Cassidy’s children’s books include finalists for the Governor General’s Literary Award in Young People’s Literature, Chocolate Lily Award, City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Her early novel Genius Jolene won a BC Book Prize. Her most recent book for young readers is Star Sailor, The Story of Words. She also writes for adults. Sara lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
Prizes
- Diamond Willow AwardShort-listed 2017
- Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book AwardShort-listed 2017
- Rocky Mountain Book AwardShort-listed 2018
- Cooperative Children's Book Center, CCBC ChoicesCommended 2017
- Manitoba Young Readers' Choice AwardShort-listed 2018
- CBC Best Books of 2016Commended 2016
- Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices ListCommended 2017
Review Quote
“Cassidy does a lovely job of letting the lessons of embracing individuality, confidence, acceptance, and tolerance clearly and cleverly reveal themselves in this short but punchy novel.” — Quill & Quire
Review Quote
“This is a book of gentle nudges that could open some minds as well as some possibility for discussion.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Review Quote
“A small, eloquent book with a powerful message.” — Kirkus Reviews
Review Quote
“Cassidy’s novella is a little gem … a lovely book with which to begin the school year, not only for the message of tolerance it conveys, but also for the beautiful language in which it has been delivered.” — Canadian Children’s Book News
Review Quotes
“A small, eloquent book with a powerful message.” — Kirkus Reviews
“This is a book of gentle nudges that could open some minds as well as some possibility for discussion.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Cassidy’s novella is a little gem … a lovely book with which to begin the school year, not only for the message of tolerance it conveys, but also for the beautiful language in which it has been delivered.” — Canadian Children’s Book News
“Cassidy does a lovely job of letting the lessons of embracing individuality, confidence, acceptance, and tolerance clearly and cleverly reveal themselves in this short but punchy novel.” — Quill & Quire
