The Black Flamingo

Locations
Call Number: Teen Fiction / Atta, Dean, Teen Book / Fiction / General / Atta, Dean
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Teen, 1st Floor 4-week checkout	Teen Fiction / Atta, Dean	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Teen Books 4-week checkout	Teen Book / Fiction / General / Atta, Dean	4-week checkout	On Shelf

A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag.
Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he's navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican, but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough. As he gets older, Michael's coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs and the Black Flamingo is born.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

School Library Journal Review
Booklist Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Finding Your Place submitted by KBarkerPeters on August 1, 2020, 8:01pm A beautiful novel in verse about a teenager finding his place in the world and finding people who "get" him, and respect him for who he is/wants to be.

Positive coming of age story submitted by samanthar on October 13, 2020, 11:17am The Black Flamingo is a YA book written in verse by poet and performer Dean Atta. It’s a queer coming of age story that follows Michael, a teenager living in London who’s half Greek-Cypriot, half Jamaican. Readers follow Michael from a young child who would rather receive a Barbie than a Ninja Turtle for his birthday, to a high schooler sharing his feelings to his crush, to a young adult finding his place on a college campus. Atta’s verse is rich, and expounds the themes of love, identity, and belonging.

strength of friendship, love, and kindness submitted by on June 11, 2021, 8:24pm The Black Flamingo is an empowering novel of mixed-race, gay, young man's search for identity. This debut poetry novel covers so many not-talked-about-enough grounds. For example, the sensation of not belonging because of the way you look. Or being afraid of who you are, and the guilty desire to leave a part of yourself behind. The protagonist, Michael (aka. Mike, Mikey, the Black Flamingo) endures and forgives while maturing to find his own voice and identity. The Black Flamingo is a sweeping novel about the strength of friendship, love, and kindness.

-Le Book Rat

Great! submitted by Xris on June 16, 2023, 12:45am Read it in one day because the poetry made it quick. Great LGBTQ story of a gay boy's life growing up in London, then going to college where he discovers a Drag group to be part of as the Black Flamingo.

Loved! submitted by manz on July 10, 2023, 11:20am This was one of my favorite books I read last year. It's just wonderful. I loved following this character's journey, discovery, and growth. Just great!!

Poetic Storytelling submitted by khrobinson on August 7, 2023, 10:57pm This novel in verse tells the coming of age story of a bi-racial gay boy who discovers drag as a way to express himself. It’s a quick read with a lovely story.