Almost Flying
by Jake Maia Arlow (Author)
In this unabashedly queer middle grade debut, a week-long amusement park road trip becomes a true roller coaster of emotion when Dalia realizes she has more-than-friend feelings for her new bestie.
A Stonewall Honor Book
Cover may vary.
"Dalia's journey to self-discovery is refreshingly honest, and this entire cast of characters will steal your heart." - Maulik Pancholy, actor and Stonewall Honor-winning author of The Best At It
Would-be amusement park aficionado Dalia only has two items on her summer bucket list: (1) finally ride a roller coaster and (2) figure out how to make a new best friend. But when her dad suddenly announces that he's engaged, Dalia's schemes come to a screeching halt.
With Dalia's future stepsister Alexa heading back to college soon, the grown-ups want the girls to spend the last weeks of summer bonding--meaning Alexa has to cancel the amusement park road trip she's been planning for months. Luckily Dalia comes up with a new plan: If she joins Alexa on her trip and brings Rani, the new girl from her swim team, along maybe she can have the perfect summer after all.
But what starts out as a week of funnel cakes and Lazy River rides goes off the rails when Dalia discovers that Alexa's girlfriend is joining the trip. And keeping Alexa's secret makes Dalia realize one of her own: She might have more-than-friend feelings for Rani.
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School Library Journal
Gr 5 Up--A delightful middle grade debut exploring first crushes and family relationships. Dalia is upset to discover that her father has had a girlfriend for the past six months and is now getting married. Dalia always thought she and her father were close, so this comes as a shock. But the worst part isn't Vanessa, her dad's fiancée; it's Vanessa's college-aged daughter, Alexa. Alexa seems angry and uninterested in getting to know Dalia, but their parents want Alexa to cancel her week-long summer vacation to five amusement parks so she can bond with Dalia. Dalia, who is secretly obsessed with roller coasters (even though she has never been on one), has a better idea: She can come along. Everyone agrees that this could work, and Dalia is even lucky enough to bring her new friend, Rani. The trip gets off to a rocky start, but Dalia isn't too bothered, because she really enjoys spending time with Rani. When Dalia starts to think her feelings for Rani might be more than friendly, she finds some unexpected guidance from Alexa and her friend Dhruv. Dalia's inner thoughts feel authentic, and most other characters are well developed. The relationships between characters deepen at a natural pace, and tweens will enjoy trying to figure out if Rani likes Dalia, too. Characters' skin tones are not described; Dalia and her father are Jewish, and Rani is Muslim. VERDICT A super sweet LGBTQ romance for middle grade readers. Highly recommended.--Lisa Buffi, Sterling M.S., VA
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"Almost Flying is a thrilling celebration of all the twists and turns, breathtaking jumps and heart-pounding falls of a first crush. Dalia's journey to self-discovery is refreshingly honest, and this entire cast of characters will steal your heart. Every middle schooler will want to take this ride." - Maulik Pancholy, actor and Stonewall Honor-winning author of The Best At It "Fierce and tender all at once, Almost Flying is a soaring roller coaster ride of a book that stole my breath with every heartwarming twist and each empowering turn." -Ashley Herring Blake, Stonewall Honor-winning author of Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World
"A story about the messiness of family, the confusion and awkwardness of a first crush, and the bonds that can only exist between older and younger queer teens. This charming debut had my heart soaring." -Nicole Melleby, author of Hurricane Season and In the Role of Brie Hutchens... "A delightfully queer-positive and engrossing road trip story." -Booklist "While this book contains many elements that are widely relatable, the storyline around exploring sexuality is especially resonant... A heartwarming, queer-affirming story." -Kirkus
JUV013020 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Marriage & Divorce
JUV060000 - Juvenile Fiction | LGBT
