★ 06/13/2022
In an earnestly told novel that traces two liminal weeks in the wake of a parental divorce, gay 12-year-old Jeremy Ryden grapples with learning “environmental adaptability” and speaking his truth. While his can-do mother moves out of their family home, Jeremy spends 14 summer days with his father and uncle at a rental property on Oregon’s Pacific coast. It’s a moment “in between the family before and the family after,” between school years, and between land and sea, and Jeremy hopes to make the most of it, even if he hasn’t been able to come out to his parents. After the tween sees a beautiful boy his age, Evan Sandford, running on the beach, then encounters him in town, the two grow closer, creating a coded language using the names of local birds. While developing feelings for Evan, Jeremy also notices changes in his suddenly testy father’s behavior, including a significant uptick in drinking. Via a leisurely third-person narration that effectively conjures the agony of first texts and the emotional awkwardness of adolescence, Taylor (Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort ) writes with vulnerability the conflict of being in-between. Jeremy is of Irish descent; protagonists are white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US. (July)
Praise for The Language of Seabirds:
* "Taylor beautifully evokes the strange, liminal feelings of an early summer vacation that lasts forever and is over too quickly, parents in the process of going from marriage to divorce, and the confusing time between childhood and adolescence, when boys might want to play with toy dinosaurs one moment and hold hands the next." —Kirkus Reviews , starred review
* "Via a leisurely third-person narration that effectively conjures the agony of first texts and the emotional awkwardness of adolescence, Taylor (Maggie & Abby's Neverending Pillow Fort ) writes with vulnerability the conflict of being in-between." —Publishers Weekly , starred review
* "A warm-hearted story that affirms and celebrates a tender relationship between two boys." —The Horn Book , starred review
"An atmospheric LGBTQIA+ romance perfect for all middle grade and young adult collections." —School Library Journal
01/27/2023
Gr 6 Up —Jeremy is being forced to spend two weeks on the Oregon coast with his dad and his uncle as his mom moves out of the house due to his parents' divorce. Jeremy has recently discovered his interest in boys and hopes to keep it a secret while trying to figure out where he belongs in his new family dynamic. When he arrives at the coast and sees Evan running on the beach, his summer and his life are changed forever. As the two boys grow closer, they use the language of birds, words they associate with different types of birds, to communicate and express their feelings. Readers will empathize with Jeremy as he hides his true self and deals with his dad's erratic behavior and the divorce. Jeremy's father uses drinking as a coping mechanism, which causes Jeremy to take on the parental role at times and out himself before he is ready. Character development is excellent, and the boys' romance is tender and will resonate with young readers. The narrative shows how though a relationship may not be permanent, the personal growth and journey are important regardless of whether there is a happily ever after. VERDICT An atmospheric LGBTQIA+ romance perfect for all middle grade and young adult collections.—Ashley Leffel
Narrator Michael Crouch strikes just the right tone for this sweet middle-grade novel about two boys finding first love. After his parents’ divorce, 12-year-old Jeremy and his father spend two summer weeks on the Oregon coast. Even as Jeremy is confused by his dad’s mood swings and drinking, he finds refuge with new friend Evan. Crouch conveys every moment of shyness, eagerness, and longing as the boys spend time running on the beach, exploring the town, exchanging text messages, and steadily growing closer. Their time together feels like a safe, magical bubble, but Jeremy’s not out to anyone else, including his dad. The combination of Jeremy’s journey, the beautiful setting, and Crouch's empathetic narration makes for a gentle, lovely audiobook. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile
Narrator Michael Crouch strikes just the right tone for this sweet middle-grade novel about two boys finding first love. After his parents’ divorce, 12-year-old Jeremy and his father spend two summer weeks on the Oregon coast. Even as Jeremy is confused by his dad’s mood swings and drinking, he finds refuge with new friend Evan. Crouch conveys every moment of shyness, eagerness, and longing as the boys spend time running on the beach, exploring the town, exchanging text messages, and steadily growing closer. Their time together feels like a safe, magical bubble, but Jeremy’s not out to anyone else, including his dad. The combination of Jeremy’s journey, the beautiful setting, and Crouch's empathetic narration makes for a gentle, lovely audiobook. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile
★ 2022-04-27
Irish American Jeremy is gearing up to come out to his parents, but he just can’t do it. With his parents separating, he now has to spend two weeks in a rental house with his dad while his mom moves out. His dad was always the easygoing parent, but he suddenly has picky new rules and a short temper and is drinking more than usual. Luckily Jeremy finds an escape in his new friendship with Evan, a beautiful boy cued as White who runs on the beach. Together they explore the beach and make up their own secret code using the names of seabirds as they develop feelings for each other. Taylor beautifully evokes the strange, liminal feelings of an early summer vacation that lasts forever and is over too quickly, parents in the process of going from marriage to divorce, and the confusing time between childhood and adolescence, when boys might want to play with toy dinosaurs one moment and hold hands the next. Jeremy and Evan’s developing relationship is heartwarming and innocently romantic. The author also captures the difficulty and fear of dealing with a parent whose high-functioning alcoholism is deteriorating. Jeremy’s entry into adolescence is warm and triumphant without offering pat solutions or platitudes.
A wonderful, tender story about changing relationships. (glossary, note about birds, author's note) (Fiction. 8-13)
