Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill

Written by Lee Wind

What an amazing debut for Lee Wind! He perfectly captures teen angst, shows the devastating effect of circumstances that get out of control, and presents likeable characters the reader can identify with. Quite a juggling act. Wind never drops the balls.

Fifteen-year-old Wyatt knows he’s gay but is not ready to come out. When he’s assigned a book report, to be prepared as a blog entry, he discovers that Abraham Lincoln may also have been gay. Of course, that one idea is more than anyone can handle. His little high school blog entry goes viral, causing all sorts of repercussions.

Although Wyatt is far from perfect, the reader can’t help but pull for him at every turn. His best friend, a girl named Mackenzie, and his new friend, Martin, are also wonderfully human. Then there’s the provocative television talk show host, who is pure evil, and Wyatt’s former friend, Jonathon, who is as hard to figure out as many teens are.

The story itself may be specific to Wyatt, but the themes are universal. All adolescents struggle with their identity. Sexual identity is a large part of that, a very timely part to be sure. Adolescents, and often adults too, struggle with who to trust and what price you want to pay for being open with others. How much blame can you take for your actions and how much will others blame you when you lose control of the situation? These are all themes we all need to explore – teens and adults alike.

  • QueerTitle: Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill
  • Author: Lee Wind
  • Publisher: I’m Her. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, 2018
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Paperback, 300 pages
  • Grade level: 6 up
  • Genre: Young adult, Adolescence, Sexual identity
  • ISBN: 978-1-73222-811-5

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