Little & Lion
| Company type | Young adult novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Brandy Colbert |
| Products | Novel |
Little & Lion, authored by Brandy Colbert in 2017, is a young adult novel that follows a sixteen-year-old bisexual protagonist as she copes with her brother’s bipolar disorder diagnosis while exploring her own sexual identity.
In 2018, Little & Lion was honored with the Stonewall Book Award.
Reception
The novel Little & Lion garnered widespread critical praise, earning starred reviews from notable publications such as Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal.
Sarah Hunter of Booklist commended the book as "exceptionally crafted," highlighting Colbert’s adeptness at portraying intricate emotions and relationships through a non-chronological storyline.[1] Kirkus Reviews praised the "captivating present-tense narration" and the thoughtful exploration of topics like mental health, bisexuality, and intersecting identities.[2] Melanie Kirkwood from The Bulletin noted how Colbert skillfully combines the challenges of adolescence with family dynamics affected by mental illness.[3]
Christine Heppermann writing for the Chicago Tribune remarked on Colbert’s sensitive and nuanced depiction of contemporary teenage experiences.[4] Sharyn Vane of the Austin American-Statesman described it as an insightful coming-of-age narrative.[5]
According to Publishers Weekly, although themes of love and sexuality are prominent, the novel primarily centers on Suzette’s sense of duty toward her brother and how mental illness affects family life. They characterized it as "a poignant and authentic exploration of secrecy, trust, and intimacy," while noting that some characters occasionally appear somewhat idealized.[6]
Sarah Hannah Gómez from Shelf Awareness lauded the novel for its accurate portrayal of bipolar disorder alongside Suzette’s bisexual identity, emphasizing the subtle and realistic approach to these themes without oversimplification.[7]
Katie Bircher provided a review for the book in Horn Book Magazine.[8]
Awards and honors
Little & Lion was selected by the Junior Library Guild.[9]
It earned recognition as one of the top young adult novels in 2017 from BuzzFeed, Kirkus Reviews,[2] and Tablet. Additionally, it was featured on Booklist's 2017 Editors' Choice: Books for Youth list.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2018, it appeared on both the American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults list and Rainbow List.[9]
The novel received the 2018 Stonewall Book Award in the Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature category.[2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Additional resources
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedKirkus - ↑ Kirkwood, Melanie (2017). "Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 71 (1): 9.
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- ↑ Gómez, Sarah Hannah (August 11, 2017). "Little & Lion". Shelf Awareness.
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