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Seth, an openly queer seventh grader, runs a successful YouTube channel called Seth Says. He carefully creates a brand around being a likeable queer kid and avoids talking about anything political. But when Pluto, a cute gay classmate, encourages Seth to read some queer fiction, he is blown away to see stories that reflect his own lived experiences, and he starts to see the value of queer activism. Seth and Pluto set up a Pride Month display to raise awareness of queer books in their school library, but as soon as the display goes up, someone checks out all the books, leaving the table empty.
Seth and Pluto discover that their classmate Rebecca checked out the books to protest the “inappropriate” Pride Month display. When the school staff decline to help, Seth decides to post about his experience on his YouTube channel. But as the video racks up more views, local conservatives stage a much larger and more intimidating campaign against LGBTQIA+ materials in the school library. Now Seth has to decide whether to give in to the pressure, or to keep fighting for what he has come to believe in.
Seth and Pluto discover that their classmate Rebecca checked out the books to protest the “inappropriate” Pride Month display. When the school staff decline to help, Seth decides to post about his experience on his YouTube channel. But as the video racks up more views, local conservatives stage a much larger and more intimidating campaign against LGBTQIA+ materials in the school library. Now Seth has to decide whether to give in to the pressure, or to keep fighting for what he has come to believe in.
- GenresMiddle GradeQueerLGBT
144 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2026
About the author
Tony Correia
17 books12 followersTony Correia is the author of "Same Love", "Foodsluts at Doll & Penny's Cafe", and "Haters Gotta Hate." His work has appeared in magazines and newspapers across Canada and the US.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 18, 2026
Wonderful. Yes, it's heavy on the theme - but that comes naturally. Our boy wasn't a reader, and didn't know himself very well, until he read Heartstopper: Volume One, and now he feels more comfortable, more confident, and more ready to face the world online & irl.
The author tried to show us, through the character of Rebecca, some of the concerns the bigots and censors have. Here in Oklahoma, on Nextdoor (the only social media I use), the (unarticulated) concern does indeed to seem to be that 'if my kid reads that stuff, he'll want to be like them. I don't want him to turn gay or decide he's a girl.'
In this book there is an even worse offense: "I don't want them picking up those books and thinking your lifestyle is acceptable." As if it's a 'lifestyle' - and as if it's somehow not unacceptable.
Btw, this is not a gay book. It's a book in which two, yes only two, of the characters are gay.
" ... buying books isn't the point. What if I couldn't afford the book? Or what if my parents were homophobic? And the school library was the only place I could see myself in a novel without being punished for it?"
" If I'm expected to participate in school like everyone else, shouldn't I be able to read a book about someone who is going through what I'm going through, like any other straight kid can?"
As I type this there's a bill that has been introduced to the House. HR 7661 specifically targets school libraries and transgender subjects, under the guise of 'don't sexualize our children.' Please keep an eye on it and/or ask your Representative to oppose it now before it gets any further. It's ridiculous, but so are a lot of other things that have been happening lately.
The author tried to show us, through the character of Rebecca, some of the concerns the bigots and censors have. Here in Oklahoma, on Nextdoor (the only social media I use), the (unarticulated) concern does indeed to seem to be that 'if my kid reads that stuff, he'll want to be like them. I don't want him to turn gay or decide he's a girl.'
In this book there is an even worse offense: "I don't want them picking up those books and thinking your lifestyle is acceptable." As if it's a 'lifestyle' - and as if it's somehow not unacceptable.
Btw, this is not a gay book. It's a book in which two, yes only two, of the characters are gay.
" ... buying books isn't the point. What if I couldn't afford the book? Or what if my parents were homophobic? And the school library was the only place I could see myself in a novel without being punished for it?"
" If I'm expected to participate in school like everyone else, shouldn't I be able to read a book about someone who is going through what I'm going through, like any other straight kid can?"
As I type this there's a bill that has been introduced to the House. HR 7661 specifically targets school libraries and transgender subjects, under the guise of 'don't sexualize our children.' Please keep an eye on it and/or ask your Representative to oppose it now before it gets any further. It's ridiculous, but so are a lot of other things that have been happening lately.
April 12, 2026
Good read, important commentary about book banning and censorship at a young age. The book falls apart at the end as the final chapter rushes to wrap up everything in a very unsatisfying and glossed-over way. Too bad for such an important read.
March 28, 2026
The premise was timely and relevant, but the execution was underwhelming. It might work for kids on the younger end of middle grade.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews