ODE TO MY FIRST CAR

Coming out as bisexual? Not easy. Admitting you love your best friend? Potentially disastrous.

The summer before senior year, Claire Kemp totals her beloved car, Lars, her ticket to escaping her financially struggling family—mom, dad, and younger brother, Chris. Lars gave Claire the freedom to take aimless drives through the suburbs outside Philly and spend time with the person she secretly loves: her trans best friend, Sophia. Unsure whether Sophia, who dates boys, is attracted to girls too, Claire is afraid to reveal her feelings. Instead, she has her first queer sexual relationship with classmate Pen. To pay off the expenses related to her accident, Claire takes a job at a nursing home, where she befriends Lena, an 85-year-old lesbian who serves as a valuable mentor and guide. Claire also learns that Chris is closeted and gay, and the siblings’ journeys to embracing their sexualities are intertwined. Written in free verse, the first-person narration follows Claire’s inner experiences as she navigates queerness, shares her inner hopes and fears, and shows readers how to find true freedom. The story moves quickly, combining introspection with action, and is likely to appeal even to reluctant readers. Most characters read White by default.

A compelling tale that explores queerness, friendship, and love.