Star Fruit

<p><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>[W]itty and engaging...The themes of love friendship and unwavering loyalty shine through the muck and mire of contemporary bigotry highlighting the queer 'glimmers' identified at the start of the book. </strong><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>- </span><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)><em>Kirkus Reviews </em>(starred review)</strong></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Star Fruit</em> takes a bold and refreshing look at queer identity resilience and allyship in the African Diaspora. </strong><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>- </span><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>New York Weekly</em></strong></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Trans Rights Readathon 2025 Author Spotlight</em></strong></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Set in a high school in Baldwin Hills Los Angeles-aka the Black Beverly Hills-Star Fruit follows high school seniors Ari (a gay autistic teen) Atlas (a young trans man) and Ya their cishet ally and best friend as they navigate self- acceptance unrequited love and homophobia.</em></strong></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>A timely heartfelt and much-needed story for queer youth Star Fruit illustrates the nuances of queerphobia and queer identity in the African Diaspora and unapologetically celebrates Black LGBTQIA+ joy and resilience.</em></strong></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>When the student theater committee rejects yet another one of Ari's queer PGM (people of the global majority) scripts Ya-Ari's best friend and Atlas's cousin-takes matters into her own hands and convinces their principal to put on the play anyway. The only condition is that they'll have to fund the production themselves.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Following Ya's lead Ari and Atlas reluctantly agree to take on a project that feels unconquerable. As the three race against the clock to gather the cast crew and funds their friendships are tested when new relationships jealousy and resentment threaten to tear apart their lifelong bond.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>If that wasn't enough a queerphobic parent organization spearheads a series of protests online transphobic and homophobic hate and violence after reading Ari's script.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>All the while Atlas struggles to fully accept himself Ari grapples with the daunting challenge of navigating her autism and standing up for herself and Ya confronts what makes a good ally.</span></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Told from Ari Atlas and Ya's alternating POVs Star Fruit invaluably reminds us that all Black lives matter</em>-<em>as do their joy and vulnerability.</em></strong></p>