King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family. It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy—that he thinks he might be gay. “You don’t want anyone to think you’re gay too, do you?” But when Sandy goes… Read more.
Trigger and Content Warnings
- Homomisia, internalised homomisia & homomisic slurs (theme)
- Racism & racial slurs
- Hate crimes mentioned
- Coming out themes
- Child abuse
- Domestic abuse mentioned
- Parental abandonment
- Recreational drug use mentioned
- Grief & loss depiction
- Death of a brother from a heart attack (theme)
- Police brutality mentioned
- Animal death, on-page
Trigger Warning Database 