Glitter Boy: A heartfelt children's novel about the courage it can take to stay true to yourself

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James has always loved dancing with his best friend Harriet and singing along to Mariah Carey’s songs with his nan. Just having someone out there who visually looks like you, it's like, 'Oh, I don't have to be this like Avant-Garde guy with dyed hair to be wearing glitter and to express myself,'" Lemons explains. If you want to try and kill two birds with one stone, wedge that fusion block between the boom gun and the helmet of the shiny bastard. Later upgrades by Free Quebec include the addition of a light antipersonnel laser and a retractible vibro-sword, similar to the Triax model.

Glitter Boy is testament to that and may also become a child’s best friend in getting through, surviving and, even, shining bright. Bringing together themes of love, friendship and everyday life, this book is ideal for girls who aren't able readers but who want to enjoy a book for their age range. How someone can bottle up their feelings and seem okay on the outside when on the inside they’re hurting. The debut novel by former teacher and winner of the inaugural Polari Prize's Children's Award with picture book, Nen and the Lonely Fisherman (also available from us). Your previous titles include some wonderful, inclusive picture books but Glitter Boy is your first (and hopefully not last) middle grade book.

It shows from the offset how someone outgoing and bubbly can be dragged down by bullying, causing low self-esteem, to make someone feel they have no support, therefore pushing those they love away too. When all is said and done, Lemons hopes that Glitterboy gives the communities he's a part of and the younger boys who now look up to him a platform to be themselves.

Between it's crippling immobility in battle and the pilot's silent prayer that no one is carrying anything heavier than a Wilkes pistol. While he faces a cadre of bullies at school, he also has a circle of supportive friends, and a teacher who is both a role model and a support. The most obvious way he embodies this alter ego on a daily basis is wearing swaths of glitter across his cheekbones. I loved the friendships he had especially Harriet as she was a real firecracker and a true friend, I also loved his friend Joel.

Writing Glitter Boy brought back a lot of memories and forced me to really look at my past, how I’d dealt with things, and why I behave and act in certain ways now. For 5D6 or 6D6 you can afford to be a little cavalier because you'll inflict some serious damage in no time. The GB only has a 90-degree cone of fire and his feet are firmly stuck in the ground, so the big edge here is mobility.

What I like most about this book is that it is brave in meeting the challenge of confronting homophobia head on. James is such a fantastic, likeable and relatable character that you feel like you want nothing to dim his light! Every day he plays and hangs out with his friends Harriet, Nathan and Joel, and then after school sees his Nan on the way home.But, lately, a pile on of obstacles is tarnishing his shine: his mum has left; his dad can’t communicate; his beloved nan is getting frail; his friendship group is shifting; he’s having brand new… feelings, especially around his friend, Joel. I personally will not shoot someone in my Glitterboy makeup unless they're a young black man or a young man of color," he explains.

Many a Dark Age tale tells of a worthy hero being given a Glitter Boy by a king or aging Glitter Boy champion, as well as stories of bands of worthy heroes occasionally finding a treasure trove of Glitter Boys they could man to battle evil.With its empowering message to young people, Glitter Boy is a delightful story that celebrates individuality and the power of love. The story felt really authentic and I think it’s because the author wrote from his own experiences, from his childhood to being a teacher.