Italy, 1990. The nation is swept up in the fever dream of the FIFA World Cup, but twelve-year-old Lee is fighting a different kind of match. While gaming or horsing around, Lee is just one of the guys, but in the real world, she can no longer fulfill the performance of girlhood expected from her.
Set against the firefly-lit hills of Tuscany and the golden wheat fields of the North, this "Own Voices" journey follows Lee (Leda Balni) as the rigid traditions of 1990s Italy begin to collide with her nonbinary identity. Lee has nothing against her anatomy—until it becomes the very thing casting her out from the brotherhood she’s always known.
As puberty advances and a first crush amplifies the chaos, Lee must navigate expectations and the bittersweet pangs of self-discovery. This second installment of The Italian Saga can be read as a standalone and is a vibrant, humorous, and deeply poignant exploration of finding your chosen family when the world refuses to see you for who you truly are.
Why YA Readers Will Love It:
- 90s Nostalgia: A gelato-filled, analog journey through Italia '90 and the era of cassette tapes and summer rebellion.
- Authentic Identity: Based on the life of the author, this is a rare, amusing, and deeply personal look at queer history and Italian culture, perfect for fans of Call Me By Your Name and I’ll Give You the Sun.
- Award-Winning Voice: From the Kirkus-recommended author Gaia B. Amman, Ph.D., comes a narrative of childhood change that is "lighthearted yet astute and affecting."
Praise:
"An astute... lighthearted but affecting narrative of childhood’s many changes." — Kirkus Reviews
"A 5-Star Ribbon Winner." — Readers’ Choice Book Awards
