Picture Us in the Light

"Picture me madly in love with this moving, tender, unapologetically honest book."--Becky Albertalli, #1 best-selling author of Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Bay Area family, he realizes there's much more to his family's past than he ever imagined.

Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family's blessing to pursue the career he's always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry's and Danny's lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can't stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.

When Danny digs deeper into his parents' past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him in this complex, lyrical novel.

Author: Kelly Loy Gilbert
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 04/10/2018
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.60w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781484726020
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.8
Point Value: 17
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 194121 / Picture Us in the Light


Award: Stonewall Book Award - Honor Book


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 02/12/2018
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2018 pg. 136
Booklist 03/15/2018 pg. 71
School Library Journal 04/01/2018 pg. 132
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2018 - Book Of Special Distinction
Voice of Youth Advocates 06/01/2018 - Recommended - Hard To Beat
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2019 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author
Kelly Loy Gilbert believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and lives in the SF Bay Area. She would be thrilled to hear from you on Twitter @KellyLoyGilbert or at www.KellyLoyGilbert.com.