Constellations

A raw graphic novel debut about a queer teen living in the margins who is determined to find their way ahead.

Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?

It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. But as long as they have ride-or-die best friend Greg at their side and a drink in their hand, everything will be okay. Right?

Except, Claire can never have just one drink. And when harassment at school reaches a fever pitch, Claire begins a spiral that ends in court-ordered rehab. Feeling completely lost, Claire is soon surrounded by a group of new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire's release gets closer so does the question: Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?

Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way ahead. Done in watercolor and ink, debut author-artist Kate Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.

"A unique journey that doesn't turn away from hard truths; courageously honest and vulnerable."--Iasmin Omar Ata, the Ignatz Award winning creator of Mis(h)adra

Author: Kate Glasheen
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 05/23/2023
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 9.10h x 7.20w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780823450718
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2023
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2023
Publishers Weekly 03/13/2023
Booklist 04/15/2023 pg. 35
School Library Journal 05/01/2023 pg. 88

About the Author
Kate Glasheen was born and raised in Troy, New York and lived there until their departure for Pratt Institute for a BFA in Fine Art. Kate has since been a creator, artist, and contributor for several critically acclaimed books, participated in exhibitions and collections across the globe, and worked on several of the biggest properties in entertainment. Their artistic interests find communion in fine and sequential art under the notion that there's something hilarious about something that's not funny at all. Constellations is their author-artist debut. Kate lives, draws, and tattoos out of Philadelphia under the stringent supervision of Kipper the Cat.