Sign-In
Cart
Star Fruit
Hardcover
Publisher Price: $28.99
Publisher: Ikb Press
Published: Jun 1 2025
Pages: 258
Weight: 1.14
Height: 0.75 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
[W]itty and engaging...The themes of love, friendship, and unwavering loyalty shine through the muck and mire of contemporary bigotry, highlighting the queer 'glimmers' identified at the start of the book. - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Star Fruit takes a bold and refreshing look at queer identity, resilience, and allyship in the African Diaspora. - New York Weekly
Trans Rights Readathon 2025 Author Spotlight
Set in a high school in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles-aka the Black Beverly Hills-Star Fruit follows high school seniors Ari (a gay autistic teen), Atlas (a young trans man), and Ya, their cishet ally and best friend, as they navigate self- acceptance, unrequited love, and homophobia.
A timely, heartfelt, and much-needed story for queer youth, Star Fruit illustrates the nuances of queerphobia and queer identity in the African Diaspora and unapologetically celebrates Black LGBTQIA+ joy and resilience.
When the student theater committee rejects yet another one of Ari's queer PGM (people of the global majority) scripts, Ya-Ari's best friend and Atlas's cousin-takes matters into her own hands and convinces their principal to put on the play anyway. The only condition is that they'll have to fund the production themselves.
Following Ya's lead, Ari and Atlas reluctantly agree to take on a project that feels unconquerable. As the three race against the clock to gather the cast, crew, and funds, their friendships are tested when new relationships, jealousy, and resentment threaten to tear apart their lifelong bond.
If that wasn't enough, a queerphobic parent organization spearheads a series of protests, online transphobic and homophobic hate, and violence, after reading Ari's script.
All the while, Atlas struggles to fully accept himself, Ari grapples with the daunting challenge of navigating her autism and standing up for herself, and Ya confronts what makes a good ally.
Told from Ari, Atlas, and Ya's alternating POVs, Star Fruit invaluably reminds us that all Black lives matter-as do their joy and vulnerability.
1 different editions
Also available
Also from
Kingsberry, Kamryn
Also in
Young Adult Fiction
The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel: (A Modern Visual Adaptation of Homer's Epic Tale of Greek Mythology for Young Adults)
Hinds, Gareth
Paperback
Piper at the Gates of Dusk: (A Young Adult Dystopian Adventure of Survival, Identity, and a Divided Future World)
Ness, Patrick
Hardcover
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (National Book Award Winner)
Alexie, Sherman
Paperback
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
Smith, Cynthia Leitich
Hart, Kate
Gansworth, Eric
Hardcover
Once Upon a Broken Heart Collector's Edition: [Limited Stenciled Edge Edition]
Garber, Stephanie
Hardcover