Alice Austen Lived Here

Alex Gino's novel for children explores the importance of queer history and how it can be used to create a different future. Sam is nonbinary and their best friend, TJ, is also nonbinary. Sam's family is cool with their identity, but they must also remember to clean their rooms, do their homework, and not antagonize their teachers. Sam's history teacher believes that only Dead Straight Cis White Men are responsible for history, which makes it difficult for Sam to respect them. When Sam's home borough of Staten Island opens up a contest for a new statue, Sam finds the perfect non-DSCWM subject: photographer Alice Austen, whose house has been turned into a museum and who lived with a female partner for decades. Sam's project becomes about discovering a rich queer history that Sam is part of, and empowering kids to think about the history they are traditionally taught and what it means to be included.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2022
Publisher: Scholastic

From the acclaimed author Alex Gino comes a groundbreaking novel for children, delving into the profound significance of the past in shaping a different future. Sam, a young individual deeply connected to their queer identity, identifies as nonbinary, alongside their best friend, TJ, who shares the same identity. Sam's family embraces and supports their identity, providing a nurturing environment as long as they remember the responsibilities that come with it, such as maintaining clean rooms, completing homework, and avoiding antagonizing teachers. However, navigating teacher respect becomes particularly challenging in Sam's history class, where their teacher holds a narrow view that solely Dead Straight Cis White Men are responsible for history.

Amidst this, Sam's home borough of Staten Island announces a contest for a new statue, offering an opportunity to showcase a non-DSCWM subject. Sam discovers the perfect candidate: photographer Alice Austen, whose house has been transformed into a museum and who lived with a female partner for decades. Their project quickly evolves beyond the realm of winning the contest, becoming a journey of discovery and empowerment. Sam realizes that they are part of a rich queer history that no longer needs to be silenced, as long as there are young individuals like Sam and TJ standing up for it.

This novel is a must-read for fans of MELISSA and RICK, featuring two non-binary protagonists and delivering a powerful message that empowers kids to critically examine the history they are traditionally taught and explore what it means to be inclusive. Through Sam's journey, readers are encouraged to think beyond the boundaries of traditional narratives and embrace the diversity and richness of history, paving the way history for a more inclusive and understanding future.

Weight: 128g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780702316166