Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Annelie Geissler
Categories
Children’s, Teenage & Educational

THINGS WE COULDN'T SAY

Jay Coles

From one of the brightest and most acclaimed new lights in YA fiction, a fantastic new novel about a bi Black boy finding first love... and facing the return of the mother who abandoned his preacher family when he was nine.

There's always been a hole in Gio's life. Not because he's into both guys and girls. Not because his father has some drinking issues. Not because his friends are always bringing him their drama. No, the hole in Gio's life takes the shape of his birth mom, who left Gio, his brother, and his father when Gio was nine years old. For eight years, he never heard a word from her... and now, just as he's started to get his life together, she's back. It's hard for Gio to know what to do. Can he forgive her like she wants to be forgiven? Or should he tell her she lost her chance to be in his life? Complicating things further, Gio's started to hang out with David, a new guy on the basketball team. Are they friends? More than friends? At first, Gio's not sure... especially because he's not sure what he wants from anyone right now. There are no easy answers to love - whether it's family love or friend love or romantic love. In THINGS WE COULDN'T SAY, Jay Coles, acclaimed author of Tyler Johnson Was Here, shows us a guy trying to navigate love in all its ambiguity - hoping at the other end he'll be able to figure out who is and who he should be. Jay Coles is a graduate of Vincennes University and Ball State University. When he's not writing diverse books, he's advocating for them, teaching middle school students, and composing for various music publishers. His debut novel Tyler Johnson Was Here is based on true events in his life and inspired by police brutality in America. He resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and invites you to visit his website at jaycoleswrites.com.

Available products
Book Published 2021-09-11 by Scholastic

Comments

Filled with heart.

Gio's personal journey offers a welcome intersection of identities and experiences that is sweetened by the love shown him and the love that he learns to give.

THINGS WE COULDN'T SAY was named to Buzzfeed's "40 YA Contemporary Books We're Highly Anticipating in 2021", "37 Must-Read YA Books by Black Authors," and "New LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novels That'll Add Sunshine to Your Summer," Bookish's "20 YA Books by Black Authors for Your 2021 TBR," Pride.com's "New LGBTQ+ YA Books to Add to Your 2021 Reading List," and Pop! Goes the Reader's "70 Most Anticipated YA Novels from July to December 2021".

Sublime. In this superbly written coming-of-age novel, a teenage boy struggles to stay afloat and be brave despite his world crumbling.

A good, multilayered story.

An emotional coming-out, coming-of-age, and coming-to- terms story... A realistic depiction of challenging circumstances and first love.

I cannot even explain how excited I am about having a new Jay Coles book in my life.

An astonishing, heartfelt, uplifting story of family and identity. Coles breathes a vibrant, complicated life into a vast collection of characters, but I'm most excited for readers to meet Gio, wo often made laugh and cry within the same sentence. This IS the contemporary book you've been looking for.

A fantastic follow up to Tyler Johnson Was Here. If you are looking for a book that is a thoughtful character study of the inner world of a bisexual Black boy, this is THE book for you. I found myself so impressed and frankly bowled over by some of the passages within this book... This book is multifaceted.

A powerful tale of loss and abandonment... An empathetic and intricate exploration of the consequences of a mother abandoning her child.

So refreshing... A powerful novel that explores grief, fear and sexuality for urban teens with some fun pop culture references sprinkled in.

A candid look at the deep-seated trauma left behind by an absent parent and the importance of found family, this is ultimately a warm, genuine read. A first choice for high school libraries and highly recommended for fans of Nic Stone.

The kids I love definitely need this book. Especially the boys. It's rare to find a story that so seamlessly explores the myriad experiences of intersectional marginalization. THINGS WE COULDN'T SAY is a clarion call of affirmation: life and people are complex, but the best thing to be is exactly who you are, bumps, bruises and all.

Coles's contemporary novel addresses real issues facing black teens in the U.S. today, and is a powerful story full of heart, packing a deep emotional punch.

With raw emotion, humor, and vulnerability, Coles writes a story that reminds us that even though grief stays, love can too - if we let it. Jay Coles writes with intention and care, offering a story about forgiveness, love, and freedom. THINGS WE COULDN'T SAY is a striking sophomore novel.

A heartfelt letter to queer Black boys and the communities that embrace them, Coles delivers a healing, must-have book for every reader.