A story about first love, finding your voice, and the courage to be seen.
A story about first love, finding your voice, and the courage to be seen.
A boy with a notebook full of poems. A song that might save him. A first love that could break him open.
A YA LGBTQ+ Contemporary Novel by J. Joseph Gillick.
Fifteen-year-old Calvin Small is starting over. After a painful breakup and a difficult move from London to a small town, he’s determined to keep his head down, stay on his meds (maybe), and avoid getting attached. But when he falls – literally – into the path of Daniel, a quiet musician with a complicated home life, everything begins to change.
Drawn into a world of music, poetry, and the kind of friendship that feels like more, Calvin slowly begins to trust again. Together, they work on a song for the school talent show, finding something beautiful in the mess of their lives.
But as Calvin’s hallucinations resurface and the voices in his head grow louder, he begins to unravel. With trauma, grief, and bullying threatening to pull him under, Calvin must decide whether he can let people in—or if love is just one more thing he’s not ready for.
Are You Calvin Small? is a darkly funny, heartfelt coming-of-age story about identity, first love, and the bravery it takes to ask for help.
Perfect for fans of…
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Yearbook by Holly Bourne
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Details…
Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQ+, Contemporary Romance
Length: 71,000 words
Content Warnings: Mental health (hallucinations, medication), grief, bullying, queer identity themes
Age Range: 13+