Michael is looking for answers. Raised by a loving mother in London, he wants to be able to embrace his real self. He knows he is a mix of Greek and Jamaican. He knows he is gay. What he isn't sure about is exactly how this fits into the person he wants to be.
Teased while in grade school and taunted by the sporty guys in his upper school years, Michael poured out his feelings to his best friend Daisy. They were assumed to be a couple by most until the day at age fifteen when Michael blurted out that he was gay. His mother and sister acknowledge and accept his announcement. Others seem to take it in stride, but some relationships become strained.
Heading off to university, Michael is sure he will find his people. He searches the clubs for the best match, assuming it will be the LGBT group, but he's surprised to find himself drawn to the DRAG group. He loves to sing and has always enjoyed movies and drama so he attends a meeting. It seems a comfortable fit, and he even begins to create a DRAG identity - The Black Flamingo.
What follows is an adventure in self-discovery. Losing his virginity, cultivating new friendships, experimenting with looks and personalities are all involved as Michael continues to search for what makes him feel real.
THE BLACK FLAMINGO is UK poet Dean Atta's first YA novel. Written in verse and featuring many of his own separately written poems, this Stonewall Book Award-winning book will speak to many YA readers as they experience their own personal searches for individuality.
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