Dear Mothman
A Novel in Verse
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Winner, LGBTQ+ Middle Grade Lammy Award (Lambda Literary Award)
Robin Gow’s acclaimed middle grade novel in verse about a young trans boy dealing with the loss of his friend by writing to his favorite cryptid, Mothman
Moving and lyrical, Dear Mothman is a story about finding belonging and hope in the most unexpected places.
A few months ago, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Feeling lost and alone, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, Lewis’s favorite cryptid, wondering if he would understand how Noah feels.
At first, Noah isn’t sure whether he actually believes in Mothman—not like Lewis did. But when strange things start to happen around his wooded home, Noah wonders whether there might be something to the stories.
He decides to make his science fair project about Mothman, despite his teacher’s urging to study something “real.” As Noah’s mind begins to open, so does his world. He makes friends with a group of girls in his grade and finally feels like he belongs.
But most people are not so accepting, and he has no evidence to prove that Mothman exists. With the science fair looming closer, Noah decides to risk everything, trek into the woods, and find Mothman himself.
“A hauntingly moving examination of grief, friendship, and identity, reminiscent of my favorite classics. Robin Gow has a magic with words, stirring and shining a light on the deepest of emotions, leaving behind goosebumps (and tears) for Noah’s story. This book is a gift.” —Kacen Callender, author of the National Book Award winner King and the Dragonflies
Also by Robin Gow
Gooseberry
Saber-Tooth
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
An autistic, transgender sixth grader attempts to correspond with a cryptid following his best friend's death in this poignant novel from Gow (A Million Quiet Revolutions). Lewis Hugh was the only person whom Noah Romano was out to; since Lewis died in a car accident three months ago, Noah has been feeling lonely and unmoored. Noah doesn't believe in Mothman, as Lewis did, but he decides to use Lewis's idea of finding the figure for a science fair project. As he hunts for proof, writing letters to Mothman that he leaves under a tree, he also receives thoughtful support from adults in his life and befriends a trio of LARPers. Alternating between first-person narration and letters to Mothman, and peppered with creepy-cute sketch-style illustrations, this touching free verse story abounds with hard-hitting and tender lines about grief, queerness, and neurodivergence—concepts that Noah ponders alongside the idea of monstrosity (" ‘monster' is what people become/ when other people are afraid of them/ for being different"). Steeped in the atmosphere of a Pennsylvania coal mining town, Noah's journey to himself is at once melancholy and empowering. Noah is of Irish and Italian heritage; secondary characters represent racial diversity. Ages 10–14.
