A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner

About this series: Although no longer on staff, Jules (they/he) is still excited to tell us about the LGBTQ+ kids books they read. This book is another sports novel, this time about a sixth-grader who’s starting to navigate coming out as gay.

Age range: Middle Grade (late elementary and middle school)

Synopsis: Sixth grader Silas is a little obsessed with Glenn Burke, a baseball player from the 70s, inventor of the high-five, and first Major League player to come out as gay (in 1982, after he retired). Silas also loves playing baseball and he’s getting ready to come out as gay, but how will his teammates, his coaches, his family, etc. react? And then, when Silas lies about having a girlfriend, things just go from bad to worse.... Can things ever work out?

What I love about this book: I love the way Glenn Burke’s story gets talked about in this book. It’s really important for kids to see that LGBTQ+ history doesn’t just involve activists (though they’re important) but also people living their ordinary lives, whether that’s as a doctor, a teacher, or a baseball player! I also like the way Silas’s story is handled: he makes choices that are realistic but bad and faces consequences that are serious but not permanently friendship-ending. It’s important for kids to see that their choices matter, but also that their mistakes aren’t irredeemable.

What kids will love about this book: This book does a great job of depicting the anxiety of choosing to come out, and kids who are feeling that themselves will really appreciate seeing a character handle the situation. And kids who are baseball fans themselves will love the amount of time Silas spends thinking about baseball, about baseball history, about baseball trivia, etc.!

Where to get the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Minuteman Libraries