Gravel Queen by Tea Benduhn

(image via librarything.com)

Citation

Benduhn, Tea. Gravel Queen. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. Print.

Awards

•          2003 Lambda Literary Award Nominee (Children's/Young Adult)

Annotation

Sixteen year old Aurin just wants to spend a summer hanging out with her friends, but when she meets Neila, her heart makes other plans.

Booktalk

Have you ever had feelings for someone that you can’t really explain? Aurin is ready for another lazy summer with her friends Kenney and Jack until a new girl shows up at the park. She’s not sure what it is, but there is just something about that girl that Aurin can’t get over.

Aurin is ready to be frustrated Kenney for forcing the three of them into another one of her inescapable plans. Ballroom dancing lessons are not Aurin’s idea of a good time. Her feelings change though, when she sees her mystery girl walk into the room.  Neila’s halo of yellow hair, her smooth brown skin, her gravelly voice – Aurin could spend all day thinking about her. Could she be falling in love?