Constellations — Kate Glasheen

A raw graphic novel debut about a queer teen living in the margins who is determined to find their way ahead.

Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?

It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. Claire knows what they're supposed to be -- and according to their Catholic family, that's definitely not someone who'd kiss a girl at a party. When the news gets out, the questions get hard: Is Claire having a girlfriend the thing that feels wrong? Or is it being a girl?

The answer is easy: drink it all away.

When a downward spiral puts Claire on a collision course with court-ordered rehab, the unexpected happens: Claire is soon surrounded by a group of new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire's release gets closer so does the question: Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?

Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way ahead. Done in watercolor and ink, debut author-artist Kate Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.

A Booklist Editors' Choice: Graphic Novel
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Top Ten First Novel for Youth