Joanna McClintick launches "Family Found"
About this Event
Join us for the launch of Joanna McClintick's Family Found, an illustrated picture book about celebrants gathering for their annual Friendsgiving—Thanksgiving with their chosen family—as they piece together how their tradition began.
Joanna McClintick will read from Family Found, followed by conversation, audience Q&A, signing, and reception.
here!
Can't make it to the event? You can also preorder at the link above to receive a signed copy for store pickup or shipping. Indicate any personalization requests in the "instructions and comments" field during checkout.
About the book
No one remembers how it started.
The Friendsgiving gathering is moving into high gear, and for one child in the group, it’s a good time to ask some questions about the event’s history. Great-Uncle Billy, while snapping some green beans for the meal, says he was the one who started the tradition, back when people had to speak in code to keep being gay a secret. Miss Mona thinks that she was the originator, after her car broke down one year and she had to make a change of plans. Grandma Jane and Nana Rose tell their version of the tale while the smell of cinnamon and apples fills the air. As more people (and dogs) arrive and the music is turned on, it grows clearer that the details may not matter; what counts is the love they all share. With warm, jubilant artwork and a welcoming text that introduces moments from LGBTQIA+ history, Family Found celebrates one family as they come together on a day of gratitude.
Advanced Praise for Family Found
"Conversational text twines LGBTQ+ history . . . and traditions of communal care. . . . It’s an accessible collective look back that resonates solidly with the present." —Publishers Weekly
"McClintick deftly tugs at the interwoven yarns of queer history, intergenerational storytelling, and collective heritage without unraveling into lesson-book boredom. References to coded queer language, the Lavender Menace protests, ballroom culture, and more emerge naturally through conversation, while an author’s note provides more detailed context for curious readers. Morris’ textured illustrations and scrapbooklike spreads not only help ground this Friendsgiving tradition in living communal memory but, like the text, they also show readers that origins (especially queer ones) can be shared touchstones while still being fluid and self-determined. A poignant tale of belonging—joyful and out loud." —Kirkus Review
"McClintick uses these stories to honor the various joys and struggles of queer elders throughout history with care and reverence. Morris’s colorful illustrations burst with exuberance and personality as characters and narratives intersect. Our hero’s curiosity will resonate with young readers while underlining the most important element of queer traditions: ensuring they continue." —Julian Axelrod, Booklist
About the author
Joanna McClintick is a children's book author and social worker at the LGBT Center in Manhattan. Their first book, 'Twas the Night Before Pride/ La Víspera de Orgullo, tells the story of the history of Stonewall. It was a 2023 Booklist Pick for RISE: Feminist Books, a Target Book Club Kid's book club for June 2022, and made the Chicago Public Library's best book of 2022 list. Their next book, Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration, is joining the preparations of an intergenerational chosen family of queer elders, touching on important moments of queer history.
Where is it happening?
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