Listening to CBC The Next Chapter led me to a dynamic new middle-grade book by a parent and child duo.
Basil Sylvester is a non-binary writer based in Toronto. Their father, Kevin Sylvester, is a broadcaster and the award-winning illustrator and writer of middle-grade books such as the Neil Flambé Capers series and the MiNRS space adventure series. Both authors love monsters and word play. The pencil sketch illustrations by Kevin are brilliant.
This delightful punny, funny adventure features a non-binary tween named Zed who discovers a mystery surrounding an unpublished novel and embarks on “the literary scavenger hunt and road trip of a lifetime.” Zed’s chosen pronouns are they/them/their.
It’s hugely important for people to feel ‘seen’ in literature. I applaud Basil and Kevin for this timely novel that will feel like a breath of fresh air to many. What I love about this book is that it isn’t a book about being non-binary, it’s just a book with a fabulous character who happens to be non-binary–they are very confident and secure in their identity, but have to generously (but regularly) deal with those who don’t understand. The book also highlights the power of friendship.
It’s a challenge to be different in any way in the middle school years, which is why Basil wanted to tell a positive story featuring people who don’t fit easily into societal norms. Like the TV series Schitt’s Creek, the book feels like a warm hug where acceptance is (oddly) the norm.
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