Genius Jolene

Eight-year-old Jolene and her truck-driving father set off on their annual summer delivery run across the country, but this year things are different: her parents recently divorced, her father came out as gay, and is living with his boyfriend. Jolene innocently mentions her father’s new life to a stranger and when she receives a negative response, she keeps silent to protect her dad. When her father learns of what happened he helps her navigate the realities of their new situation. This award-winning Canadian book for grades 2 and 3 introduces sexual orientation in a gentle, important way for young readers and deals with themes of kindness, diversity, family relationships, and resilience.