"I'm happy that I decided to be myself, no matter what. No matter who'll have something to say about it or not. That's what I'm happy about, King." Twelve-year-old Kingston James has secrets. He has secrets about his older brother who died suddenly on the basketball court. He has secrets about his former best friend who has run away. And he has secrets about himself. In this story of grief and self-discovery, King learns that secrets get in your way and happiness starts with being yourself, no matter what.Publisher description:
Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town, but he still visits in dreams. King must keep these secrets to himself, and can't even, talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders, because just days before he died, Khalid told [him] to end his friendship with Sandy, after overhearing that Sandy thinks he might be gay. But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death.