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Mike Curato made a name for himself with beautiful picture books like his Litle Elliot series—heartwarming stories with beautiful illustrations reminiscent of Chris van Allsburg.  In the fall of 2020, Mike published FLAMER, a semi-autobiographical tale about a mixed-race teen coming to terms with his sexuality while at scout camp. It is a raw, unflinching, and authentic look at a coming-of-age story. I was asked to blurb FLAMER, I wrote "This book will save lives." It is so important for our young people to see their stories reflected in literature. Amongst the mini accolades FLMAER received was a Lambda Literacy Award, whcih celebrates books from the LGBTQ+ community. I’m proud to bring you my pal Mike Curato's Origin Story!