Little & Lion

By: Brandy Colbert

Narrated by: Alisha Wainwright

A stunning novel on love, identity, loss, and redemption.

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she's isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (as well as her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.

But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse.

"Little and Lion is beautifully insightful, honest, and compassionate. Brandy's ability to find larger meaning in small moments is nothing short of dazzling." -- Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything

Critic reviews

Kirkus Best Book of the YearBuzzfeed Best Book of the YearBustle.com Best Book of the YearVulture Best Book of the YearSeventeen Magazine Best Book of the Year

Praise for Little & Lion:"Little and Lion is beautifully insightful, honest, and compassionate. Brandy's ability to find larger meaning in small moments is nothing short of dazzling."—National Book Award Finalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicola Yoon

"Brandy Colbert further establishes herself as one of contemporary YA's biggest talents in this thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of identity, loyalty, and what it means to live with integrity. Little & Lion is a stunningly good novel."—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

"On the surface, this is a great book that beautifully navigates the elaborate landscapes of sexual orientation and mental health issues. But as I read on, I found myself deeply connected with Suzette, who is gorgeously depicted in all her complexities. This is a book and a protagonist I will long remember."—Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of Openly Straight and Honestly Ben

"Brandy Colbert takes us on an emotional and gorgeous journey with a protagonist who is trying to figure out where she fits in with her family as well as in the world. A book full of overwhelming love and courage."—Sara Farizan, author of Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

* "This superbly written novel teems with meaningful depth, which is perfectly balanced by romance and the languorous freedom of summer."—Booklist, starred review

* "A moving, diverse exploration of the challenges of growing up and the complicated nature of loyalty."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "Colbert sensitively confronts misconceptions about mental illness, bisexuality, and intersectional identity....A vibrantly depicted Los Angeles."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "From the threads of love and romance, to redefining family life, readers of all walks of life will find an entry point to this title."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"A moving and well-realized examination of secrecy, trust, and intimacy."—Publishers Weekly

" Hand [Little & Lion] to readers who like thoughtful, edgy stories with no easy answers."—VOYA

ya realistic contemporary

This book had a lot to unpack. There was a lot of positive poc rep, bi, gay and pansexual rep. Teens doing realistic stuff parents act like they don't, and a lot of identity and microaggressions an afro-latinx like me really related to.

It also dealt with non-conventional siblings(one white, one black) and them dealing with one of them going off their meds for bipolar disorder.

It wasnt a perfect book but it was a great plot and narrated really well!

Omg!!!

Omg I adored this book so much!!!! It has such amazing representations. The depiction of bi-polar disorder was so well done. Honestly I can just hush about this book all day.

Charming - Modern Teen Fiction

I'm bout sure this book is supposed to be teen fiction but it should be and should be on high school reading lists. The characters are decently developed and relatable and the introduction of liberal identity politics in an accessible manner is really good. If my child were 14 or older I would totally give it to him to read.

good mental health perspective, BUT

the ending did not work well.

I'm also unsure about the portrayal of bisexuality here.

Pleasantly Surprised — 5 Stars

I’m not particularly huge on intersectional viewpoints in general. In many cases, there seems to be an agenda that is forced upon the reader rather than a natural evolution of storytelling that unfolds. But with all biases aside, I have to admit this was a remarkably written novel.

As someone who struggles with Bipolar II Disorder, like Lionel does, it portrays an honest look into the life of someone with this mental illness. Colbert allures and intrigues her audience through great storytelling, and somehow elicits multiple emotional responses with the turn of each page.

You care about these characters and what they’re going through, regardless of your background or political disposition. Why? Because it’s never forced in the way you might expect with a story such as this.

Whether you enjoy fiction, struggle with mental illness, or know someone who does, this will be welcomed by all types of people from all walks of life. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone thinking about picking it up.