Kern Carter, author of young-adult novels Boys and Girls Screaming and And Then There Was Us, returns with his middle-grade debut Is There a Boy Like Me? The novel follows London Mitchell who loves reading and drawing, activities not traditionally associated with masculinity, as he finds the courage to be his authentic self.

Carter spoke with Q&Q about the inspiration behind Is There a Boy Like Me? (out now), and what he hopes young boys will take away from the book.

What inspired Is There a Boy Like Me?
I was reflecting on my own childhood and thinking about the expectations placed on me. Some of it was good because it demanded a level of performance and behaviour that was healthy. But there were aspects of other people’s expectations that were confusing and not in line with how I saw myself. I wanted to write a book that was fun and exciting but still encouraged young boys to be brave in discovering who they are.

What led to the decision to write Is There a Boy Like Me? for a middle-grade audience?
I’ve never even thought about writing for young audiences. But my publisher (Scholastic) challenged me to write a novel specifically for young boys that would impact their lives. I love a good challenge and so here we are. 

How did the writing process for Is There a Boy Like Me? differ from your previous books?
I did a lot of research for this book. I spoke to a bunch of middle-school teachers and also parents with boys around the preteen age. I wanted to get an idea of boys’ thought processes, their attitudes, and the things that make them comfortable and uncomfortable. That took about a month, and once that was done, the story felt really straightforward.  

You dedicate the novel “To all the boys who want to be themselves, including the younger me, who finally figured it out.” Can you give readers a glimpse into how you went about figuring it out?
Trial and error LOL. It took years of unlearning toxic expectations, including commentary around what it meant to be a “man.” Once I figured out that it’s okay to be exactly who I am, life became a lot easier. 

Having undertaken the journey to figure out who you are, how cathartic was the writing of this novel for you?
It wasn’t exactly cathartic. I was really nervous writing this novel. It was my first time writing for ages 10–14, and I didn’t exactly know what I was doing. I struggled with that anxiety the entire time. What really helped me stay on track was thinking about the message. I feel like this is my “mission book.” It’s a book that I think can make a real difference in the lives of young boys, and so it was my mission to make sure that happens.

At one point, London’s teacher Mrs. Stanley says, “There is a box you’re supposed to fit into, and the further outside that box you go, the more ridicule and criticism you’re going to face.” As a professor and a parent, can you speak about how detrimental you think that is to young people?
Young people look to the world to see where and how they fit. And if what that world is telling them doesn’t align with how they feel about themselves, it becomes confusing and discouraging, because they feel like they’re outside of any kind of community. And belonging is core to who we are as humans. If you take that away, people are left searching for where they belong, when where they belong is already inside of them. 

Is There a Boy Like Me? also touches on the negative effects of social media. Why was it so important to share this message with young readers?
I wanted to show social media in all its glory and its controversy. Some parts of the book show that social media can be an incredibly supportive community when the public is on your side. But when it isn’t, it becomes a toxic place that can negatively impact your self-worth. So I wasn’t really showing the negative side of social media, but rather that this space is just as nuanced as the people using it.

What are some of the steps you take to nurture your authentic self?
I wake up and write every morning because I want to start my day doing the thing I love most. I’m also learning to really think about what makes me happy, and live in that world. When you disconnect from the internet and other people’s opinions, you realize how much of what you think is shaped by other people or other influences. Getting rid of that dependent mindset and really finding my own space of contentment has been invaluable to my being me. 

What do you hope readers take away from Is There a Boy Like Me?
I want young boys to feel seen in this book. I want them to know that they can be who they want to be and they don’t need to bend to the expectations of the world. But I also want them to know that expectations can also lift you up and hold you to accountability and that’s not a bad thing. I think young readers, especially boys, are ready for a story with some nuance to it. Yes, Is There a Boy Like Me? is a fun read, but there are layers that I believe young people will connect with.

This interview has been edited and condensed.