Queer Ducks (and Other Animals)

Starred review from June 20, 2022
Employing conversational humor and personal anecdotes, interviews with a variety of scientists, and detailed information about the intersections of human bias and animal research, Schrefer deconstructs commonly held beliefs to reveal the world of queer animal behavior. Beginning with questions such as “Are there trans animals?” and “Does sexuality require sex?,” chapters consider gender, sex, and sexuality through the lens of creatures that include albatrosses, bottlenose dolphins, and doodlebugs. Occasional grayscale comics by Zuckerberg position animals in a human safe space—a Gay Straight Alliance meeting—in which they engage in accepting and affirming species-specific discussions. Together, the creators deliver punch lines while revealing little-known animal facts about avian asexuality and polyamory, bisexual bonobos, and intersex deer, all supporting the argument that exclusionary takes on the natural world are a breakable human habit—and that, as science shows, queer behavior has never been “unnatural.” Substantial back matter includes suggestions for further reading, a glossary, and an index. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 14–up.

Starred review from March 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* This book (prolific author Schrefer's first foray into nonfiction) is about same-gender sexual activity in animals. He cites multiple examples within the animal kingdom, from fruit flies to penguins to albatross to bulls. These interactions (sometimes spontaneous hookups, sometimes lifelong relationships) have been known to Western science since the 1800s, but, due to prevailing social norms, they were identified as deviant behaviors (after all, Noah stuck to heterogeneous couples on the ark). Schrefer lampoons antiquated practices of assigning terms like queer or homosexual to animal behavior, and derides the notion that same-sex activity should ever be labeled as "unnatural" in humans or other animals. There are plenty of witty observations, accessible science, and interviews with experts such as a primatologist, an evolutionary biologist, and a conservation ecologist. There are extensive chapter notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and additional reading suggestions. Schrefer also offers candid anecdotes about growing up gay, and an early interlude titled "What Queer Means" gives straightforward definitions of LGBTQ+ individuals. This is a groundbreaking publication that documents new insights into animal behavior, including research previously repressed or ignored. It also reassures readers that same-sex attraction, interaction, and sexual intercourse is completely natural, both in the animal and human realms.

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Starred review from December 9, 2022

Gr 7-10-Schrefer's book is about animal sex, but specifically homosexual behavior in certain animals. Chapters include species examples, such as dolphins and doodlebugs, that detail what and how this information was learned. In addition, chapters begin with a humorous comic, have illustrations sprinkled into the narrative, and deliver interviews Schrefer conducted with real-life scientists, many of whom identify as LGBTQIA+. Formally organized by the animal case study, the additional interviews and illustrations create breaks in the information that might disrupt the overall flow; however, they provide insight into the science of sex that's more than procreation, a funny interruption to deeper content, and personal connection to researchers in the field. Format aside, the research is fascinating and opens another avenue for career exploration for younger readers. Plus, the facts are noteworthy and shareable-just the kind that the intended audience devours. The book's celebration of the human-animal connection offers positivity about how natural queer behavior is opens another entry point to acceptance and understanding. Schrefer blends emotion and logic with a plethora of vocabulary by describing scientific, anthropological, and behavior studies. VERDICT A nonfiction book that richly mines scientific facts, this can be read in one sitting or researched as individual chapters for ultimate flexibility.-Alicia Abdul

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2022
An entertaining, informative tour through the sexual diversity of animal life. From bonobos to fruit flies, wrasse fish to bottlenose dolphins, Schrefer, who is part of New York University's animal studies master's program, explores nonhuman animals' lives in the contexts of sex and gender. Do nonhuman animals have sex purely for pleasure? Are they ever polyamorous? Are there trans animals? Intersex ones? Intercut with delightful comics, memoirlike vignettes, queer theory, and interviews with experts including a primatologist, evolutionary biologist, science historian, and wildlife ecologist (to name a few), Schrefer takes seriously the desires and pleasures of animals' lives, revealing how gender and sexuality are experienced as social and not just biological constructs. The book is motivated by compassion, as Schrefer explains: "I think care for animals leads to greater care for humans, too, since we all share the natural world, and the same systems of power that endanger animals also endanger humans." This regard extends to young people, as Schrefer writes a love letter to his 11-year-old self, who needed to know that queer people are indeed a part of nature. While the book uses a human identity-based framework to understand animals whose consciousnesses we can't possibly understand, it will help queer kids feel less alone as it highlights the filtered lens through which the animal kingdom has for too long been presented. A thoughtful, thought-provoking, and incredibly fun study of queerness across the animal kingdom. (glossary, notes, selected bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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