By Elaine Daniel
Books of My Life with Hartlei Mckinnon, who prefers to be called Har.
Har identifies as queer and uses the pronouns she/they but prefers they/them.
Har is 13 and in Grade 7 LFI (Late French Immersion) at Rossland Summit School. Har lives in Trail with their mom, sister, brother, and cat Nacho (who’s very fat but the family loves a chubby cat)!
• What is your favourite childhood book?
My favourite childhood book, I would have to say, is Night of the Living Dummy by R. L. Stine or any of his other books. Those books were really all I read when I started to read chapter books. I just loved the way they really got a good old scare out of you and the way you never knew what was happening next, the never-ending suspense for me when I was young. These books got me hooked on horror and now I’ve moved up to his scarier books. Now those give me the not knowing what’s coming next and the never-ending suspense. But those books really led me to where I am today in reading and my never-ending love for literature.
• Name a book you’ve pretended to have read.
Okay, the only books I’ve said I read but really haven’t is Harry Potter. I did this because everyone raves over this book series, but I saw the movies first which, by the way, I never, ever recommend. Doing it kind of ruins the books and if the movies/movie is bad, then you don’t want to read the book. That was one of my reasons. The second reason is the fact that JK Rowling has said some very horrible stuff about the transgender community.
• Name one book everyone should read.
The book I recommend is Blended by Sharon M. Draper. It really shows the struggle of a mixed-race child: in this scenario black and white… It also involves the difficulty of having divorced parents. I love how this book shows so many different problems that can occur in life.
• What book should everyone read?
One book I think everyone should read is The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. It shows how queer people were treated in the early ‘90s, late ‘80s because they chose to love who they love. This book does involve conversion camps/therapy, and death of parents, so it isn’t a light-hearted read.
I truly do recommend the book if you are looking for more info on what the queer community went through at that time. Sad to say that this stuff still happens.
• What are you reading now?
The book I’m reading at the moment is Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon. I’m liking the book so far because it is my favorite type of genre-horror. I’m liking the way the book is very odd, almost confusing, but in a good way. Because when you read farther into the book, you figure out why they left you confused and weirded out and that’s why I really love this book so far. From what I’ve read, I think other horror fans really would too.
Do you love reading and sharing your favourites? If so, please consider participating in a “Books of My Life” interview. For more information, email rplpublicrelations@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from readers of all ages.