Before we share info about this month’s book, we want to recognize that this month’s “Community Kindness Sponsor” (which helps offset the cost of the extra 20 (!!!) books we hide after scavenger hunt weekend every month – the “random act of kindness” books!) are our friends at La Suprema!!! We are so grateful for their support in creating a bookish community rooted in kindness – and creating a beautiful and welcoming co-working and event space in Tucson. So please send some gratitude their way, as they are helping make this month’s book-hiding adventure possible!

Do you know someone who might be interested in partnering with us as a Community Kindness Sponsor in 2026 ($250)? We still have plenty of months available for sponsors in 2026. Please send us an email (tucsontomegnome[at] gmail.com), and we can send you some information 🙂

AND NOW, for what you’ve been waiting for: all about this month’s hidden book!

About the book, from The Feminist Press:

“In Spencer’s fantasies, the breezy, queer streets of Provincetown, MA, are utopia, a place where he can be free. Yet when a violent attack in his suburban Arizona schoolyard sends him to the hospital, he decides queer utopia can’t wait. And one night, with the help of his best friend, the teenage witch Joy, he hitches a ride to find it.

The cross-country road odyssey that follows brings Spencer from new moon rituals in Arizona canyons to Texas bus stations, from the luxe drag stages of Houston’s Montrose district to the jazz-soaked streets of the French Quarter and beyond. This new novel from Michelle Tea tells the story, by turns raw, romantic, and sweet, of a sheltered boy taking his first leap into queer life, among all the complicated queers who live it.”

About the author, Michelle Tea:

“Michelle Tea is the author of over a dozen books of memoir, fiction, poetry and children’s lit — including, Knocking Myself Up. Her memoir, Valencia, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Fiction, even though it was obviously all true. It was also made into a sprawling, feature-length art film using nearly 20 different directors and different Michelles. Her recent-ish essay collection, Against Memoir, was awarded the PEN/America Diamonstein-Speilvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. She is also the recipient of the legendary Rona Jaffe Awards, and a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow.

In addition to her writing, Michelle has instigated many cultural interventions aimed at increasing access and visibility for queer writers and artists. She is the founder of RADAR Productions, the Bay Area literary non-profit, and worked as Executive Director for over a decade, running a monthly reading and conversation series at the San Francisco Public Library, organizing a free, queer literary retreat in the Yucatan, operating an annual poetry chapbook contest, and many other events. Michelle’s last move as ED was to conceptualize Drag Queen Story Hour, the kid’s lit event that has since become a global sensation. She is the co-founder of the international performance tour Sister Spit, and founding editor-at-large for the online parenting zine Mutha.

Michelle produces and hosts the mystical Spotify podcast Your Magic, and fronts a weekly live tarot show on Spotify Live. Her 30-plus years as a tarot reader is encapsulated in her popular how-to book, Modern Tarot.“

Why I selected Little F for the January 2026 Giveaway:

• January is often a time for fresh starts, and Spencer’s story unfolds with a steady, compelling pace of choosing to set out on a new path. Spencer is curious, and his path is uncertain but full of possibilities.
• Along the way, Spencer meets a cast of vivid, unforgettable characters, each offering guidance, challenges to be overcome, or (most importantly?) kindness, reminding me how often growth happens through unexpected connections.
• The novel offers an honest and still (so) relevant perspective on coming out as gay, and sharing stories like this remains essential: representation helps readers feel seen, understood, and less alone.
• At its heart, this is also a tender story of first love, capturing the intensity, confusion, and sweetness of discovering who you are and who you care for.
• And finally, we’re especially excited to share this book, knowing Michelle Tea will join our Tucson community at the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2026! And you all know I love hiding stories written by authors that readers will soon have the chance to connect with in person ❤