I Can't Even Think Straight by Dean Atta
Last updated: 2 October 2026
I Can't Even Think Straight by Dean Atta is a young adult novel in verse about Kai, a teenager deciding when to come out as gay at the start of a new school year. Atta wrote The Black Flamingo, which won a Stonewall Book Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Hachette publishes the UK paperback, which has 368 pages and an RRP of £9.99. Amazon UK had it at £9.24 on 2 October 2026.
Buy I Can't Even Think Straight on Amazon UK
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What I Can't Even Think Straight is about
Kai and his best friend Matt made a promise to each other to stay in the closet. Matt is not ready to come out, but Kai wants to start living as himself. So he breaks the promise and comes out at school.
After that, Kai starts dating a boy called Obi, and the relationship is far from smooth. Meanwhile, he still has to work out what he wants to do with his life and what coming out has done to his friendship with Matt.
The story is told in short poems rather than prose chapters. That means the pages move quickly, even though the paperback runs to 368 pages.
About Dean Atta
Dean Atta is a poet and writer based in London. His first novel in verse, The Black Flamingo, follows a mixed-race gay teenager who finds himself through drag. It won a Stonewall Book Award and made the Carnegie Medal shortlist. I Can't Even Think Straight returns to the same territory with a younger, school-age story.
The Guardian called it an "eloquent, layered coming-of-age verse novel", a line Hachette quotes on its page for the book.
Key facts
- Author: Dean Atta
- Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
- Published: 29 May 2025
- Format: paperback, 368 pages, also sold as an ebook and an audiobook
- Reading age: 14 and up
- ISBN: 9781444960969
- Price: £9.99 RRP, £9.24 on Amazon UK and £9.49 on Bookshop.org
Who it suits
- Teenagers aged 14 and over: Kai's worries about school, friends and dating are written for that age group.
- Fans of Sex Education: Hachette pitches it at fans of the Netflix series and of Sarah Crossan's verse novels.
- Reluctant readers: the verse format puts far fewer words on each page than a prose novel of the same length.
The limits
Verse novels split readers. If your teenager prefers long prose chapters and detailed description, the short poems may feel thin. The book also deals with dating and relationships, which is right for 14 and up but makes it a poor fit for younger children. For a younger reader, look at our gifts for kids instead.
Where to buy I Can't Even Think Straight in the UK
Amazon UK had the paperback at £9.24, although it showed only one copy left in stock. Bookshop.org had it at £9.49, and its sales support independent bookshops. Waterstones sells it too.
I Can't Even Think Straight on Amazon UK
FAQs
What is I Can't Even Think Straight about?
It follows Kai, a gay teenager who breaks a promise to his best friend Matt by coming out at school. The book covers his first relationship, his friendship with Matt and decisions about his future.
What age is I Can't Even Think Straight for?
Hachette and Amazon UK both list it for readers aged 14 and over.
How much does I Can't Even Think Straight cost?
The RRP is £9.99. On 2 October 2026 Amazon UK had it at £9.24 and Bookshop.org at £9.49.
Is I Can't Even Think Straight written in verse?
Yes. Like The Black Flamingo, it is a novel told through a sequence of poems.
Is it a sequel to The Black Flamingo?
No. It has a new main character and a separate story, so you can read either book first.
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