Kissing Kate

Myracle, Lauren.  Kissing Kate.  New York: Penguin Group, 2003.  Print.

Awards

2004 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

Annotation

One night at a party, best friends Kate and Lissa kissed.  Now Kate is ignoring Lissa, who’s left on her own to figure what and more importantly, who she really wants.

Booktalk

““Isn’t it amazing the stuff we can convince ourselves of?  And not just in our dreams, but in our normal lives, too.  You know?””  I wondered what she was thinking of, what lies she’d convinced herself were truths.  But I didn’t ask.”

I’ve had a lot of practice lately with these lies disguised as truths.  Ever since Kate and I, best friends since seventh grade, kissed everything has been screwed up.  It was in the summer, at the last party before school started.  Kate was drunk, but I wasn’t.  And even though Kate’s acting like being drunk was an excuse, I know she feels the same way about me.  She just won’t admit it.

I’ve tried to talk to her about it since, to tell her how much I like her, but she wants to forget it ever happened.  Kate is beautiful, popular and dating gorgeous Ben; she doesn’t want to be a lesbian.  She doesn’t want to be “abnormal”.  To me, though, it feels completely normal and I’m not sure that I can convince myself I’m really straight.  I’m not even sure I want to…

Image credit:  http://www.worldcat.org/title/kissing-kate/oclc/50315484&referer=brief_results

My Invented Life

Bjorkman, Lauren.  My Invented Life.  New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2009.  Print.

Awards

Annotation

Roz is convinced her sister Eva is a lesbian.  To prove she’s right Roz decides to come out as a lesbian first, until her invented life gets totally out of control.

Booktalk

Then:  I used to be known as “Roz: sister and best friend”.  Recently, though, Eva’s taken that folder off her computer desktop and moved it into the trash.  In fact, she’s trashed our whole relationship.  If there was a replacement folder on her desktop it would be labeled: Roz: person to be ignored.

Now:  Currently, Eva barely speaks to me.  PD (post deletion) means we no longer share clothes, secrets or even mundane details about our lives.  We don’t even talk about the school play, even though we’re both in it together.

Then:  I used to know everything about Eva.  I would pine for (and sometimes go out with) her (ex) boyfriends.  She always talked to me about things and I thought she was perfect.

Now:  Eva has a new group of friends, the cheerleaders.  She’s still pretty much perfect, except I only know this from afar since she barely acknowledges me, let alone confides in me.  And…Eva’s a lesbian.  I think.

After finding a lesbian novel in Eva’s bedroom leant to her by Eyeliner Andie (a rumored lesbian herself), I started having suspicions about my sister.  PD, unfortunately, meant they would remain unconfirmed because Eva would never ever tell me.  I had a plan though.  I decided to come out as a lesbian and tell everyone at school about my “girlfriend”.  Once Eva saw how accepting and tolerant everyone was, she would feel safe enough to come out too.  Except…

That’s not exactly what happened.  I did come out at school, but then I starting having feelings for Eyeliner Andie in addition to my years-long crush on my sister’s current boyfriend, Bryan.  Will I able to figure out who I’m supposed to be with, get my invented life under control and gain my sister’s trust back, all before opening night?

Image credit:  http://laurenbjorkman.com/

almost perfect

Katcher, Brian.  almost perfect.  New York: Delacorte Press, 2009.  Print. 

Awards

2010 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

2010 Capitol Choice Noteworthy Book

2011 ALA Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award

Annotation

Still upset over his last break-up, Logan avoids dating until a new girl shows up at school with a big secret.

Booktalk

Logan’s life is far from perfect: 

• Just a few months ago his girlfriend Brenda broke up with him…after she cheated on him with another guy.  Hopeful they would get back together, Logan has been waiting around for her (literally: waiting for her to get off the bus every morning).  He's starting to realize now that it’s over. 
• Logan’s sister moved out to go to college.  While they used to be really close he doesn’t get to see her that much anymore. 
• His mom is gone most of the time because she has to work so many shifts at the diner just to make ends meet. 
• And he’s still living in the trailer he grew up in, the same one they lived in after Logan’s dad left.

All Logan really has to look forward to is his upcoming graduation and hanging out with his friends.  But when a new girl, Sage, transfers to his high school at the start of senior year Logan’s life starts to look a little better.  After all, it’s small town Boyer, no one new ever shows up and on top of that Sage is funny, smart, quirky…almost perfect.  Except Sage has a secret she can’t risk anyone finding out about.  And once Logan discovers what it is, he doesn’t want anyone to find out either.

Image credit:  http://www.randomhouse.com/book/89991/almost-perfect-by-brian-katcher/

Keeping You A Secret

Peters, Julie Anne.  Keeping You A Secret.  New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2003.  Print.

Awards

2003 Lambda Literary Award Finalist

2004 ALA Stonewall Honor Book

2004 ALA Amelia Bloomer Project List of Recommended Feminist Books for Youth

2006 ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults   

New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age

Alphabet Award (First recipient)

Annotation

Holland Jaeger has just realized she’s a lesbian and she’s in love with a girl from her school, Cece Goddard.  Both Cece and Holland decide to keep their relationship a secret, until the truth becomes impossible to hide.

Booktalk

These are the rules:

1.)   “They got it wrong when they called it “the closet”.  [It’s] a prison”.

2.)   “You can’t always trust your friends”.

3.)   “You don’t have to do anything to be hated for being gay”.

4.)   You think telling people your gay is “about identity.  Love…asking for acceptance”.  Others, including your friends and family, think you’re “asking for trouble”.

These are just some of the rules Holland Jaeger has to live by now that she’s admitted she’s a lesbian.  Holland works hard at school, has a job and is on the swim team.  She loves her sister Hannah and is trying to get along with her other sister, Faith.  It shouldn’t matter that she’s in love with Cece Goddard.  Cece, though, knows that’s not the case.  Having transferred from another school in the area, Cece knows how hurtful people can be when they find out you’re gay.  She begs Holland to keep the secret.  And while Holland does break up with her boyfriend, she doesn’t tell him why and she doesn’t tell her two closest friends either.

Keeping the secret seems like such a good idea at first, but will staying quiet turn out to be a mistake?  What if everyone at school finds out (it wouldn’t be too hard, Cece’s not exactly in the closet).  What if Faith tells their parents just to spite Holland?  Most importantly, what if everyone Holland loves finds out the truth from someone other than her?   

*Christine (19 years old) suggested I read this book.  She told me that she enjoyed it because "it talks about current themes, themes teenagers can relate to".  "It's emotional because Holland's friends and family have a hard time accepting her, but once Holland is at peace with herself, there's also a message of hope [and] that's important" she added.*


Image credit:  http://www.julieannepeters.com/files/ExcerptKYAS.htm

will grayson, will grayson

Green, John and David Levithan.  will grayson, will grayson.  New York: Dutton Books, 2010.  Print.

Awards

2010 Indie Lit Award Runner-up

2011 Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Honors Award

2011 Rainbow Bibliography

2011 Rainbow List

Annotation

Will Grayson and Will Grayson may have the same name, but they don’t know each other…yet.  After they meet with the help of fate, though, their lives are changed dramatically.

Booktallk

There’s Will Grayson and then there’s o.w.g. – the Other Will Grayson.

Will Grayson is excited.  He’s about to meet Isaac, the boy he’s been talking to online for weeks.  Even though they only live a train ride away, they’ve never seen each other in person.  Will Grayson can’t wait to meet Isaac, he already knows he’s in love.  The only problem is, will Isaac like him back?  And what will he tell Maura, his girlfriend?

The Other Will Grayson is apathetic.  He’s not interested in school and while he is interested in Jane, he is deliberately pretending that he couldn’t care less.  Will is afraid to get hurt, but he’s also afraid that he is all of the things his best friend Tiny Cooper accuses him of: essentially, being a whiny sidekick, too scared to take a stand and go after what (or who) he wants.

Will Grayson and Will Grayson “might as well live on different planets”, but they’re about to meet in a weird twist of fate that’s going to change both their lives dramatically.  And it will be Tiny Cooper, the original Will Grayson’s best friend, who unknowingly helps to bring them together and keeps them together as they each begin “respective romantic turns-of-heart”.

*Phil (16 years old) told me about this book; he originally read it because one of his friends suggested it to him and "loved it"!  He thought the novel was "funny and a lot of fun...definitely different that what you'd expect".  He also mentioned that the two-person narration added a "cool twist" to the story because it allows readers to get the "perspectives from both of them".*

Image credit:  http://johngreenbooks.com/will-grayson/

David Inside Out

Bantle, Lee.  David Inside Out.  New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2009.  Print.

Awards

2009 Rainbow List

Annotation

David likes his best friend and fellow track teammate and even though Sean likes him too, he doesn’t want anyone else to know about it.  Will David decide to stand up to Sean, follow his heart and be honest about his feelings?

Booktalk

What would you do if you were in love with your best friend?  What would you do if you didn’t want to be in love with your best friend?  If you were trying to hide this love by dating someone else, but all you really wanted to do was tell the truth?

This is exactly how David feels.  He’s dating a girl at his school, Kick, but it’s Sean, a member of his track team that he really wants.  Sean wants him too – but he doesn’t want anyone else to know about it.  What will David do?  Will he stand up to Sean and tell him he wants to be honest about his feelings?  Will he finally be able to come out to his friends and family?  Will he lose his friendship with his once-girlfriend, Kick?  What about the relationships with his track teammates?

Image credit:  http://leebantle.com/

The Vast Fields of Ordinary

Burd, Nick.  The Vast Fields of Ordinary.  New York: Dial Books, 2009.  Print.

Awards

2009 New York Times Notable Book of 2009

2010 ALA Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

2010 ALA Rainbow Books

Annotation

Dade is spending his last summer before college doing ordinary things in his small town of Cedarville until he meets Alex, someone who is different from anyone else he knows and who will spark changes in his life that can’t be undone. 

Booktalk

“I practiced saying I was gay to inanimate objects around the house.  I told the soap dish in my bathroom, the ceiling fan above my bed, the blue drinking glass I favored above all the others simply because over the years its entire family had perished one by one during various interactions with hard surfaces around the kitchen and I’d convinced myself our solitude was linked. 

“I’m gay,” I told these things.”

Dade Hamilton has just graduated from high school and can’t wait to get out of Cedarville and go to Fairmont in the fall.  In fact, only a few days ago he was at his senior prom, drawing the initials DH + PS in a heart on the wall of the boy’s bathroom.  PS stands for Pablo Soto, his sometimes boyfriend.  Now Dade is spending his last summer at home, working at FoodWorld and going to parties hosted by Judy Lockhart, also known as Pablo’ girlfriend.  Dade loves Pablo, but Pablo isn’t ready to admit yet that he’s gay.  While trying to figure out how to deal with this, Dade meets Alex at a party and soon their friendship grows into something more. 

From this chance encounter on, Dade’s summer will start to unfold in ways he never expected from his parents’ marital troubles to the disappearance of a local autistic girl.  As Dade struggles to keep up he realizes that it’s not college he’s longing for, but the truth.  Will Dade be able to be honest with others?  Will those around him reveal their own truths?  Will the end of the summer finally bring with it some answers or just more questions?

Image credit:  http://www.worldcat.org/title/vast-fields-of-ordinary/oclc/275150000?referer=brief_results

Out of the Pocket

Konigsberg, Bill.  Out of the Pocket.  New York: Dutton Books, 2008.  Print.

Awards

2009 Lambda Literary Award for Best YA Novel

2009 Rainbow List for Young Adult Fiction

Annotation

Bobby Framingham, the star quarterback at Durango High School, is gay, but he didn’t want anyone to know.  Now that his secret’s out and been picked up by the national media, Bobby’s starting to wonder if he’s about to lose his chance at making it in the NFL.

Booktalk

“Maybe it does matter.  I keep waiting for people to just accept that I’m gay, like gay and straight are equal.  But they aren’t equal.  Otherwise, would we be having this conversation?  Would we have voted on whether I could stay on the team?”

Bobby Framingham is gay, but hardly anybody knows except a few close friends.  He’s keeping it a secret because not only is he one of the most popular kids at school, but he’s also the star quarterback of his high school football team.  Bobby knows that in order to be picked up by an outstanding college he needs to keep his mouth shut, at least for now.  After all, professional athletes involved in team sports don’t come out until after retirement.  Before Bobby can decide when – and how – he’ll come out, though, the choice is taken from him by a friend who spots a good story and splashes it all over the front pages of the school newspaper.  Now Bobby’s secret is a national story.  How will his family react?  His teammates?  Coach?  Will Bobby be kicked off the team in the middle of his senior year?  And what will happen to his chance to play college ball and then make it as a pro in the NFL?

Bobby’s scrambling fast to make a play now that he’s been forced out of the pocket…but can he recover from this?

Image credit:  http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780525479963,00.html?Out_of_the_Pocket_Bill_Konigsberg#

The God Box

Sanchez, Alex.  The God Box.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.  Print.

Awards

Annotation

Paul finds himself struggling to come to terms with both his sexuality and his relationship with God after he starts to have feelings for the new student, Manuel.

Booktalk

Paul is a normal teenager.  He has a girlfriend, Angie, and a small group of friends at school.  He likes singing in his church choir and even finds time to attend Bible Club meetings.  Even though Paul’s mom passed away a few years ago, he loves his dad and looks forward to his Abuelita (grandmom) visiting from Mexico.  Paul also has a good relationship with God.  He reads the Bible, attends Mass on Sundays and prays daily.  To help him with his prayers, his dad got him a God Box engraved with the Serenity Prayer.  Paul knows that when he’s anxious or struggling with something, he can write it down and put it in the Box.  Most of the stuff he’s prayed about has turned out ok… 

“But there remained one thing [Paul had] prayed about in a million different ways, giving it up to the Lord over and over again.  Yet no matter how many times [he] entered it into the God Box, the thing still hadn’t gone away”.  Paul may be a normal teenager and a faithful Christian, but Paul also thinks he might be gay and in love with the new kid, Manuel.  Will the God Box help him or will he have to learn to “trust a God bigger than any box” and accept himself for who he is?

Image credit:  http://www.alexsanchez.com/God_Box/The_God_Box_Home_Page.htm