Angry Management
Posted by: John on: August 11, 2009
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Crutcher, Chris, Angry Management. Greenwillow, 2009. 9780060502478. $16.99. Grades 7 to 11.
In this collection of three stories, assorted characters from an early morning counseling group in Eastern Washington come face to face with anger and rage. Sometimes it’s their own, as in the case of Montana West, the rebellious goth girl who channels the rage she feels toward the foster-care system and her adopted father into a fight for free expression. Sometimes it’s the rage of others, as in the story of Marcus James, the black, openly-gay genius swimmer who comes up against the bigotry of his small town on a daily basis. Featuring a broad cast of teen characters, including the extremely overweight guy with two sets of gay parents, the born-again Christian jock, and the reclusive smart girl with severe burns, Chris Crutcher delivers powerful stories with direct relevance to the lives of modern teens.   -John Andrews
In Mike We Trust
Posted by: John on: August 7, 2009
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Ryan, P. E. In Mike We Trust. HarperTeen, 2009. 978-0-06-085813-1. $16.99. Grades 7 to 10.
Garth is scrawny, short, and closeted. Out only to his mother (who prefers he keep it that way) and his best friend Lisa, Garth is excited when his unconventional Uncle Mike comes for a visit. It quickly becomes apparent to Garth that his late father’s identical twin couldn’t be more different from his dad. Mike helps Garth to discover his strength, to go on his first date, and to help his mother come to terms with who her son is. Along the way, Mike also entwines Garth in a less-than-honest moneymaking scheme, and Garth must learn that family, trust, and honesty don’t always mean the same thing to different people. -John Andrews
In Your Room
Posted by: John on: August 7, 2009
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Fraiberg, Jordanna, In Your Room. Razorbill, October 2008. 978-1-59514-193-4. $8.99. Grades 7 to 9.
The last thing Molly wants to do is spend the summer on her mother’s honeymoon in Boulder and Charlie could care less about Los Angeles. But, a fateful summer spent occupying each others’ rooms during their families’ house-swap brings the two closer than either had allowed themselves to become previously. Seen from both teens’ perspectives, their relationship unfolds through emails and IMs as they open up to each other about their lives and fears: Charlie’s relationships with women are shaped by sharing a home with two moms and two sisters, and Molly struggles to accept her mother’s remarriage after the death of her father. -John Andrews
Deflowered
Posted by: Laurie on: July 26, 2009
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Ginoli, Jon. Deflowered. 2009 (March). 300p. Cleis Press, $16.95. (978-1-57344-343-2). Gr. 12.
Ginoli helps fill the yawning void on the history of gay rock and roll with his unfailing honest and entertaining memoir as a founding member of the Pansy Division, the first out punk band to make it on the national scene. From his childhood in Illinois to a travelogue of tour dates, Ginoli shares his experience of coming out, the homophobic music industry, and the fans that helped the Pansy Division find a voice. Musicians have a propensity for intensity and Deflowered references sex, drugs, and plenty of political activism. Whether a musician or an air guitar enthusiast, Deflowered is timely…Anyone else follow “American Idol†this season? –Laurie Spurling
King of the Screwups
Posted by: blogando on: July 26, 2009
Going, K.L. King of the Screwups. Harcourt, 2009. 978-0-15-206258-3. $17.00. Grades 8 to 12.
K.L. Going’s latest novel is a study in stereotypes, and how they really don’t necessarily apply to everyone. Liam is an extremely popular high school senior with a extremely successful executive dad and former supermodel for a mom. Liam is more like his mom–good taste in clothing exquisite social skills, and straight.   Liam screws up one too many times, so after a night of binge drinking with a pretty girl, he is exiled to living in a trailer with his uncle in a tiny town in upstate New York. Fortunately for Liam, and the reader, things are not what they seem.  Liam’s gay uncle is an aging glam rocker who is messy and has no fashion sense, but he does have a heart of gold.  His uncle’s friends and the cute girl living next door help Liam find himself and learn to deal with his over-bearing father. You’ll find yourself cheering for Liam to work things out with his family and to realize that he’s not a screw-up, just trying to be something he’s not, which is to be like his dad.
Boy Minus Girl
Posted by: blogando on: July 16, 2009
Uhlig, Richard. Boy Minus Girl. 2008 (December). 246p. Knopf, $15.99. (978-0-375-83968-9). Gr. 8-10.
Fourteen-year-old Lester’s sole goal in life is to be successful with girls, but even the tips he reads in The Seductive Man can’t help him with his friend Charity, who reveals that she is a lesbian, and Regina, who uses him to get her boyfriend back. The mix of characters—seemingly strait-laced parents, swinger Uncle Ray, Ray’s pregnant stripper girlfriend, and the town bully—adds to the rich setting of a conservative South during the 1980s. With Lester, the reader learns that nothing is as it seems, as everyone grapples, sometimes unsuccessfully, with their own issues. Charity’s acceptance of her lesbianism is refreshing, and the protagonist gives this book a wide readership.  -Nel Ward
Hunting with Barracudas
Posted by: blogando on: July 16, 2009
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Snyder, Chris. Hunting with Barracudas: My Life in Hollywood with the Legendary Iris Burton. 2009. 314p. Herman Graf Book/Skyhorse Publishing, $22.95. (978-1-60239-662-3). Gr. 11-12.
What happens when a young gay guy moves from a small upstate New York town to the glitzy world of a children’s talent agency? Snyder traces over a decade of personal angst in a cutthroat world of fame-obsessed wannabe actors and an unyielding, control-freak boss. The author openly discusses not only his struggles with clients, including River Phoenix, but also his attempt to personally deal with his gay sexuality and his difficulty in finding intimacy beyond sexual experiences. Throughout the book runs a common theme expressed by one of his statements: “I didn’t even accept me so how could I expect anyone else to accept me?†His entertaining experiences in both Hollywood and in Greece, where he operates a bed & breakfast on an isolated island for a few months, are shown in a frank and frequently humorous manner. -Nel Ward
Punkzilla
Posted by: blogando on: July 16, 2009
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Rapp, Adam. Punkzilla. 2009. 244p. Candlewick, $16.99. (978-0-7636-3031-7). Gr. 8-10.
On his way from Portland to Tennessee, where his gay older brother is dying of cancer, 14-year-old Jamie (aka Punkzilla) writes a series of letters about his adventures and his feelings regarding their dysfunctional family. Jamie’s personality and background are revealed through his details and ideas about the wide variety of characters he meets and other letters from family and friends, providing a great view of both adolescence and Americana. With humor and optimism, the stream-of-consciousness language rings true, and the format will appeal to young readers. -Nel Ward
In Our Mother’s House
Posted by: blogando on: July 16, 2009
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Polacco, Patricia. In Our Mother’s House. 2009. unp. Philomel, $17.99. (978-0-399-25076-7). Gr. 1-3.
Although the family of three children and two parents seem like any other family on the block, filled with love and respect, one woman doesn’t accept them because the two parents are both women. The narrator of the story from her adoption to her marriage is told by the oldest adopted child as she describes the joy and love in the house. The message is sweetly told with action-filled watercolors and fun experiences for the children. -Nel Ward
YSquare Plus
Posted by: blogando on: July 16, 2009
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Park, Judith. YSquare Plus. 2008 (December). 192p. Yen Press, $10.99. (978-0-7595-2927-4). Gr. 9-12.
Yagate tries to get his friend Yoshitaka help him catch the man of his dreams, but his friend Chana has her eye on the same guy, handsome college student Ra-Myun. The story shows the value of friendship, and the love triangles among several of the characters are angst-driven but humorous. The action moves quickly, and the illustrations are clean and contemporary with exaggerated faces and eyes in the tradition of manhwa (the Korean version of manga). Written and drawn by Korean-born Park, the sequel to the manhwa Y Square is translated from German. -Nel Ward