Author: Greg Howard
LGBTQ+ Representation: At least three characters, including the narrator, are gay. A supporting character has two moms.
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Seventh grader Mikey Pruitt is determined to start a business that will make him successful. Mikey decides to become a talent agent when Julian hires Mikey to promote his (Julian's) drag queen persona: Coco Caliente. Soon, Mikey represents a group of students preparing for the middle school talent show and is becoming more confident about being openly gay at school; maybe he'll even be able to talk to cute Colton without blushing!
What I think (in 250 words or fewer): This book is SO ADORABLE and is just what I needed at the start of a stressful week. I even made my kids play a few more minutes at the park (pre-quarantine) so I could find out the outcome of the talent show. And then I read the ending before we even drove home, while we were stopped in the Arby's drive-thru waiting for our food.
I embarrass my children.
Mikey's business is so adorable, and I love his confidence mixed with naivete. This review implies that Mikey's "mix of savvy and naive" is unrealistic, but I disagree: I was a quirky kid who is no less quirky as an adult and "savvy and naive" is probably an accurate description for me today.
I love Mikey's two best friends, who support him no matter what, and Mikey's family is amazing. The health problems of Mikey's grandfather are described realistically but not overwhelmingly sad (no death). Julian's scenes with his family are incredibly poignant. Homophobic jerks are shut down relatively quickly and do not have much power in this world, and the ending when . . . let's just say it's so DARN CUTE I can't even.
Yes, the kids have problems--Julian's dad disapproves, Mikey's afraid of judgment at school, stupid school bullies. I like how they basically silently started at the bully until he went away the time he came to their lunch table. I don't know if this would always work, but silence is awkward--let's awkward-out the bullies. Pun not intended, seriously.
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): You should read this book if for no other reason than to normalize--wait, not normalize, CELEBRATE--drag queen children and teens, like Desmond is Amazing, Kween KeeKee, E! the Dragnificent! and Ophelia Peaches. So much of the coverage of child drag is negative. Let's celebrate, not desecrate.
Mikey's voice is so much like Nate's from the Nate trilogy that I want a crossover novel in which Mikey is Nate's agent.
Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
- "Sometimes Mo and Dad can be a little too enthusiastic about my gayness. Like asking me every day if I like-like any boys at school. I mean, ew times ten. I'm only twelve and they're ready to sign me up for Gay Bachelor: North Charleston Middle School Edition" (pg. 30).
- "Mrs. Beyonce Knowles-Carter knows all about it. Google taught me her whole name when I searched for things gays should know" (pg. 191).
- "It's a song about being proud of exactly who you are and how God made you because you were, well, you know, born that way. It makes perfect sense in my heart. I just wish it did in my head" (pg. 239).
- "Are you ready to be the wrong kind of middle school popular?" (pg. 245).
Other reviews: Lambda Literary and Chapter 16.
Also, A TV Adaptation in the Works!! and An interview with Greg Howard
If you liked this book, you should read Better Nate Than Ever; Five, Six, Seven, Nate! and Nate Expectations. Also, check out Howard's other books, Social Intercourse and The Whispers.
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| This book is available here: https://library.greensboro-nc.gov/ |
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| Learn more about the Rainbow Book List here: http://www.ala.org/rt/glbtrt |
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