Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez. Simon Pulse, 2003, 272 pages

This work speaks directly to gay and questioning youth in an authentic voice. Nelson, loud and in-your-face out, is continually harassed by other students while adults look the other way; he is full of insecurity at the same time he exudes confidence. Kyle, a nice quiet swimmer, is afraid to confront his parents and wants to keep it quiet; Jason, basketball jock, finds the closet still can’t protect him from his abusive father, and he is confused, afraid of the risk and in denial. Rainbow Boys tells the story of three different gay teens (“types?”) who have all the usual teen angst (too fat, ugly braces, poor grades), combined with all the gay teen issues (coming out, parents, bullies) and so much more ( first sex, safe sex, first love, getting used, getting rejected, falling in love, therapy/help groups). The characters are well thought out and are imperfect (until the end) and real. I saw bits of many gay men I have known in their story…the beatings, the political activism, the depression and self loathing, the problems with dad. It reads well and really pulls you in; you care what happens to these characters.
Overall I loved it, but at the end it seemed like Sanchez added in a couple of quick things, perhaps… suddenly it got little hokey, i.e. The GSA is approved “unanimously”; the sudden re appearance of Debra to tell Jason she accepts him and they can still be friends (this isn’t boy meets boy!); the seeming ease with which Kyle and Jason came out in high school at the end lacked the credibility that had been present in the entire book before this. Still, it does not detract much from the work. I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it is good for all youth to read; either to validate your own experience or to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a gay teen in high school.

Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini. Miramax, 2005, 304 pages.

Jeremy Heere, at the bottom of the high school social hierarchy, spends his days being bullied by his social betters and keeping “humiliation sheets” that document his dork and loser status. Jeremy hangs out with his one dork friend, lusts after the beautiful Christine and spends his nights masturbating to internet porn and firmly believes that ”being Cool is obviously the most important thing on earth…”. Jeremy wants to get laid but doesn’t know how and life as a loser looks settled for Jeremy until he finds out about the squib, a microcomputer you swallow that tells you how to talk, and dress and how to be cool. Suddenly, Jeremy is the coolest kid in high school and he finds out that things don’t always turn out as you expect them to.

A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl by Tayna Lee Stone. Wendy Lamb Books, 2006, 240 pages.

I did not find this book; it found me. I was searching through the stacks for YA graphic novels when I came across it, hidden in that group. An especially juicy section was bookmarked with a slip of paper from the library and I assumed some YA did not feel comfortable checking it out, but was ‘checking it out’ just the same. I scooped it up only to find it on the READING RANTS list of the best YA romances and with great reviews. I never would have picked it up based on the title or the graphic-y cover, but I LOVED IT and I loved the premise: a high school girl who knows better gets burned by the school heart throb. Instead of hiding she admits her mistakes to herself and her slighted girl friends, and turns her heartbreak and humiliation into a positive force for change by telling her story and using it as a cautionary tale for other victims (actual and potential). Using Judy Blume’s romance classic, Forever, she warns girls of what happened to her by writing all over the volume in the school library. Two other girls realize too late and after they are burned they also read the notes, only to realize that many, many girls have fallen for that jerk. They are not alone; instead they are empowered.

More Ready-To-Tell Tales From Around the Word by David Holt. August House, 2000, 256 pages

This is my favorite storytelling book! I stumbled across it by accident in Borders and have been raving about it ever since. It is my bible. Each multicultural tale is fully indexed to audience age, type of tale, and country of origen. All tales are donated by world class professional tellers who not only put their stories in the public domain, but also add story background information and tips for telling the tales. Small list of acknowledgments serves as a mini-bibliography. I have turned to it many times when I need a story for a quick tell or a more involved program. While I love them all, "The Barking Mouse" and "Dog Tails" are now part of my permanent repertoire.

Stay Awake, Sally by Mitra Modarressi. G P Putnum's, 2007.

In a clever and very funny role reversal, a very mature young racoon child pleads with her parents to be allowed to go to bed--"Tomorrow's a school day, I must get some rest. If i don't sleep now, I can't do my best."
--Her parents try every trick in the book to get her to stay up--"One story? Choose four! Stay awake, Sally, just a few minutes more!"
--A huge hit with parents and caregivers --but my preschoolers were only mildly amused, and mildly annoyed--by the story...Too suble for the youngest crowd, but all the adults loved it!

Mommy's Little Star by Janet Bingham. Scholastic, 2008

An inquisitive fox kit continually asks the question " What's higher in the sky?" to each answer his mother gives him--the trees, the rainbow, the cloud, etc.---Reminiscent of Sam McBratney's Guess How Much I love You, This is a sweet bedtime tale that leaves our kit (and yours) feeling safe and loved.

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Roaring Book Press, NY., 2007.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Seeger's beautifully illustrated picture book details the progression of several living things --egg then chicken, tadpole then frog--simply at first---carefully progressing to word/writing, paint/picture, finally leading us to the satisfying and clever lifecycle conclusion...back to egg! Accurate and cleverly written, this beautiful book will is certain to inspire lively conversations about the circle of life. A winner!