How I Heard About It:
*You can imagine how excited I was to receive this ARC in the mail the other day. Penguin Random House is so great to me. I love everything David Levithan writes and am thrilled he is venturing into the world of middle-grade stories.
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Donavan doesn't want to cause any problems, but that is exactly what happens when his mother finds a book that his fifth grade teacher assigned the class to read.
*His mother doesn't think the story is appropriate for the fifth graders and sets out to "ban" the book from the classroom.
*Meanwhile, Gideon is thrilled when Roberto joins his class. His only friends have been his turtle collection, but that is about to change.
*Donavan tries to do the right thing when it comes to his teacher and the assigned book while trying to figure out why his mother is making such a big deal out of the book.
*The book in question features adventurers Rick and Oliver who explore the world, find themselves in dangerous situations, and come to rely on each other as best friends would.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*I started the novel early Sunday afternoon, and finished it later that afternoon. I could NOT put it down.
*I love how David tackles some very timely and important issues head on and doesn't shy away from what is going on in our world today.
*The characters were incredible and I enjoyed reading about ALL of them.
*As I read, I was wondering how the three story lines were connected and was blown away when the connection was revealed.
*This is an important story and one that will truly make a difference in readers' lives.
Who Should Read It:
*This is definitely a story for upper middle-grade, middle-school, and maybe even some high-school readers. Adult readers will also be thrilled with the plot. If you know of any young people who are questioning their sexuality, this is the book for them. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
