Whatever

Gr 9 Up—As a high school junior, Mike thought he knew himself. He is obsessed with garage rock. His favorite weekend pastime is going to parties. His friends are a ragtag bunch of daredevils and misfits he has been hanging out with since grade school. Although he previously dated only girls, he realizes now how that was a smoke screen. In truth, Mike is attracted to guys. How does this new revelation fit in? Goslee's portrayal of this existential crisis is as humorous as it is grounding. All the feelings of disbelief and anxiety that one might expect are delivered in the way only a 16-year-old boy could articulate, profanity and sexual innuendos included. Although this book could be easily accessible to a younger teen, it does feature more mature content, making it more suitable for older teens. Ultimately, this work focuses on a very common experience. Finding out that you don't fully understand yourself is no easy feat.