Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2020.
Description
"It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes--but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance."--Page [4] of cover.
User reviews
LibraryThing member clrichm
Going through a bunch of the books that are among the most frequently challenged as of late. I initially wasn't sure how I felt about this one; I had to sit with it for a bit after I finished. I felt so much for Aiden throughout the book, as he struggled with issues of self-worth and the pain from
My own pause came from the book's climax, when what seemed a near-literal Deus ex machina stepped in to prevent a tragedy. I initially wondered whether it was too neat, as well as something kids in similar circumstances can't expect for themselves, but then I found myself reconsidering. Aiden's faith is strong, even if it seems to be fraying about the edges in terms of the church; perhaps the "divine intervention" could be understood as a moment in which his personal beliefs were strong enough to help him through. The author says that moment was taken from his own life, though without any actual fiery visions (presumably?), and that's enough to persuade me.
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a volatile family environment. Camp was a sort of haven for him, away from school bullies and familial fighting, but it was imperfect, especially as it seemed he was facing both internal and external criticisms and pressure to be someone other than himself. My own pause came from the book's climax, when what seemed a near-literal Deus ex machina stepped in to prevent a tragedy. I initially wondered whether it was too neat, as well as something kids in similar circumstances can't expect for themselves, but then I found myself reconsidering. Aiden's faith is strong, even if it seems to be fraying about the edges in terms of the church; perhaps the "divine intervention" could be understood as a moment in which his personal beliefs were strong enough to help him through. The author says that moment was taken from his own life, though without any actual fiery visions (presumably?), and that's enough to persuade me.
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LibraryThing member villemezbrown
The bullying, homophobia, and racism are pretty unrelenting in this tale of a 14-year-old Filipino American boy coming to terms with his sexual identity during the final days of a Boy Scout summer camp. It ground me down as a reader, and even so I cannot even begin to imagine how much worse it
It's a pretty depressing takedown of how early toxic masculinity is ingrained in our children and of the Boy Scouts in general. It suffers a bit from its inevitability and goes so deep into its tailspin that it is hard for the ending to totally pull it back up from the crash and burn being signaled.
Even though this is a work of fiction, that scene with the four boys and the pop bottle in the tent is so outrageous and gross I have to believe it really happened.
Trigger warning:suicide attempt
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would be to live it.It's a pretty depressing takedown of how early toxic masculinity is ingrained in our children and of the Boy Scouts in general. It suffers a bit from its inevitability and goes so deep into its tailspin that it is hard for the ending to totally pull it back up from the crash and burn being signaled.
Even though this is a work of fiction, that scene with the four boys and the pop bottle in the tent is so outrageous and gross I have to believe it really happened.
Trigger warning:
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LibraryThing member JesseTheK
Communicates with great art, and lots more hope.
LibraryThing member jothebookgirl
This is the story of Aiden which is based on the authors experience at boy scout camp during the summer between middle and high school.summer camp is not perfect, but he likes it well enough. It's better than school, and it’s certainly better being, out of the house and away from his dad's
His summer focus is to fit in and be a part of his scout troop, The Flaming Arrows. The have fun learning archery and orienteering, building fires and canoeing. His bunkmate, Elias, is a cool football player with long hair who listens to Alternative music. And, he’s got the perfect athletic body. Aiden feels bad about his own body which is a little pudgy. Also, He really, really hates being called "faggot.” He dreads the communal showers and He misses his best friend and pen pal when he doesn't get letters from her. He makes some friends during the summer, but there are still those who want to bully him. The bullying and name calling just makes him worry that high school could be even worse than middle school.
With vivid illustrations are in white, black and grays , this graphic novel employs just one color, orange to make its point.
I really feel for young people struggling with bad home life, identity confusion and bullying. This depiction reads almost like a memoir as it feels very real.
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volatile temper and the constant fighting, Aiden is now 14 and the hormones are raging. And while he doesn't consciously realize it yet, he wonders if he might be gay.His summer focus is to fit in and be a part of his scout troop, The Flaming Arrows. The have fun learning archery and orienteering, building fires and canoeing. His bunkmate, Elias, is a cool football player with long hair who listens to Alternative music. And, he’s got the perfect athletic body. Aiden feels bad about his own body which is a little pudgy. Also, He really, really hates being called "faggot.” He dreads the communal showers and He misses his best friend and pen pal when he doesn't get letters from her. He makes some friends during the summer, but there are still those who want to bully him. The bullying and name calling just makes him worry that high school could be even worse than middle school.
With vivid illustrations are in white, black and grays , this graphic novel employs just one color, orange to make its point.
I really feel for young people struggling with bad home life, identity confusion and bullying. This depiction reads almost like a memoir as it feels very real.
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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Wow, I want to reread this but there's a waitlist of 37 at the library! Aiden Navarro's week at Boy Scout camp is searing and brutally honest. You feel for him at his most painful moments. Young teens who are questioning or outside the mainstream or a misfit in the crowd or just confused and trying
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to find their way will find themselves reflected in one way or another. The one moment that took me out of the story was the appearance to Aiden of the fire spirit. It was a hokey moment ("Such is life. It burns now but you will heal.") but overall the work speaks volumes to those who need it most. Lib notes: lots of anti-gay jokes and barbs, crude sexual references, sexual discovery. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Aiden is at scout camp the year between 8th grade and high school. He's switching from Catholic School to public school and has a lot of anxiety and uncertainty about that. He doesn't always fit in and gets bullied by a variety of people. He wonders a lot about his identity and the mixed messages
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he is getting from the Institutions important in his life, the Catholic Church and the boy scouts. Figuring out how to love himself, how to stand up for himself is central to his survival and his ability to thrive. Lots of guy banter. The fire shows itself in various ways throughout the book, both visually and in the text. Show Less
LibraryThing member bearlyr
Graphic novel presenting a coming of age story about friends, bullying, self identity, and acceptance.
This is a fun, easy read. Grab a copy, and take a trip to summer camp!
This is a fun, easy read. Grab a copy, and take a trip to summer camp!
LibraryThing member senbei
I honestly hate the art style most often chosen for chidren's comics. In this case, it totally doesn't work and ends up undercutting the serious nature of the content. Over all, I believe this piece is an incredible work of graphic memoir that deserves to win awards... but not if it doing so acts
It was clear from Curato's multiple handwriting styles, color choices and backgrounds that he's an excellent artist. He was even able to recreate recognizable places like Arrowhead Lake within the confines of the limited color palate and super-rough art style used throughout the rest of the piece. However, his publisher's desire to use the most simplistic stick-figure faces (done ostensibly to encourage children that "Yes, you too can draw comics! It doesn't have to be sophisticated looking!") is irritating and jarring and it detracts from the artistic nature of the piece. I feel sorry for Curato because Flamer would've actually been quite excellent if not for that. The dialogue used throughout was very junior high crass and full of realistic cursing, which set a hyper-realistic tone. The themes, if pedantic, were strong and well thought out. The overall story was that of a well-plotted and edited memoir. The art sucked... and it didn't need to?! So sad.
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to encourage publisher's desire to simplify faces.It was clear from Curato's multiple handwriting styles, color choices and backgrounds that he's an excellent artist. He was even able to recreate recognizable places like Arrowhead Lake within the confines of the limited color palate and super-rough art style used throughout the rest of the piece. However, his publisher's desire to use the most simplistic stick-figure faces (done ostensibly to encourage children that "Yes, you too can draw comics! It doesn't have to be sophisticated looking!") is irritating and jarring and it detracts from the artistic nature of the piece. I feel sorry for Curato because Flamer would've actually been quite excellent if not for that. The dialogue used throughout was very junior high crass and full of realistic cursing, which set a hyper-realistic tone. The themes, if pedantic, were strong and well thought out. The overall story was that of a well-plotted and edited memoir. The art sucked... and it didn't need to?! So sad.
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LibraryThing member psalva
This won the Lambda Award in 2020 in the LGBTQ Young Adult category. I have not read all of the books in that category just yet, so I can't say if it's the best. However, I can say that this is worth reading. Having grown up queer and closeted in scouting in the late 90s through the 2000s, I could
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relate to a lot that happened in this graphic novel, and I think that others might as well. I think Mike Curato also captures the internal conflicts of queer youth in Catholicism really well. I will say, the ending might be seen as too abrupt or tidy by some. However, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book overall. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Boys are gross! Especially pubescent boys at Scout camp. Just sayin' this book has a lot of jerking off. Also a serious exploration of identity and sexuality and othering. It's incredibly well done, and the honest rawness of both the images and the story really bring the narrative home. Triggers --
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suicide, abuse. Powerful book, and a needed one. Show Less
LibraryThing member LVStrongPuff
This book is amazing. It had me laughing, crying, and gasping. This is the story of a young man, Aiden, that is spending is last summer before high school at a boy's scout camp. Aiden is trying to figure out who he is as a person as well as who he is in the world. This book hits some many things
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about adolescents and what young men feel they should be in order to be a man. This book could save a life. Show Less
LibraryThing member sherribrari
The book that could save a life. True.
Awards
A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (Fiction — 2020)
Lambda Literary Award (Finalist — 2021)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2023)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2022)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Honor Book — 2022)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2022)
Massachusetts Book Award (Must-Read (Longlist) — 2021)
Mind the Gap Awards (2021)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2022)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2021)
New England Book Award (Finalist — Young Adult — 2021)
NPR: Books We Love (2020)
CCBC Choices (2021)
Nerdy Book Award (Graphic Novels — 2020)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Graphic Novels — 2020)
Penn GSE's Best Books for Young Readers (Selection — Graphic Novels — 2020)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2022)
Project LIT Book Selection (Young Adult — 2021)
OYAN Graphic Rave (Young Adult — 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2020
ISBN
9781250756145