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278 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| October, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-256706-2$16.99
(3)
4-6
In Alan Cole Is Not a Coward, Alan came out as gay to his classmates but not his parents. Now, he'll only be allowed to apply to an art academy if he takes Dad's boss's daughter to a middle-school dance; he also faces bullying and navigates a crush. This accessible, funny novel is honest about challenges queer kids may face while still giving them a hopeful ending.
(2)
4-6
Alan conceals many things about himself from many people, especially the fact that he is gay. His bullying older brother Nathan threatens to out Alan unless he competes with Nathan in a rigged set of tasks. The Labors of Hercules for the middle-school set (complete with underwear jokes), this debut novel is also a compelling examination of homophobic families and generational patterns of abuse.
Reviewer: Ed Spicer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2017
2 reviews
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