Sanchez, Alex. Rainbow Boys. Simon Pulse: New York, 2001.
ISBN: 0-689-85770-5
Kyle is an easy-going guy on the swim team and content with the knowledge that he is gay – but has yet to come out. Nelson is Kyle’s best friend (and thinks he’s in love with Kyle) and out and proud. Jason is a star on the basketball team and Kyle’s crush; he’s confused about his sexuality, but he’s pretty sure he’s gay. Each boy is struggling. Kyle wants to come out his parents but is afraid of their reaction. Nelson just wants everyone to open and honest and for Kyle to be in love with him. Jason is struggling at home with an alcoholic and neglectful father whom he knows will reject him if he comes out to his family. Their lives intersect when they all attend the same Rainbow Youth meeting.
Rainbow Boys speaks to everyone, whether they are gay, bi, or straight. The story of these three boys is universal. They live, laugh, go through heartache, and face fears most days just like everyone else. Teens can relate the insecurities each of these boys face in the choices that they make. Familiar ground is tread: getting to know new friends, finding first love, losing a love you wanted, harassment of those that dare to be different, and concerned parents. There is frank talk about sex, though nothing too graphic. Alternating chapters with each character’s point of view keep the flow going and give readers inside glimpses of each characters life without being too overwhelming; you know where they’re coming from and why they do the things they do. The October 2001 issue of the School Library Journal calls Rainbow Boys a “gutsy, in-your-face debut novel [that] speaks the language of real life for gay teens, that of the ecstasy, heartache, and humor of first love (and sex), that of daily harassment and fear, that of having what it takes to stand up and be proud of who you are. . . . Have the courage to make it available to those who need it-it can open eyes and change lives.” The novel is highly recommended. By the end of this novel teens will be invested in the lives of Kyle, Nelson, and Jason; the sequels are recommended as well, Rainbow High and Rainbow Road. Rainbow Boys is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and recommended by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults.
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