Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Drama by Raina Telgemeier-240 pages

I wanted to read at least one book/graphic novel on this month's challenge, which is school, so I did a search for good graphic novels with school settings and this is one that came up. I enjoyed reading this, even though it is set in middle school. I have always enjoyed drama/theater and acted in school plays in middle school and high school. This book was an easy read about middle school drama (both the theater kind and the real-life kind). The plot is cool, interesting and the book being set up as a play within a play is pretty cool. Overall, it was a fun, easy read.

Bettyville by George Hodgman

Bettyville by George Hodgman - 288 pages

This is a touching memoir of an adult child's return to small town Missouri to care for his aging mother.  Hodgman had an uncomfortable childhood growing up gay in the 1960s in rural America.  He left for the East Coast for college and lived his own life in the decades that followed just checking in but never staying too involved.  Hodgman comes home this time and ends up staying to care for his 90 year old mother as she struggles with dementia and failing health.  This all sounds horribly depressing but Hodgman finds the joy in the small moments and the dark humor that is the saving grace of dysfunctional families everywhere.  The narrative goes between the past and the present to help illuminate the relationships and how George and Betty got from there to here.  Don't get me wrong, this is overall a sad book, especially with the examination of Hodgman's relationship with his parents and the impact of the AIDS crisis on his life, but it will also make you laugh out loud many times.   

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger - 226 pages

Five kids meet and for the first time they are able to talk openly and honestly about their lives.  It's freeing.  It's so powerful they decide to start an afterschool club to meet regularly to discuss things in their lives.  The only problem -- they don't want anyone in the school to find out that they are all gay.  So the Geography Club is started . . .
While this was an interesting book to read, I thought the book relied too heavily on stereotypes.

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy - 260 pages

This book tells the story of a family over the course of one school year.  It is a pretty normal family with four boys and two dads.  The boys are sports fanatics that are trying new things, dealing with changing friendships, and experiencing new schools.
I really enjoyed this book.  It was great to see a book dealing with gay fathers that never made it an issue.  The only time it was even mentioned was at a family night at a new school.  It mainly focused on the stories of the boys dealing with changing relationships and interests.  It kind of reminded me of the Casson family books by Hilary McKay in that regards.  I'm hoping that the author writes another story about the Fletcher family.
Two interesting notes about the book.  First make sure to read the Acknowledgements at the end of the book.  They are absolutely hilarious -- with footnotes.  Also, the author is the niece of prolific children's author Elizabeth Levy.  It's obvious she got her aunt's talent for writing humorous stories for children.

Ceremonies: Prose & Poetry, by Essex Hemphill

 Ceremonies: Prose & Poetry, by Essex Hemphill, 200 pages

Since it is Black History month, I am trying to read a few works by black authors.  Essex Hemphill is a gay black poet who wrote essays, too, usually about the unique experience of being a gay, black man.  His poems were powerful (and sexually explicit, so consider yourself warned), as were his essays.  I had not read any of his essays, but they were very provocative- one addresses the schism in the gay community between white and black men; another addresses what he argues are the exploitative photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe (who is usually considered unassailable); and another discusses one of my favorite documentaries- Paris is Burning, about the gay ball scene in New York City.  I thought this was a refreshing read from a point of view I rarely see.  

Almost Like Being in Love: a novel by Steve Kluger

Almost Like Being in Love: a novel by Steve Kluger - 354 pages

Travis and Craig discovered the person they loved when they were both seniors in college.  After one summer, they reluctantly part and lose touch.  Twenty years later, Travis realizes that he never got over Craig and is still in love with him.  So he sets out to find Craig again and get him back.  Meanwhile, Craig still thinks about Travis but is happily committed to Clayton -- until he starts to think about running for office.
I picked up this book after reading Kluger's teen novel My Most Excellent Year.  It is very, very similar.  It is also written in diary entries and emails.  The characters even seem like grown-up versions of the teen characters in My Most Excellent Year.  Still, I enjoyed the story.