Sometimes, it's just easier to think I'm not the freak. I'm just in an alien world. . .Being Charles James Stewart, Jr., AKA Charlie the Second, means never "fitting in." Tall, gangly and big-eared, he could be a poster boy for teenage geeks. An embarrassment to his parents (he's not too crazy about them, either), Charlie is a virtual untouchable at his high school, where humiliation is practically an extracurricular activity. Charlie has tried to fit in, but all o...

High school junior Wesley Harris is a stereotypical shy, soft-spoken nerd. He is obsessed with crafts and art and doesn't even need to come out of the closet to become the target of antigay bullying. Though he has the support of close friends and liberal-minded mother, he finds it hard to believe in himself.Brad Johnson, Wesley's new neighbor, is Wesley's age—and his complete opposite. A popular jock and hero of the school's baseball team, Brad has an outgoing personality and a repu...

Teenage Olympic running hopeful Calvin Granger arrives in his new town angry about changing schools—again—and sad about leaving his boyfriend behind. Then he meets skittish cyclist Bill Moilet, and soon strange dreams and thoughts of Bill distract Calvin from his misery… until Calvin breaks his leg and his Olympic ambitions crumble.Cal’s injury does have one upside: it brings him closer to Bill, who offers to help him out while he’s recovering. But whenever they start to get too cl...

Soon-to-be high school junior David Harper hates his family’s move to the country. There’s nothing to do, and he misses his friends in the city. But he doesn’t have a choice. His mother’s job is in Mason County now, so David and his mom are too, and he has to make the best of it.At first, the only redeeming feature of David’s new home is the swimming hole across the field from his house. Then David meets Benjamin Killinger, and suddenly life stops being so dull.Benjamin is ...

The summer you turn sixteen is supposed to be unforgettable. It's the stuff of John Hughes movies and classic songs, of heart-stopping kisses and sudden revelations. But life isn't always like the movies. . .For Sean Jackson, sixteen is off to an inauspicious start. His options: take a landscaping job in Georgia with his father, or stay in his small New Hampshire hometown, where the only place hiring is the local ice cream shop. Donning a pink t-shirt to scoop sundaes for tourists ...

Paul, a religious teen living in a small conservative town, finds his world turned upside down when he meets Manuel—a young man who says he’s both Christian and gay, two things that Paul didn’t think could coexist in one person. Doesn’t the Bible forbid homosexuality? As Paul struggles with Manuel’s interpretation of the Bible, thoughts that Paul has long tried to bury begin to surface, and he finds himself re-examining his whole life. This is an unforgettable book on an extremely timely t...

For Dave Felder, his junior year of high school starts with a move from his small hometown to a larger city. With the new home comes a new school, East Leyden High.He isn't the least bit reluctant to leave his old school. Once popular and well-liked, things changed when he was outed to his fellow students.A new school gives him a fresh start, where no one knows him or his secret. Tall, handsome, and athletic, he soon finds himself surrounded by new friends, the popularity h...

When Sprout and his father move from Long Island to Kansas after the death of his mother, he is sure he will find no friends, no love, no beauty. But friends find him, the strangeness of the landscape fascinates him, and when love shows up in an unexpected place, it proves impossible to hold. An incredible, literary story of a boy who knows he's gay, and the town that seems to have no place for him to hide.

Jordan Matthews is a good kid, an average student, and has never gotten in trouble at school before. But today he finds himself in the principal's office with fellow classmate Casey Sothern. He doesn't think they've done anything wrong, and doesn't expect much in the way of punishment until Casey's mother arrives.Which means someone's called his parents, too.And they'll know Casey isn't just his best friend, but his boyfriend, as well.Then Jordan sees his father sto...

When Frederick shows up at school, Xio is thrilled. The new boy is shy, cute, and definitely good boyfriend material. Before long, she pulls him into her lively circle of friends.Frederick knows he should be flattered by Xio's attention. After all, she's popular, pretty, and a lot of fun. So why can't he stop thinking about Victor, the captain of the soccer team, instead?

**A powerful young adult novel that explores the tumultuous journey of self-acceptance and will resonate with readers long after the final page.“This book is for anyone who cares about understanding bigotry.”—Christ Crutcher, author of Whale Talk and King of the Mild Frontier**Bobby Framingham is the star quarterback at Durango High School and one of the most talented high school football players in California. He’s waiting on scholarship offers from big s...

I love the long distance run, when you feel like you're about to die. . .and then you reach this place where you feel like there are no boundaries for you anywhere. . .In many ways, Jason Peele is like any other teenager. He hits the books, hangs with his friends, flirts with girls, and omits the full truth of his life from his Aunt Audrey and Uncle Steve, who have raised him since his parents died. But there's one way that Jason Peele is very different: when he dreams at night, it...