Overview
Honesty.
He wanted it. He craved it.
He could barely remember what it was.
When Garth's uncle comes to visit, he's like a breath of very needed fresh air. Mike is laid-back and relaxed—and willing to accept Garth for who he is, without question. For the first time in a long while, Garth feels like he's around someone who understands him.
But before long Garth is helping Mike with some pretty mysterious things and finds himself keeping secrets from everyone around him. He's forced to wonder: Is his uncle Mike really who he says he is, and can Garth trust him? More importantly, can Garth trust the person he's becoming?
P. E. Ryan has crafted a clever and compelling novel that asks the question: How far will you go for your family, to find yourself?
Editorials
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A rich and offbeat novel.”Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A rich and offbeat novel."The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books
“A rich and offbeat novel.”Children's Literature -
Mike is Garth's uncle, the twin brother of Mike's recently dead father, who shows up unexpectedly on their doorstep one evening. And fifteen-year-old Garth is not sure whether he trusts Mike or not. On the one hand, Mike supports Garth's emerging gay identity, unlike Garth's mother who, though officially supportive, refuses to talk about it or to allow Garth to talk about it with anybody outside the family. On the other hand, Mike seems to earn his money in decidedly shady ways: is he really collecting money for charity when he talks Garth into joining him at a booth outside the grocery store to solicit contributions for research to cure the often fatal disease of "meininosis"? If so, why is there no entry for "meininosis" on Wikipedia? Garth's whole life soon becomes a tissue of endless lies: lying to his mother about his problematic escapades with Mike, lying on behalf of his mother about his sexuality. Mike's schemes and scams are both hilarious to read about and deeply disturbing; Garth's relationships with his best friend Lisa and first gay friend Adam are believable and nuanced; the message about being true to yourself and to those who care about you and count on your truthfulness, emerges naturally from the story without excessive didacticism; and the story's closing pages are extremely heartwarming and affirming. We may not trust Mike, but readers can and should trust P. E. Ryan. Reviewer: Claudia Mills, Ph.D.School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up
Fifteen-year-old Garth Rudd, more comfortable with his homosexuality than his 5' 2" stature, is grieving his father's recent death. Forced to get a job, his understandably overprotective mother has asked him to temporarily keep his sexual orientation secret. When his father's estranged twin appears for a summer visit, Garth's trust is easily gained. Secretly Mike helps him navigate the unfamiliar waters of gay relationships by taking him to bookstores and facilitating dates with Adam, a school friend. Before long, Mike exploits Garth's trust and encourages him to quit his job, lie to his mother, and secretly help him collect money for "charities" instead. Soon the scams become apparent and the teen realizes the truth about his uncle. Now the teen must face his friends and his mother. The author has created a story with a pace that does not falter and a resolution that is realistically achieved. Garth is an appealing character, filled with contradictions, vulnerable while seeking strength, honest with himself but surprised at how easily he is able to lie to others. The author's use of language, at times brilliantly translucent, provides insightful dialogue. This contemporary coming-of-age story set in Richmond, VA, subtly and clearly provides a fresh perspective on teenage sexual identity by imbedding it into the context of the bigger issue of truth.-Sue Lloyd, Franklin High School, Livonia, MI