But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. These snippets feel prescriptive, but the rest moves swiftly as Rafe tries to cover his feelings and fit in with his new friends.Īn eye-opening story of wish fulfillment. Rafe’s exploration happens in reverse of the traditional coming-out story, and his motives, observations and feelings are captured in mini-essays he pens for his creative-writing professor, who then provides him with life-coach–like feedback on both his decisions and his writing skills.
Konigsberg’s latest ( Out Of the Pocket, 2008) might sound like fluff, but it actually works as a complicated, poignant story of a teenage boy trying on a new skin. He hangs out with the jocks, playing soccer and football, and gets exactly what he wants-until he starts to fall for one of his new best straight friends. There for his junior year, Rafe cloaks his gayness in order to be just like one of the other guys. On the outside, Rafe seems fine, but on the inside, he’s looking for change, which comes with the opportunity to reinvent himself at the prestigious Natick Academy in Massachusetts. His parents and community are totally supportive, and his mom is president of his Boulder-area chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Going back into the closet isn’t as easy as it seems.Ĭoloradan Rafe Goldberg has always been the token gay kid.
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