Synopses & Reviews
Russel Middlebrook is convinced he's the only gay kid at Goodkind High School.
Then his online gay chat buddy turns out to be none other than Kevin, the popular but closeted star of the school's baseball team. Soon Russel meets other gay students, too. There's his best friend Min, who reveals that she is bisexual, and her soccer-playing girlfriend Terese. Then there's Terese's politically active friend, Ike.
But how can kids this diverse get together without drawing attention to themselves?
"We just choose a club that's so boring, nobody in their right mind would ever in a million years join it. We could call it Geography Club!"
Brent Hartinger's debut novel is a fast-paced, funny, and trenchant portrait of contemporary teenagers who may not learn any actual geography in their latest club, but who learn plenty about the treacherous social terrain of high school and the even more dangerous landscape of the human heart.
Review
"This author has something to say here, and his message is potent and effective in its delivery. Many teens, both gay and straight, should find this novel intriguing." School Library Journal
Review
"Things are settled a little too neatly in the end, but there's no sermonizing. With honest talk of love and cruelty, friendship and betrayal, it's Russel's realistic, funny, contemporary narrative that makes this first novel special." Booklist
Synopsis
A modern classic about a group of teens discovering sexuality and identity, perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera, and David Levithan.
Brent Hartinger's debut novel is a fast-paced, funny, and trenchant portrait of contemporary teenagers who may not learn any actual geography, but who learn plenty about the treacherous social terrain of high school and the even more dangerous landscape of the human heart.
Russel Middlebrook is convinced he's the only gay kid at Goodkind High School. Then his online gay chat buddy turns out to be none other than Kevin, the popular but closeted star of the school's baseball team.
Soon Russel meets other gay students, too. There's his best friend Min, who reveals that she is bisexual, and her soccer-playing girlfriend Terese. Then there's Terese's politically active friend, Ike.
But how can a group like this get together at school without drawing attention to themselves? "We just choose a club that's so boring, nobody in their right mind would ever in a million years join it. We could call it Geography Club "
About the Author
Brent Hartinger's outstanding writing for young adults has won him numerous awards and grants, including an SCBWI/Judy Blume Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People. His first book,
Geography Club, was a Lambda Literary Award nominee and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He has also published
The Last Chance Texacoand a sequel to
Geography Clubentitled
The Order of the Poison Oak. Brent's other love is writing for the theater, and his plays have been performed across the country.
Brent Hartinger lives in Tacoma, Washington, with his partner, writer Michael Jensen.