Flamer - by Mike Curato

About the Book

"It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes--but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance"--Back cover.

Book Synopsis

Named one of Kirkus' best books of the 21st century.

Award-winning author and artist Mike Curato draws on his own experiences in Flamer, his debut graphic novel, telling a difficult story with humor, compassion, and love.

"This book will save lives." --Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of National Book Award Finalist Hey, Kiddo

I know I'm not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They're mean, and scary, and they're always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.

I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.

It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes--but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.

Godwin Books

Review Quotes

"This book will save lives." --Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of National Book Award Finalist Hey, Kiddo

"[Mike Curato] knows [boys] like Judy Blume knows a teenaged girl, and that's quite a bit." --NPR

"This is a story that will be read and reread, and for some, it will be the defining book of their adolescence." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Masterfully nuanced and stunningly told, this is visual storytelling at its finest." --Booklist, starred review

"Curato has created a beautiful story of a teen who must decide if he will force himself into the mold of what he thinks a "normal" boy is, or if he can allow himself to live life on his own terms. An essential book that shows readers that they are never alone in their struggles." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Cleverly inked and masterfully told . . . . Both heartbreaking and joyous, Flamer acknowledges the brutal weight of hatred, yet inspires the courage to live." --Shelf Awareness, starred review

"I wish I had had this book fifty years ago." --The Horn Book, starred review

"Emotional and raw." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Mike Curato is the author and illustrator of the Little Elliot series and has illustrated a number of other books for children, including Worm Loves Worm. Flamer is Mike's first graphic novel.