Flamer

 Flamer by Mike Curato (2020) 366 pages

This past week was Banned Book Week. I read Flamer over the weekend. This graphic novel is one of the books most often challenged in recent years. It is fictional, set in the 1990s, but semi-autobiographical. I loved the art, which is mostly in black and white with yellow, orange, and red highlighting certain things. Aiden is on a camping trip with his scout troop in the summer between middle school and high school. He is anxious about switching from Catholic school to a Public school. The symbolism of flames from campfires to X-Men Jean Grey's Phoenix to passionate emotions are so layered and deeply textured. Boys of this age can be rude and crude. The story deals with homosexuality, bullying, Catholicism, and attempted suicide. It explores all this very sensitively and honestly. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, and it should definitely be read by more people rather than be restricted. Parents do have the responsibility to monitor what their children read and discuss issues with them. The problem is when one group of parents try to make choices for all other readers.

A Scout is Brave

A Scout is Brave by Will Lugwigsen, 158 pgs. 

This is a quirky, coming-of-age book about a young, 1960's-era boy scout, Bud, who moves to a strange New England coastal town with his family and stumbles upon a cult of townsfolk who are intent on releasing ancient sea creatures to enslave humanity. 

The story reminds me of other short stories by Bradbury or Stephen King, with a dash of Lovecraft just for good measure--to wit, the name of the seaside town is Innsmouth! 

Bud makes friends with the only other boy in town and they decide to start their own scout troop, but as they start exploring the dark secrets of the area, the residents' nefarious plot rises to the surface and Bud has to figure out a way to save his parents and himself.