When Everything Feels Like the Movies

Reid's debut, the 2014 winner of the Governor's General Literary Award for Children's Literature, is a no-holds-barred view of teenage sexuality and bullying. Jude Rothesay is a gay teen with a penchant for wearing his stripper mother's outfits and makeup. Facing constant aggression from classmates, online posts, and his mother's boyfriend, Jude views life through the lens of film, seeing his detractors as jealous fans and his bleak small town in Hollywood Technicolor. Jude's friend Angela, on a sexually destructive bent, shares his desire for escape; alone and together, they skip school, drink, pop stolen pills, and cut themselves. When Jude decides to leave town for good, friends turn away from him, a teacher gets too close, and Jude confronts his long-held crush, culminating in tragedy. Reid's graphic sex scenes can be jarring, and when coupled with Jude's bitingly sarcastic voice ("I write a killer suicide letter"), weaken moments of emotional depth. But Reid's incisive rendering of the multiple torments outspoken gay teens endure shines through, and Jude's story will stay with readers. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Apr.)