Trevor: A Novella

Lecesne (Virgin Territory) updates his Oscar-winning short film, Trevor (itself developed from his one-man stage show), turning it into a novella. It’s the story of 13-year-old Trevor, a boy who stages a re-enactment of Jacques-Louis David’s La Mort de Marat in his bathtub and plans to dress up as his idol, Lady Gaga, for Halloween. (In the Trevor film, the teenager was a diehard Diana Ross fan.) While Trevor isn’t ready to declare himself gay, he doesn’t want anyone else doing so on his behalf, either (“Some of us prefer to remain a mystery—even to ourselves”). Trevor’s interests (Lady Gaga, theater, his baseball-playing buddy Pinky) make him a target, however, culminating in the word “faggot” being scrawled on his locker and a subsequent suicide attempt. Given the story’s long history, it’s no surprise that Lecesne nails Trevor’s personality and voice, a combination of self-assuredness, sharp humor, and enthusiasm. The author also contributes pencil drawings that are as affecting as the prose; the gentleness of his shading echoes Trevor’s softness, which the world is more than ready to harden. Ages 11–15. Agent: Bill Clegg, William Morris Endeavor. (Aug.)