The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky

Smuggling the newest issue of his self-authored comic book, Kid Condor, into the school library is just one of the many things that Brett Isaias Harrison, 16, is up to. Some nights, he gets drunk and calls an Uber to take him “drunk drive-thru’ing”; others, he stargazes at the top of Tumamoc Hill in Tucson, Ariz. What Brett won’t do is dwell on such subjects as his eating habits, how he compares to best friend Reed, his fear that girls won’t ever like him, or his adoptive mother’s recent cancer diagnosis. When his food journal goes viral on school socials, Brett finds himself the center of unwelcome attention, which prompts a series of binging and purging. Refuge comes from an unexpected friendship with Mallory, “the fattest kid in school”; her assertiveness and confidence both fascinate and confuse him. Brett’s quirky voice—a mix of self-conscious thoughts, Kid Condor mythology, and bro-isms (“You ready for some nuggs, bruh?”)—tempers this funny yet bruising narrative about one teen’s experience with grief and disordered eating in which debut author Galarza carefully touches on issues surrounding underage drinking, body dysmorphia, and internalized anti-fatness. Extensive resources conclude. Brett has Welsh, Spanish, and Mayan ancestry. Ages 14–up. Agent: David Dunton, Harvey Klinger. (July)