The Handsome Girl & Her Beautiful Boy

All their classmates think that Zee is a lesbian and Art is gay. However, Zee likes boys, and Art likes girls (at least, they are pretty sure). Soon after meeting, they fall for each other. In his third novel, Gottfred (Forever for a Year) creates characters and hilarious dialogue reminiscent of E. Lockhart’s Ruby Oliver books; as in his other titles, his sex scenes are detailed, wonderfully honest, and not a bit gratuitous. With outspoken sincerity, Zee describes her grief over her mother and her heartfelt questions about life—her newfound father, her sexuality, her best friend (and crush) Cam, and of course, Art. Equally captivating are Art’s exhilarating, wildly emotional chapters, which include playful Venn diagrams (“Art Charts”). In this big-hearted novel, Gottfred explores the fluidity of gender and sexuality, including questions about what makes a person straight, gay, or bisexual; the confusion that liking both girls and boys can provoke in a teen; and the many nuances of attraction. Ages 17–up. [em]Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary. (May) [/em]