Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza? by Andy V. Roamer
RV, having successfully completed his freshman year at the demanding Boston Latin School, is hoping for a great summer. He’s now fifteen years old and is looking forward to sharing many languid summer days with his friend Bobby, who’s told him he has gay feelings, too. But life and family and duties for a son of immigrant parents makes it difficult to steal time away with Bobby. RV has to work at his father’s friend’s garage and help his father get ready for his upcoming citizenship test. Bobby, too, has pressures. His father also pushes him to work at a summer job so he spends whatever little extra time he has practicing skills necessary to make Latin’s varsity football team. On top of everything, RV’s best friend Carole goes away for the summer, jumping at an opportunity to spend it with her father in Paris. Luckily for RV, there is always Mr. Aniso, RV’s Latin teacher to talk to, whenever RV is lonely. He’s also there for RV when RV inadvertently spills one of Bobby’s secrets and Bobby is so angry at him RV is afraid he is ready to cut off the friendship.
Warning: gun violence, racial slurs, sexual assault (on page)
Available at: Amazon
RV is a good kid, starting his freshman year at the demanding Boston Latin School. Though his genes didn’t give him a lot of good things, they did give him a decent brain. So he’s doing his best to keep up in high school, despite all the additional pressures he’s facing: His immigrant parents, who don’t want him to forget his roots and insist on other rules. Some tough kids at school who bully teachers as well as students. His puny muscles. His mean gym teacher. The Guy Upstairs who doesn’t answer his prayers. And the most confusing fact of all—that he might be gay.
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