Coming-of-Age + Ferris Bueller's Day Off
"Your heart will break in this life, but when it does break, I hope every crack makes more space inside for love." - Kings of B'more by R. Eric Thomas
I'm excited to review Kings of B'more by R. Eric Thomas on the first day of PRIDE Month. I appreciated Here For It, the author's essay collection and enjoyed his first YA novel that primarily takes place on a single day in June.
Harrison and Linus, Black gay 16-year-old best friends, had their future planned. They would work summer jobs at the same place, graduate high school in a couple of years, and attend college together. That plan is ruined when Linus tells Harrison he's moving from Baltimore to South Carolina in just a few days.
Inspired by the classic 80’s movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Harrision secretly arranges a Ferris Day full of adventures for Linus. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and as events unfold, readers see them deal with a wide range of issues including race, family dynamics, economic resources, friend groups, and body
identity.
It was a fun surprise to discover that this well-crafted coming-of-age novel features a movie I associate with my college years, and I hope it creates a new generation of Ferris Bueller fans.
This will be a 'mirror' book for many teens and a 'window' book for others. I appreciated how the parents were portrayed and wondered if Linus and Harrison's relationship would change as a result of Ferris Day.
Thank you to Kokila Books, NetGalley, and BookishFirst for the review copies of this novel.
I'm excited to review Kings of B'more by R. Eric Thomas on the first day of PRIDE Month. I appreciated Here For It, the author's essay collection and enjoyed his first YA novel that primarily takes place on a single day in June.
Harrison and Linus, Black gay 16-year-old best friends, had their future planned. They would work summer jobs at the same place, graduate high school in a couple of years, and attend college together. That plan is ruined when Linus tells Harrison he's moving from Baltimore to South Carolina in just a few days.
Inspired by the classic 80’s movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Harrision secretly arranges a Ferris Day full of adventures for Linus. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and as events unfold, readers see them deal with a wide range of issues including race, family dynamics, economic resources, friend groups, and body
identity.
It was a fun surprise to discover that this well-crafted coming-of-age novel features a movie I associate with my college years, and I hope it creates a new generation of Ferris Bueller fans.
This will be a 'mirror' book for many teens and a 'window' book for others. I appreciated how the parents were portrayed and wondered if Linus and Harrison's relationship would change as a result of Ferris Day.
Thank you to Kokila Books, NetGalley, and BookishFirst for the review copies of this novel.