Flamer
Author and Illustrator: Mike Curato. Date: 2020.
ISBN: 9781663620132.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company.
Format: Graphic Novel.
Genre: Realistic fiction.
Awards: Lambda Award.
Reading Level: Grades 10-12
Trailer: Summer camp is never easy. You have the bugs, the cold, all the activities, sunburns, the works. Young Aiden has one more thing to deal with compared to everyone else, however. Everyone at his camp is calling him gay. Which is crazy because Aiden isn't gay, right?.....Right?
Check out this book trailer for Flamer:
14-year-old Aiden Navarro is not like all the other boys at camp. For starters, he is Filipino American, unlike his mostly white campmates. Aiden also happens to be a little shorter and huskier than the other teen boys. More than that, what sets Aiden apart from everyone else is that some of the boys keep calling him gay. But Aiden isn't gay, right? So what if he would rather be crafting than playing sports, or that he's never had a crush on one of his friends who are girls, or that his bunkmate, Elias, hasn't left his mind all week. Right?
Navigating the intense social dynamics of camp plus his own burgeoning identity has Aiden Navarro in a tizzy. He doesn't know what it means for his future high school career if he isn't like everyone else. Plus, there are some kids who are already making it hard and they aren't even in the high school halls yet. Aiden has big choices to make: is he going to tough this out or let it break him completely?
Created by: Mike Curato is no stranger to the YA / J fiction game. In 2014 he released his first book for the beloved series about Little Elliot, Little Elliot, Big City (About, MikeCurato). Mike wrote and illustrated Flamer in a semi-autobiographical account of his own teenage years as a Filipino American gay man. According to Wikipedia, Curato was raised in the suburban sprawl of upstate New York but currently resides in Brooklyn (Mike Curato, Wikipedia).
Analysis: Flamer is an award-winning graphic novel and it doesn't take long to understand why. First impressions, the illustrations are stark and unique in a way that allows the reader to see themselves in the characters while still understanding the characters' unique identities. The illustrations, also done by Mike Curato, mainly use black-and-white coloring with some flame colored accents. The flame colored accents speak to the title of the book and also serve to emphasize important moments for the main character, Aiden.
The highlight of Flamer is absolutely the incredibly moving story. This novel grabs the audience and doesn't let go until long after they've put the book down. The quality of the story is in part due to the authenticity. Mike Curato declares that this story is semi-autobiographical and speaks to his own experience as a young gay Filipino-American man. This authenticity is particularly apparent in the emotional climax of the story. Discussion of suicide/suicidal thoughts need to be handled responsibly, and that is just what Curato did. Though he presents the character's deepest, darkest thoughts, he also provides some light at the end of the tunnel.
Sometimes fitting in (or not fitting in) can feel like the most important aspect of life. The truth is: everyone and everything fits in somewhere. Tetris is a game all about trying to find the place different pieces fit, check it out!
In the Library: Flamer is set in an awesome summer camp, so it would be cool to mimic that setting for a program at the library. A programming space could be decorated with camp decorations and different stations for crafting, singing, and playing games. For one activity, I would have teens write a letter to their past selves about something they were afraid of. For example, if they were scared to start school they could write a letter to themselves about how the experience turned out. Additionally, I would encourage teens to read this as a part of a book-club or summer reading program.
Alternatively or additionally, it would be awesome to have teens learn more about suicide and suicide prevention. Maybe a qualified speaker could come through and explain what to do if yourself or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts.
Potential Issues: Nowadays, it can be hard to navigate people's ideas about what is appropriate and what is inappropriate for the library. I think some people might take issue with discussion of LGBTQ+ issues, or the issue of suicidal ideations. The important thing here is to emphasize the resources available for people who are experiencing LGBTQ+ issues or suicidal thoughts.
Reason for Inclusion: Amplifying Queer voices and making Queer stories avaiable to young people goes a long way to making LGBTQ+ people feel welcome and valued in this world. I want this collection to articulate the love that exists in the world for everyone in it, especially those who have been made to feel like there isn't love for them because of their identity.
Sources:
About. (n.d.). mikecurato. https://www.mikecurato.com/about
Flamer. (n.d.). Goodreads. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/52751434
Mike Curato. (2020, September 9). Flamer by Mike Curato Official Book trailer. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iku5xPfa4BQ
Mike Curato. (n.d). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Curato
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