A review by librarianryan
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

Wesley, known as big Mac to his friends, is a punk. He’s a punk on a skateboard. He’s got anger issues, rowdy friends and is struggling to find their place in the world. They also know they’re gay but is yet to come out of the closet. Around the holidays he’s forced to go see the Nutcracker with his soon to be stepsister and he can’t keep his eyes off the ballet dancer on stage. Tristan is out and proud. He spends his life dedicated to ballet but also to getting good grades, driving a Tesla, and everything Wesley is not. But opposites attract, and in this book, they attract, they clash, but they also cuddle. This book was very sweet. It’s about a teenage boy who has been told all his life by most everybody that he’s bad so he acts out as people expect. But he must find out for himself that he can beat people’s expectations. He must believe: I can do better I can be better and I want that. He also wants Tristan, which gives him some of what he needs to make the changes in his life. This book was fantastic. As an audiobook, it moves swiftly, your engaged with the story, and you really feel for Wesley. You’re cheering for him. “You can do it you can do it. You can be exactly who you want to be. You can be Better. Just say I need help.” I love this book. It’s Anthony Nerada and I will be reading whatever they write next.