Flamer
GODWIN BOOKS, HENRY HOLT BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, MACMILLAN
READ MIKE'S
FLAMER
BLOG POST
I KNOW I'M NOT GAY. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They’re mean, and scary, and they’re always destroying something or saying something dumb or both. I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.
It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes―but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.
Award-winning author and artist Mike Curato draws on his own experiences in Flamer, his debut graphic novel, telling a difficult story with humor, compassion, and love. Recommended reading age 14+ or with adult guidance.
"This is a story that will be read and reread, and for some, it will be the defining book of their adolescence." Kirkus starred review
"Masterfully nuanced and stunningly told, this is visual storytelling at its finest."
Booklist starred review
"An essential book that shows readers that they are never alone in their struggles."
School Library Journal starred review
"Both heartbreaking and joyous, Flamer
acknowledges the brutal weight of hatred, yet inspires the courage to live."
Shelf Awareness starred review
"...emotionally powerful, proudly and extravagantly spiritual..."
Horn Book starred review
"Emotional and raw" Publishers Weekly
"Mike Curato's Flamer might be the most important young adult graphic novel of the year." Colby Sharp
Best Graphic Novels of 2020
School Library Journal
Best Books or Teens 2020
New York Public Library
Best Teen Graphic Novels and Manga of 2020
Chicago Public Library
Project Lit Book Club Selection 2020-2021
Project Lit
'Flamer' Offers Real Hope — Not Just Rainbows — To Queer Kids NPR
A gay teen discovers himself at summer camp in this Flamer first look the AV Club
Flamer: A Conversation with Mike Curato
7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Panel Mania: Flamer by Mike Curato
Publishers Weekly
More To Come 433: Mike Curato Interview
Publishers Weekly
Matthew C Winner
Shelfcare Podcast Graphic Novel Interview
Booklist
Writing Queer Comics for Teens
Talks at Google
Writing and Illustrating Graphic Novels for Teens/Adults featuring Mike Curato, Kiku Hughes, Jo Rioux, and MT Anderson
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and Macmillan