Flamer
GODWIN BOOKS, HENRY HOLT BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, MACMILLAN
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
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2021 Award for LGBTQ Young Adult
Lambda Literary Awards
Middle Grade/Young Adult Award
21st Annual Massachusetts Book Awards
Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill
2021 Golden Kite Award Honor
Illustrated Book for Older Readers
Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators
Best Books of 2020
NPR
Best Graphic YA Books of 2020
Kirkus Reviews
Best Graphic Novels of 2020
School Library Journal
Fanfare 2020 Booklist
The Horn Book
Best Books for 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
2021 Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List
Texas Library Association
The Best Books for Young Readers of 2020
U Penn Graduate School of Education
The 2020 Nerdies: Graphic Novels
Nerdy Book Club
2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens
Young Adult Library Services Association
2021 Rainbow Book List
Rainbow Round Table, American Library Association
2021 Choices Reading List
Cooperative Children's Book Center
2021 Best Books of the Year
The Bank Street Center for Children's Literature
2022 Honor Book
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award
2022 Garden State Teen Book Award List (TBA)
New Jersey Library Association
'Flamer' Offers Real Hope — Not Just Rainbows — To Queer Kids NPR
Teach Your Kids to Resist Hatred Toward Asians
The New York Times
The 27 most breathtaking graphic novels and memoirs to read in 2021
Business Insider
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
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
Virtual Book Tour: Mike Curato on Flamer
The TeachingBooks Blog
Artist Mike Curato Shares Personal Journey in Graphic Novel Debut
Balitang America
More To Come 433: Mike Curato Interview
Publishers Weekly
Matthew C Winner
Shelfcare Podcast Graphic Novel Interview
Booklist