”I got to thinking that poems were like people. Some people you got right off the bat. Some people you just didn’t get – and never would get.”
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
From the descriptions and reviews, this book didn't appeal to me - a book of lyrical prose written by a poet, set in 1987? Not for me.
Turns out it is very much for me. I am happy to stand corrected!
The style of writing is so beautifully descriptive and flooded me with emotion which, while exhausting, was absolutely healing for the soul. It focuses on acceptance of yourself and treasuring the people around you that accept you too. I read it in one sitting and it has stayed with me for a long time since.
-Chelsea
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Date: April 2014
Language: English
Paperback: 376 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1442408937
Reading age: 12+
A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)
This Printz Honor Book is a “tender, honest exploration of identity” (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about family and friendship.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be
* "A tender, honest exploration of identity and sexuality, and a passionate reminder that love—whether romantic or familial—should be open, free, and without shame." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "Authentic teen and Latino dialogue should make it a popular choice." -- School Library Journal, starred review
* "Meticulous pacing and finely nuanced characters underpin the author's gift for affecting prose that illuminates the struggles within relationships." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Alcohol
Animal death
Broken bones
Car accident
Death (off-page)
Depression (mild)
Drug use
Gay bashing
Homophobia
Hospitalization
PTSD
Sexism (mild)
Transphobic hate crime (past, mentioned)
Violence
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