Out of the Pocket
Grade 9 Up—Senior quarterback Bobby Framingham is gay and tired of keeping it a secret. He confides in a close friend who promises not to tell, and then does. Suddenly Bobby is in the spotlight, and raw emotions come into play. His best girl friend is hurt and disgusted. His coach insists that he's not really gay. His teammates' reactions range from supportive to freaked out to furious. In the meantime, his father undergoes treatment for cancer, and the football team comes together to prepare for a championship game. The sports-action sequences are well drawn and engaging, and the bond among teammates is strong. Character interactions are believable and often surprising, and Bobby is a likable narrator. A few repetitive scenes are a small price to pay for a thought-provoking, funny, and ultimately uplifting story of self-actualization that masterfully defies stereotypes about both coming out and team sports.—Megan Honig, New York Public LibraryCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.