★ 2020-07-14
Self-discovery can happen anywhere, even in a hamster-themed holiday park.
Dylan, a gay British 14-year-old, is on a weeklong caravan vacation (think RV park) in Cornwall with his parents; his 4-year-old brother, Jude; and his no-nonsense best friend, Kayla. Dylan’s dreams of a more sophisticated destination—say, Paris?—far away from the park and its ever present hamster mascot, Nibbles, evaporate when he sees his hunky caravan neighbor, Jayden-Lee. Sure, Jayden-Lee is a raucous jerk, making fun of Jude’s cerebral palsy, Kayla’s facial birthmark, and practically everything else, but Dylan knows he can change him! That’s what love does, right? Random encounters with flirty 15-year-old Leo, a park employee, distract Dylan from his boyfriend mission, as do awkward moments with Nibbles, the hamster mascot who repeatedly saves him from hilariously awful moments. Themes of body-positivity, friendship, and authenticity are interwoven into an engaging plotline. The British words and spellings add an international flavor that sophisticated readers will enjoy, and the overall humor is broad enough to attract a wide audience. The Leo/Nibbles connection will be obvious to most readers, generating additional chuckles at Dylan’s single-minded oblivion. Kayla is cued as biracial (Filipina and White), Leo is Black, and Dylan and his family are assumed White.
Not to be missed! (Fiction. 10-14)
