Boy Like Me

Gr 9 Up–A deeply moving and personal story, drawn from the author’s own experiences, as he notes in the prologue. Set in England in the 1990s, during the era of Section 28 of the Local Government Act—a law prohibiting the mention of homosexuality in schools—Green’s protagonist, Jamie, is a middle-of-the-road, under-the-radar kind of kid. Too bright to be cool yet too popular to fit in with the academic crowd, he navigates his world while wrestling with his sexuality. As the head of the junior prom committee, Jamie finds an unexpected ally in a school librarian who discreetly suggests a book with an unassuming cover of wildflowers, but the pages reveal a gay romance. This hidden allyship sparks an intriguing twist: Jamie finds margin notes from a previous reader, leading to a secret exchange of messages through the book over several weeks. The novel is expertly paced, keeping readers eagerly turning pages to uncover the identity of Jamie’s mystery correspondent. Though set in England, the book is profoundly relevant for American readers today, highlighting themes of censorship, hidden allyship, and the fear of coming out. Writing in an authentic and compelling first-person narrative, Green balances humor and pathos, with footnoted cultural references adding further interest for young readers.