Kings of B'More
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Book Overview
"Infused with all the joy of the best teen movies, Kings of B'more is sure to be a big hit." --BuzzFeed Two Black queer best friends face their last day together with an epic journey through Baltimore in this magnetic YA debut by bestselling author of Here for It, R. Eric Thomas. A 2023 Stonewall Honor Book for Young Adult Literature With junior year starting in the fall, Harrison feels like he's on the precipice of, well, everything. Standardized testing, college, and the terrifying unknowns and looming pressures of adulthood after that--it's like the future wants to eat him alive. Which is why Harrison is grateful that he and his best friend, Linus, will face these things together. But at the end of a shift at their summer job, Linus invites Harrison to their special spot overlooking the city to deliver devastating news: He's moving out of state at the end of the week. To keep from completely losing it--and partially inspired by a cheesy movie-night pick by his dad--Harrison plans a send-off la Ferris Bueller's Day Off that's worthy of his favorite person. If they won't be having all the life-expanding experiences they thought they would, Harrison will squeeze them all into their last day together. They end up on a mini road trip, their first Pride, and a rooftop dance party, all while keeping their respective parents, who track them on a family location app, off their trail. Harrison and Linus make a pact to do all the things--big and small--they've been too scared to do. But nothing feels scarier than saying goodbye to someone you love.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0593326180
ISBN13:9780593326183
Release Date:May 2022
Publisher:Kokila
Length:416 Pages
Weight:1.20 lbs.
Dimensions:1.4" x 5.7" x 8.4"
Age Range:14 to 17 years
Grade Range:Grades 9 to 12
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
A sweet friendship
Published by MizzyRed , 2 years ago
I do not feel I was the target audience for this type of book. That being said, I did enjoy parts of it. The friendship of Linus and Harrison was sweet and I wish the book had mostly focused on this and their last times together before leaving for college and moving out of state. YA books don't always need to move straight to romantic passionate love relationships and this showed that nicely with a strong platonic relationship between the two boys.
The book did not deal just with this though and I found it jarring at parts, like the racism at the museum. I expected it to be more of a Ferris Bueller day, like was mentioned in the blurb. I love that movie but this book fell a bit short of that. Maybe it will hit differently for a different audience but I was underwhelmed and would not read this again.
Thank you to Bookish First for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.
A joyful and triumphant story of friendship
Published by lurkykitty , 2 years ago
It is the end of sophomore year for best friends Harrison and Linus, two Black queer boys who live in Baltimore. Harrison is grateful that he will face the last two years of high school, and all the change that will come, with Linus by his side. Then Linus drops the news that he's moving to South Carolina in a few days, not by his own choice. Harrison is devastated but wants to give Linus a memorable send off. Inspired by the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and with the help of his friend Aparna, his high school's stage manager, he devises one last great day of fun for Linus. Of course, very little goes as planned.
The Kings of B'More is, at its heart, a joyful and triumphant story of friendship. It is a real and relatable story of two friends who don't want to say goodbye, and their relationships with their families, friends and community. The characters of Harrison and Linus are well-developed, and Thomas' writing is insightful, relevant and humorous. It is a beautiful and emotional story. It's refreshing to find a YA novel which focuses primarily on friendship rather than on romance.
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