Bibliographic
Information
Geography Club by
Brent Hartinger. HarperTeen. (2004).
Price: $6.97 for paperback
Pages: 240 for paperback
Plot Summary
Sophomore Russel Middlebrook isn’t the lowest of the low
on the high school social totem pole. The popular kids talk to him, albeit only
to ask for favors, and he has a few friends of his own but he’s never been lonelier.
Being gay in high school is no small thing especially when you live in a
relatively small town. But when Russel meets an anonymous gay teen online who
claims to also go to his high school he realizes that maybe he doesn’t have to
be lonely any longer. When they meet in person Russel is shocked to learn that
not only is there another gay teen in his grade but he’s one of the popular
crowd. Unbeknowst to Russel meeting popular kid Kevin will open up a whole new
world to Russel where he will quickly learn that several of the teens he goes
to school with are secretly gay or bisexual. Together they decide to form a
club so that they can all meet on a regular basis. The only catch is that the
school won’t allow for a club’s creation unless it is open to the entire
student body. As such, they decide to start a club that sounds so dull that no
one else will want to join it. However, while Russel now has friends that know his
secret his life is anything but simple. He has a crush on Kevin but keeps going
out with Trish so that one of his best friends Gunnar can go out with Trish’s
friend Kimberly. He joins the baseball team to spend more time with Kevin but
isn’t sure how long he will remain in the jocks’ favor. Finally, things come to
a head when he refuses to let outcast Brian Bund into the Geography Club.
Suddenly it looks like Russel will lose it all unless he can figure out a way
to do the right thing while keeping the club together.
Critical
Evaluation
Geography Club is
a highly enjoyable, accessible read that contains accurate settings, relatable
characters, and a fast-moving plot. I was surprised at how accurately Hartinger
portrayed a high school with its many cliques and nonsensical social rules. The
universal dislike for outcast Brian Bund sadly reminded me of my own middle
school days where perfectly nice students could suddenly turn vicious when in
the presence of the one or two outcasts the school contained. The fear most of
the members of the Geography Club have about being outed is also one that is
real for many students particularly those who attend less accepting schools. I
remember this being an issue at my own junior and senior high school where
coming out would mean becoming the target of school-wide gossip. The characters
within the novel were just as relatable as the settings with each character
harboring their own hopes and fears about their relationships, aspirations, and
interests. Readers will also appreciate Hartinger’s fast-paced plot as Russel
encounters multiple challenges in his quest to be understood and appreciated by
his friends. Overall, the book was enjoyable, easily read, and filled with characters that readers will want
to learn more about in the book’s three sequels.
Reader’s Annotation
A group of LGBTQ students band together to create a
secret Gay-Straight Alliance under the guise of the dullest topic they can
think of—Geography Club.
About the
Author
Brent Hartinger has been writing for over twenty years
but his most famous book is Geography
Club which is going to be turned into a film in 2013. It is also the first
book in a series which is followed by three other books.
To learn more about Brent Hartinger visit his website here.
Genre
Realistic fiction, School story
Readalikes
The Order of the
Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger
·
The sequel to Geography Club
Boy Meets Boy by
David Levithan
·
Also about a group of high schoolers who are
gay, straight, and bisexual
Hero by Perry
Moore
·
Also about a band of misfits and a gay hero.
Tags
Baseball, bullying, cliques, clubs, dating, friendship, intellectual
freedom, LGBTQ, outcasts, sexual education
Awards
Won/Lists On
A Two-Time Book Sense 76 Pick
A Banned Books Book Sense Top Ten Pick
A USA Today “Great High School Book”
A Children’s Book Award “Notable Book”
A 2003 Lambda Literary Award Finalist
An ALA “Popular Paperback”
A Nancy Pearl (Booklust) “Very Best Teen Novel”
A New York Public Library “Book for the Teen Age”
A Booklist “Top Ten Best First YA Novel”
A Teenreads.com “Best of 2003″
Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee), 2nd Place
A Texas HS Reading List (TAYSHAS) Pick
A Connecticut Library Association “Best Book”
A Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee
An Eliot Rosewater Award (Indiana) Nominee
A Tri-State “Book of Note”
An Evergreen (Washington) Young Adult Book Award Nominee
A Flume Award Nominee
CA State Dept. of Education “Recommended Literature”
A Maryland Library “Great Book”
A YALSA “Must Read” Book
Information from Brent Hartinger's website here.
Professional
Reviews
Dallas Voice
Horn Book Magazine
School Library Journal
Seattle Times
Spokane Inlander
USA Today
Booktalk Ideas
No Longer Alone
·
Difference between lonely vs. alone (11)
·
We are all alone discussion (39)
·
Shouldn’t have to hide (136-137)
Bibliotherapeutic
Usefulness
This is book can be particularly helpful for those
harboring secrets about their identity, family, and friends. It can also be
helpful for those who are being bullied or are a part of a school that allows
bullying.
Reading
Level/Interest Level
Reading Level: 4th grade
Interest Level: 9th-12th grade
These levels are according to AR Bookfinder
Challenge
Issues
This book includes the following potentially
controversial elements:
·
Bullying
·
Curbing of intellectual freedom
·
Homosexual slurs
·
Mean jocks
·
Mention of alcoholic parent
·
Mention of attempted suicide
·
Mention of sex
·
Profanity
·
Promotion of comprehensive sexual education
·
Underage drinking
·
Underage tobacco usage
Librarians can point out that while there are
controversial elements in the book few of them are condoned. For example, smoking,
use of chewing tobacco, and sexual relations are neither encouraged nor
discouraged by the author. Additionally, many of the potentially controversial
elements are only mentioned in passing. Finally, librarians can offer this book
to parents and educators as a way to spark discussions about bullying, identity,
and intellectual freedom.
Why Was This
Included?
This was included because it was required and because a
book about a group of misfits sounds fun and reminiscent of The Breakfast Club.
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