So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

[katekintailbc]

So Hard to Say
by Alex Sanchez

I ran into this book at The Book Thing of Baltimore, Inc. and picked it up because I had read three of Alex Sanchez's other books (the Rainbow Boys series). This is a book for a slightly younger audience--more middle school than high school. It's the first coming out story I've read involving teens of that age group and I really appreciated the author crafting a story that would speak to kids that age. It made me think of all the Judy Blume stories I read as a pre-teen, how I was desperate to find characters I could identify with who would give me some insight into what I was going through and help me through it. I thought the treatment of everything in this book was both sensitive and realistic. At times it was hard for the characters, but that's life and the characters worked through their problems admirably, sometimes with help from parents and sometimes with help from friends and sometimes alone.

The story revolves around Frederick, a short white boy who moves from Wisconsin to California and into a a town with a predominantly Hispanic population. And it's the story of Xio, a young girl who lives with her mom and younger brother because her dad left them. Xio immediately has a crush on Frederick. Frederick is desperate to find some way of fitting in to this new school & culture and enjoys hanging out Xio, her gang of Sexies (what the girls call themselves, LOL), and Victor & his soccer buddies. When Xio and Frederick start "dating" however, Frederick starts wondering if he's doing it wrong and Xio starts doubting everything. I liked Frederick's slow realization that he's gay--something he isn't brave enough to admit to himself, let alone to friends who taunt a kid in school all the time for being gay. The environment/culture is not a welcoming one. Plus, Frederick isn't even sure he's gay anyway. How do you even know a thing like that?

I liked the depth the culture clash brought into the story again, complete with great Mexican Christmas traditions and Mexican-American slang and perspectives. And I liked that there were a few stereotypical things and a few things that went against stereotypes; that balance definitely went a long way toward making it feel real.

This was definitely a light, enjoyable read. I really just wanted to reach in and hug the characters a bunch of times. If the right person finds it, I can see it helping immensely.