OUT OF THE POCKET

In this unusual hybrid that juxtaposes hard-hitting, play-by-play football action with scenes of psychological soul-searching, a gay high-school football player is publicly shoved out of the closet and then has to cope with the aftermath. Bobby Framingham, a talented quarterback who loves football and hopes to play both in college and then professionally, has come to the understanding that he’s gay, a realization he knows will have consequences both personally and in his favorite arena—the hyper-masculine world of team sports. Bobby, whom Konigsberg depicts as a regular guy who just happens to be attracted to other guys, suddenly has to cope with the varied reactions of his teammates, friends and family. Although he has no desire to be the public face of gayness in high-school sports, once in the limelight, Bobby feels that he can’t retreat. The story concludes realistically, leaving the final consequences of his actions unclear. What is clear however, and what readers should take away, is that despite the price, there are great rewards to being who you are. (Fiction. 14 & up)