BETTER NATE THAN EVER
by Tim Federle
A story of Broadway dreams tailor-made for the younger side of the Glee audience.
Jankburg, Penn., has always been too small-town for 13-year-old Nate Foster’s Broadway-sized dreams. Jocks and God rule in the Foster house, which is good news for Anthony, Nate’s older brother, and bad news for a boy with a soft spot for jazz hands and show tunes. Thankfully, Nate’s best friend, Libby, shares his love of the Great White Way. When Libby learns of an upcoming audition for a Broadway-musical version of E.T., it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. With Libby as his cover, the two hatch a plan that will have Nate to New York and back with the role of Elliott firmly in hand before anyone even knows he’s gone missing. Alas, things rarely go according to plan. Nate is a quirky and endearing leading man from the start, and anyone who has ever felt out of place will easily identify with him. It’s a joy to watch him fall head over heels for a city that couldn’t care less about him—in the best possible way. Unfortunately, the cartoonish cover art and a predominantly lighthearted beginning may mislead some readers. Federle’s debut addresses—deftly—big and solemn issues in the second half of the novel, particularly with regard to family, sexuality and religion.
Bravo, Nate! (Fiction. 8-13)