In the midst of constant worries over losing his family's dairy farm, Carl Paulsen, a gay 16-year-old, contemplates the complications of crushes and coming out.As far as Carl knows, he's the only gay person in his isolated, rural Minnesota town. Although he aches to escape and begin his life in the 21st century, he also can't bear the thought of leaving behind his family's dairy farm, the last connection to his mother, who passed away from cancer two years ago. When new student Andy Olnan introduces himself at sophomore registration, Carl can imagine for the first time having a boyfriend and opening up to his dad about his sexuality. A presumed all-White cast of characters populates this moody, introspective coming-out story. Readers may feel frustrated as, for most of the book, Carl pines and frets, seeming to willfully ignore the red flags in Andy's behavior in hopes that he will realize they are meant to be together. Scanty dialogue and low action also make the narrative drag. Although the ending brings some hope, overt homophobia is prevalent in Carl's community, and even the people who accept him can barely bring themselves to say the word gay. No one dies at the end, but the exploration of sexuality offers nothing new to the genre.Dated and trudging. (Fiction. 14-18)

Set in richly described southern Minnesota, Peter’s (Oranges, for adults) YA debut is a compact, touching introspection on one gay teenager’s first love. Closeted 15-year-old white Carl Paulsen, who lives with his father on their struggling dairy farm, is still unsettled from his mother’s death from cancer two years earlier. When white Minneapolis transplant Andy Olnan protects him on the first day of school from Carl’s longtime bully, who hurls homophobic slurs, the two become fast friends. Andy is cagey about his move, only hinting that it was part of a deal he made with his intensely religious mother. Despite Andy’s closed-off nature and his public fixation with girls, Carl’s convinced he might be gay, too. After they get high and hook up, Carl is sideswiped by Andy’s subsequent rejection and must unravel his feelings alone. Carl’s willfully ignoring Andy’s flaws and their clashing personalities is a skillful representation of teenage crushes. Knowing his father will be supportive, Carl is more preoccupied with how to come out, rather than a potential negative reaction, providing an alternate and necessary perspective to queer youth’s myriad challenges. This is a tender, rural spin on gay first love. Ages 12–up. (July)