The Alliance

Gr 8–11—After Jamie Ballard commits suicide, senior Scott King decides to try starting a Gay-Straight Alliance at his high school, in memory of his friend. Unfortunately, his past reputation as a bully catches up with him, and his former victims, as well as his homophobic football teammates, make it difficult for him to get the requisite petition signed by the student body. Meanwhile, Carmen Mendoza, who is out and proud, starts to receive threatening notes in her locker and on social media. Although she is the daughter of two supportive lawyers, she has a reputation as a troublemaker because of how she dresses and behaves in school. When she wants to form an alliance, she is rejected by administrators, who say that she cannot handle the additional responsibility. With the nudge of a caring teacher, Scott and Carmen reluctantly team up to start a GSA and confront the bully who was going after Carmen. As seen too often in real-life situations, conservative parents get to the school board, and the project is put on hold. Reluctant readers of this timely and realistic novel, told in alternating chapters, will cheer on Scott and Carmen and may even be inspired to take action at their own schools to form a GSA.—Lindsay Klemas, JM Rapport School for Career Development, Bronx, NY