Band Fags!

It's the '80s and Jack Paterno of Hazel Park, Michigan (a.k.a. Hazeltucky) plays trumpet and hangs with the oddball ""band fags,"" including his Best Friend, Brad Dayton, who's always embraced his homosexuality. Jack wonders if he's ""like that,"" and also if a Total Band Fag could ever be a Popular Guy. Polito shows great fondness for and recall of all things '80s (Jordache jeans, mid-period Bee Gees, Jon-Erik Hexum, Nintendo etc.) as Jack's journey through Webb Junior High and Hazel Park (""Hillbilly"") High becomes an angst-ridden rollercoaster ride. Polito also has the era's teen talk down: Jack's headlong narration is sweet and funny. And the book's light and breezy ""know thyself"" ethos paves the way for possible YA crossover.