In Mike Curato’s new young adult graphic novel Flamer, the reader is introduced to Aiden Navarro, a 14 year-old Catholic kid about to enter High School. He’s queer, though he’s trying to figure out what that really means because, well, he hates boys—they’re mean. And while he’s excited about high school, he’s also wary about what may be in store because he’s had to survive bullying, stupidity, and gay bashing in middle school. Flamer is set during a week in the life of Aiden at Boy Scout Camp, a place where he feels at peace—he’s a terrific scout and even the bullies come to him for camping tips—but even in camp he’s under attack. In this 15-page excerpt Aiden introduces his family, his friends, and his frenemies, as well as his relationship to the Catholic church and the Boy Scouts, two institutions that exert an enormous influence—good and ill—over his life and the lives of other queer youth. Flamer will be published by Henry Holt in September.
