“A frank, funny, coming-of-age story about, Sprout, a gay boy transplanted from Long Island to Kansas after the death of his mother. Living in a vine-covered trailer with his alcoholic father, Sprout dwells literally and figuratively on the fringes of society. His precocious writing ability puts him in the path of English teacher Mrs. Miller, who grooms him for the state's annual essay contest and, to Sprout's horror, begins dating his father. Sprout has only one friend, Ruby, who helps him maintain his bright-green dye job, but she virtually disappears from the book when a new student catches Sprout's eye. Ty, too, is a loner living on the outskirts of town and managing a difficult home life. The two boys are drawn to each other despite Ty's ambivalence about his own sexuality.
The book's clever wordplay and sophisticated vocabulary make Sprout's voice unique but less than authentic for a teen character. The homosexual romance is addressed honestly but not graphically. Although one scene toward the end of the book -- where Ruby confronts Sprout, Ty, and her down-low boyfriend Ian in a closet -- made me roll my eyes, for the most part I enjoyed the book, its characters, and their journey. Recommend Sprout to the GLBTQ crowd or teens open-minded enough to appreciate a romance of a different color.”
