Broadway Bound

Here are two great books for younger teens. "Better Nate Than Ever" and it's sequel "Five, Six, Seven Nate" are by former Pittsburgher Tim Federle and are hilarious, fun, and thoughtful all at the same time. The first book tells the story of 13-year-old Nate Foster who dreams of nothing but staring in a Broadway show. Nate devises a scheme with his best friend Libby to travel to New York City to crash an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical.   The second book continues his adventures him New York. 

The stories tackle some tough subjects such as bullying, sibling rivalry, and dealing with parents but the author's humor and tone make this a very appropriate read for middle school students. 

In the second book, Nate's sexuality is important to the story but not the focus of the book. Here is a quote from the author from an article I found here: Federle Article

“You can't tell the story of a 13-year-old boy who knows every lyric to "Phantom of the Opera" without also referencing how much teasing he gets at school. Believe me, I remember. Middle school readers can handle a lot of truth, especially when it's broached delicately, so the response to Nate's subtle maybe-he-is-maybe-he-isn't-gay subplot has been overwhelmingly positive -- with librarians and parents cheering on Nate's goofy perseverance in spite of how hard it can be just being a kid. I think every adult I know felt like an outsider in middle school, and these books are for anyone who might be going through that now and could use a laugh.” 

You can borrow my copies of these books from the church library or you can find them on Amazon.  Enjoy!