Narrator Pete Cross takes AudioFile readers Behind the Mic to share his narration of Bill Konigsberg’s funny and sweet audiobook for teens, OPENLY STRAIGHT.
“I was happy, really happy, to be a part of it because I thought it was important . . . I’m gay, and when I was a teenager, there weren’t books with main characters my age who were gay and that had these positive images of gay people.”—Narrator Pete Cross
OPENLY STRAIGHT
by Bill Konigsberg, read by Pete Cross
AudioFile Earphones Award
Dreamscape
When Rafe, who’s been out since he was 14, leaves Colorado and his family to attend a private boy’s school in New England, he decides that he’s not going to label himself as gay. Pete Cross’s narration captures Rafe’s humor and his enthusiastically supportive family. As Rafe masks his former self, Cross’s delivery reflects how he wrestles with honesty, hides truths in a romantic relationship, and finally faces the painful path to becoming his real self. Listen to a sound clip and read AudioFile’s review.
We’re excited to be able to include OPENLY STRAIGHT in our teen audiobook program SYNC this summer. Let any teenagers in your life know that they can download OPENLY STRAIGHT and many other audiobooks for free, starting in April! And if you’re curious about this audiobook, you should definitely watch our video from Dan Bittner about the sequel, HONESTLY BEN.
