DRAG TEEN

JT; his boyfriend, Seth; and best friend, Heather, take a road trip from their home in Florida to New York City so that JT can enter a teen drag queen contest to win scholarship funds. The author, who has a well-served YouTube fan base in the gay community, turns out to be an outstanding narrator who turns this teen novel about gaining confidence, trusting your friends, and--literally--putting yourself out there into a delightful and nuanced performance of authentic emotions. He keeps genders and the assorted Southern drawls right as the kids drive farther north, meeting unexpectedly sympathetic adults. The story itself may have overly perfect resolutions; in the listening, however, it's perfect storytelling. F.M.R.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2016]