THE BREAKUP LISTS

Amin El Gamal's winning performance endears Deaf, queer protagonist Jackson Ghasnavi to listeners. Jackson loves being the stage manager for his high school's theater department. When sweet, handsome Liam from the swim team gets the lead role in the musical, he and Jackson grow closer. The only problem? Jackson's older sister, Jasmine, likes Liam, too. Jasmine has had a string of breakups; to help her get over her heartbreaks, Jackson makes "breakup lists," cataloging her exes' faults. In the print book, these lists and even Jackson's inner dialogue are peppered with crossed-out words and phrases. In the audiobook, El Gamal speaks the struck-through words, says "scratch that" in a sheepish tone as Jackson self-edits, then continues. It's a clever and effective adaptation for an audiobook that's full of charm. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]