Black-Haired Boy

Book excerpt: Set from 2006 to 2007, Tristan LaFerriere's debut novel is told through the journal entries of fourteen-year-old Kieran Northrup, a lonely, shy, and timid closeted gay boy obsessed with the emo music scene who has just moved from Los Angeles to the wealthy suburbs of King's Valley, Pennsylvania. Living with his successful parents and in the shadow of his popular athletic older brother in a prestigious neighborhood, Kieran is the black sheep of the family. When a sudden tragedy strikes the Northrup home and changes Kieran's life forever, he is introduced to sixteen-year-old Izzy Murraro, his fun-loving Italian Jewish next-door neighbor who has been recruited by their high school to help him cope with his loss. Izzy takes Kieran under his wing as his mentor and friend, introducing him to a whole new world of love, sex, music, and angst. Taking nearly thirteen years to complete, Black-Haired Boy is a touching and sometimes disturbingly realistic look at the struggles and intimate relationships of teenagers in the LGBTQ community. Warning: This book contains graphic depictions of sexuality, violence, language, smoking, and drug use all involving teens. This book is not suitable for children and may be disturbing for some readers.