Geography Club

Title Geography Club
Author Brent Hartinger
Hartinger resides in Seattle with his partner, Michael Jensen. He has published many novels including two sequels to Geography Club and even adapted this book into a play for the stage.
ISBN 0060012218
Publisher HarperTempest (an imprint of HarperCollins)
Copyright Date 2003
Reading Level/Interest Age 10+
Genre Issues: Sexual Identity; LGBT Fiction
Plot Summary
When Russel Middlebrook, a gay, closeted teen, meets another gay kid at his high school in a chat room, he can’t believe it turns out to be Kevin Land, a popular baseball player. Struggling with his secret, he comes out to his best friend Min, only to find out that she’s bisexual and has had a girlfriend, a soccer player for years. They get together and discover that they all have the same fears and desires in common, but no way to express them in their conservative town. Then they come up with a brilliant idea: the Geography Club – a club so boring that no one would ever want to join. During their meetings, the LGBT kids get a chance to understand real friendship and togetherness. And Russel gets closer to Kevin. But will they be able to keep their club, and their identities, a secret from the rest of the school?
Critical Evaluation
Told from the first-person perspective of Russel, this book takes on some difficult issues and tackles them with both sensitivity and a strong sense of humor. The plot is fairly straight-forward and the writing propels the action onward in a non-stop fashion. Of particular interest is the kids’ relationship with one another and how their understanding of discrimination grows. As a secondary character who is an outcast at their school gets ridiculed for being gay, the teens must figure out how far their acceptance and tolerance extends and this is an opportunity for teaching teens about oppression, regardless of the reasoning behind it. Finally, Russel’s struggles with trying to remain closeted highlight the issues that many teens may face when they decide that they cannot be open about their sexuality, and how hurtful it can be to those caught in the middle. A good, quick read for kids who might be looking for the courage to live their lives without fear of being outcasted.
Reader’s Annotation
The Geography Club must be the most boring club at Robert L. Goodkind High School, right? That’s what the LGBT members of the club hope you’ll think.
Curriculum Ties Could be tied into lessons about LGBT issues, tolerance and prejudice.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Do character sketches of Russel, Kevin and Min leaving out the fact that they are LGBT until the very end.
Challenge Issues
Please see "Controversy & LGBT Teen Collections"
Why did I include this book?
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults; Lambda Literary Award Finalist (2003).