Looking for Group: A YA Novel of Trans Identity, Gaming, and a Road Trip to Find Home - Hardcover

Harrison, Rory

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062453076 ISBN 13: 9780062453075

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2017

Synopsis

One of TeenVogue.com's 10 Best Queer Books to Check Out: “Looking for Group is a road trip book that ends with a punch to the gut. Warning: this is a book that will make you cry.”

Rory Harrison’s beautiful novel about identity, home, and fresh starts recounts one boy’s quest to discover a world where he can thrive, one adventure at a time.

Dylan doesn’t have a lot of experience with comfort. His room in the falling-down Village Estates can generously be categorized as squalid, and he sure isn’t getting any love from his mother, who seemed to—no, definitely did—enjoy the perks that went along with being the parent of a “cancer kid.”

His only escape has been in the form of his favorite video game—World of Warcraft—and the one true friend who makes him feel understood, even if it is just online: Arden. And now that Dylan is suddenly in remission, he wants to take Arden on a real mission, one he never thought he’d live to set out on: a journey to a mysterious ship in the middle of the Salton Sea.

But Arden is fighting her own battles, ones that Dylan can’t always help her win. As they navigate their way west, they grapple with Arden's father (who refuses to recognize his daughter’s true gender), Dylan’s addiction, and the messy, complicated romance fighting so hard to blossom through the cracks of their battle-hardened hearts.

About this title

About the Author

Rory Harrison lives in the American Midwest and is sorted into Slytherin. She’s a geek and a gamer: she and pop culture are >>likedis<<. Some of her favorite games include Skyrim, Dragon Age 1 & 3, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 1 & 2, Life Is Strange, Goat Simulator, and whatever else strikes her fancy at the moment. When she’s not reading, writing, or gaming, she’s having very strong opinions about things. Visit her online at www.roryharrison.com.

From the Back Cover

LOOKING FOR GROUP FOR THE QUEST OF A LIFETIME

Dylan doesn’t have a lot of experience with comfort. His room in the falling-down Village Estates can generously be categorized as “squalid,” and he sure as hell isn’t getting any love from his mother, who seemed to—no, definitely did—enjoy the perks that went along with being the parent of a “cancer kid.”

Now that Dylan’s suddenly in remission, all he’s left with is a lingering OxyContin addiction and a hunger for something—anything—but the life he’s known.

His only escape has been in the form of his favorite video game—World of Warcraft—and the one true friend who makes him feel understood even if it’s just online. Dylan met Arden playing Warcraft, and now he wants to take her on a real mission, one he never thought he’d live to set out on: a journey to a mysterious ship in the middle of the Salton Sea.

But Arden is fighting her own battles, ones that Dylan can’t always help her win. As they navigate their way west, they grapple with Arden’s father (who refuses to recognize his daughter’s true gender), Dylan’s addiction, and the messy, complicated romance fighting so hard to blossom through the cracks of their battle-hardened hearts.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up—Dylan Stefansky was diagnosed with cancer when he was in his early teens. Several years later, he's in remission, maybe even cured. When he returns to his high school to register, the secretary insists that he cannot do so without a parent or guardian present. Since Dylan's mother works nights and doesn't like to give up her sleeping time, Dylan is reluctant to call her. Instead, he gets in his car and drives west. In the back of his mind, Dylan is thinking about heading to California, to the Salton Sea, to look for a fabled sunken ship. Driving along the I-70, he sees a sign for a town called Amaranth, which he realizes is where Arden, whom he met playing World of Warcraft, lives. He dumps his mother's decrepit Monte Carlo at a gas station and borrows the clerk's phone to find Arden's address. The next day, the two of them head out on their quest. Arden (who is trans) and Dylan (who is gay) develop a strong emotional and physical relationship during their road trip, which is fraught with problems. When they eventually make it to California and find the Salton Sea, Dylan convinces Arden to return home, while he remains. This conclusion may frustrate readers who want a happy-ever-after ending. The slow pace of this road trip novel may also deter some teens. VERDICT This well-written but complex book is recommended for libraries needing to expand their LGBTQ collections for advanced readers.—Marlyn Beebe, Long Beach Public Library, CA

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062453076
• ISBN 13: 9780062453075
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368