Ray of Sunlight

March 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Meet Russ: in and out of juvenile detention, he apathetically moves through his life not caring about schoolwork, friends, family, or his future. CJ, on the other hand, has a magnetic personality and a perpetual twinkle in his eye, despite his destitute situation. A year prior, he was kicked out of his parent's home for being gay, only to be diagnosed soon afterwards with advanced cancer. Now living at the Children's Hospital, CJ spends most of his time dressed as a clown telling jokes and doing magic tricks for the children in the burn and cancer wards. When Russ is court-ordered to do community service at the hospital, he and CJ become great, although unlikely friends. Stein does an adept job of bridging several complex topics, such as faith, religion, and sexuality, as well as adding to the small but growing canon of LGBTQ young adult fiction. At times, the writing seems contrived and the characters come across as one-dimensional. Regardless, Ray of Sunlight will be a hit for younger teen readers who enjoy realistic fiction but may not be mature enough for the gravity of authors such as Rainbow Rowell or John Green. VERDICT A welcome, although not necessary addition to young adult collections.-Jaclyn Anderson, Madison County Library System, MS

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