Kevin

Though he's president of his class now, Riverdale High's Kevin Keller was a middle school mess. Setting up for the prom with Veronica and Jughead prompts Kevin, Archie's popular gay friend, to recount events surrounding his first prom back at Medford Middle School. Always the new kid, Army brat Kevin is chubby, zitty and brace-faced. He doesn't know he's gay, but he is a happy member of the comics-and-video-game-loving Geek Squad. With his three friends, he dodges school bully Elliot and tries to hang out with handsome swim-team captain Timmy. As the prom approaches, Elliot steps up bullying of classmate Luke, Timmy ignores the Squad, and friend Sammie (Samantha) wants more of a relationship than Kevin is ready for. Suddenly, Kevin's square in Elliot's sights. It turns out to be quite a night! Kupperberg offers a text-only back story on popular Archie Comics character Kevin Keller. There's nothing particularly literary about it, but fans will enjoy and others may be prompted to pick up Kevin's comic-book adventures. Kevin's inner life is realistic, and the attempt to keep the perpetual teens of Riverdale current is commendable. However, technology and social issues in Riverdale still feel a bit like sunglasses on a cat. A bubble-gum problem novel for gay preteens which may be innovation enough to warrant purchase. (Fiction. 9-12) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2013

Gr 6-9-Kevin Keller has turned out to be one of the most popular characters in Archie comics history, so it's no wonder that he is given star status in this middle-school prequel to the familiar high-school universe. The characters are humorous and (somewhat) diverse, the language stays clean while attempting to be contemporary, and though serious issues are raised, the kids overcome all obstacles by working together and reaching out to understanding adults. By book's end, Kevin defeats the local bully, befriends the school outcast, rescues that outcast after a suicide attempt, learns to believe in himself, and, of course, realizes that he may be gay. However, these triumphs don't come easily, and Kevin is no stranger to shame, fear, and uncertainty before the happy ending. Some readers may roll their eyes at the after-school-special tone of the book, but others will recognize the melodrama of their own lives in the plot. While this will not replace David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy (Knopf, 2003) or Alex Sanchez's So Hard to Say (S & S, 2004) as essential teen/tween coming-out lit, Kevin is a welcome addition to the genre and a fun option for libraries with fans of all things Archie.-Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library

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