Kings of B'more
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
"Infused with all the joy of the best teen movies, Kings of B'more is sure to be a big hit." —BuzzFeed
Two Black queer best friends face their last day together with an epic journey through Baltimore in this magnetic YA debut by bestselling author of Here for It, R. Eric Thomas.
A 2023 Stonewall Honor Book for Young Adult Literature
With junior year starting in the fall, Harrison feels like he’s on the precipice of, well, everything. Standardized testing, college, and the terrifying unknowns and looming pressures of adulthood after that—it’s like the future wants to eat him alive. Which is why Harrison is grateful that he and his best friend, Linus, will face these things together. But at the end of a shift at their summer job, Linus invites Harrison to their special spot overlooking the city to deliver devastating news: He’s moving out of state at the end of the week.
To keep from completely losing it—and partially inspired by a cheesy movie-night pick by his dad—Harrison plans a send-off à la Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that's worthy of his favorite person. If they won’t be having all the life-expanding experiences they thought they would, Harrison will squeeze them all into their last day together. They end up on a mini road trip, their first Pride, and a rooftop dance party, all while keeping their respective parents, who track them on a family location app, off their trail. Harrison and Linus make a pact to do all the things—big and small—they’ve been too scared to do. But nothing feels scarier than saying goodbye to someone you love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sixteen-year-old best friends Linus and Harrison spend an epic last day together pending imminent separation in Thomas's (Here for It, for adults) fresh YA debut. When Harrison's best friend Linus admits that he's moving away from their Baltimore hometown to South Carolina, Harrison concocts a "foolproof plan for lasting friendship" in time for their final day together. Despite laid-back Linus's desire for a "clean break," prone-to-theatrics Harrison, inspired by a viewing of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, surprises Linus with a day full of memorable experiences across Baltimore, all while avoiding their protective parents' watchful eyes. Their adventure hits many snags, including chases on public transportation, almost-sightings from family members, and unanticipated run-ins with new friends. But as their adventure draws to a close, bringing respective familial turmoil and complicated interpersonal feelings to the surface, the boys must confront their fears for the future, even if it means saying goodbye. Employing a charismatic cast, expert comedic timing, and moving prose, Thomas artfully composes a raucous and tenderhearted story of two queer Black boys discovering new truths about themselves in this loving commemoration of identity and friendship. Ages 12–up.
