Nate Expectations

Nate has been having the time of his life performing in ET: The Musical on Broadway and living with his Aunt Heidi in NYC, but when the show doesn’t get any Tony nominations — No! Not even one! — the show is closed, and Nate has to head home to Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where high school awaits. The good news is he gets to spend time with his best friend, Libby. The bad news is — well, high school. Although Nate never officially came out, he sure got more than his share of bullying in middle school, and things at home weren’t always comfortable either. The English teacher, Mr. English, assigns Great Expectations and each person is to present it in an interesting way. Nate decides to put on a musical, and that changes everything, in a good way.

Tim Federle has written another fantastic book in this too-short three-book series. The story is smart and funny and heartbreaking, and the characters are very real. The dialogue is snappy and spot on for high school freshmen. The situations, while sometimes a little over the top, will have readers thinking about big issues while they laugh through this wonderful book. Don’t miss it.