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New Order
The Order of the Poison Oak
by Brent Hartinger
by Brent Hartinger
"Yeah, yeah, sticks and stones can break my
bones, but words can never hurt me. First of all,
anyone who thinks words can’t hurt you has
obviously never taken sophomore P.E. And
second, did it ever occur to whoever wrote that
stupid adage that hurtful words might be a
pretty good indication that sticks and stones are
on the way? It's not like it's an either or thing."
Russel Middlebrook can't wait for summer to
arrive. Ever since he came out at school, life
has been a living hell. He just wishes he could
get away to someplace where nobody knows
he's gay. So when Gunnar, one of his best
friends, tells him about his summer job as a
camp counselor, Russ signs on as well. He's
thrilled when their other best friend, Min,
becomes a counselor as well. He's sure the
three of them will have a magical summer at the
lake.
Everything is going well until his first group of
campers arrives and he finds himself with a
cabin full of ten-year-old burn survivors. He
wants to feel sorry for them, but their wild antics
won't allow it. It seems like the more he tries to
exercise his authority, the more they misbehave
-- and he has no idea how to regain control and
earn their respect.
As if that isn't enough, Gunnar has decided that
he's destined to never have a girlfriend so he
might as well stop trying. He refuses to listen no
matter how hard Russel tries to convince him
that he's found the perfect girl for him. Then
there's Web Bastion, one of the most beautiful
guys Russ has ever seen. The only problem is
Min thinks so too -- and they're both going after
him. Before long, neither of his friends are
speaking to him, his campers are out of control,
and there's a very real danger building on the
other side of the lake.
The Order of the Poison Oak is Brent
Hartinger's sequel to his best-selling young
adult novel Geography Club. The book
continues the story of Russel Middlebrook, an
appealing and engaging protagonist. Once
again, Hartinger captures the feel of teenage
life. His characters feel real. They aren't perfect.
They make mistakes and they feel pain, but he
doesn't let them get bogged down by their
emotions. A witty barb is always waiting right
around the corner.
Especially impressive was the handling of the
burn survivors by both the campers and fellow
counselor Otto. This storyline could have easily
become maudlin and sappy, but he kept it crisp
and authentic.
Hartinger has proven himself a master in the YA
genre, achieving mainstream success and many
accolades. While his books are aimed primarily
at a teen audience, kids of all ages will love his
realistic and relatable tales of teenage angst.
Hartinger writes with a conversational flare --
you almost feel as if Russel himself is relating
the story to you. At times, this wears a little thin,
but over all it works well for the story. We need
more books like this available for teens, both
LGBT and mainstream.
If you enjoyed Geography Club, then The Order
of the Poison Oak is a must-read. And if you
haven't read Geography Club, what are you
waiting for?-- Josh Aterovis P&A
bones, but words can never hurt me. First of all,
anyone who thinks words can’t hurt you has
obviously never taken sophomore P.E. And
second, did it ever occur to whoever wrote that
stupid adage that hurtful words might be a
pretty good indication that sticks and stones are
on the way? It's not like it's an either or thing."
Russel Middlebrook can't wait for summer to
arrive. Ever since he came out at school, life
has been a living hell. He just wishes he could
get away to someplace where nobody knows
he's gay. So when Gunnar, one of his best
friends, tells him about his summer job as a
camp counselor, Russ signs on as well. He's
thrilled when their other best friend, Min,
becomes a counselor as well. He's sure the
three of them will have a magical summer at the
lake.
Everything is going well until his first group of
campers arrives and he finds himself with a
cabin full of ten-year-old burn survivors. He
wants to feel sorry for them, but their wild antics
won't allow it. It seems like the more he tries to
exercise his authority, the more they misbehave
-- and he has no idea how to regain control and
earn their respect.
As if that isn't enough, Gunnar has decided that
he's destined to never have a girlfriend so he
might as well stop trying. He refuses to listen no
matter how hard Russel tries to convince him
that he's found the perfect girl for him. Then
there's Web Bastion, one of the most beautiful
guys Russ has ever seen. The only problem is
Min thinks so too -- and they're both going after
him. Before long, neither of his friends are
speaking to him, his campers are out of control,
and there's a very real danger building on the
other side of the lake.
The Order of the Poison Oak is Brent
Hartinger's sequel to his best-selling young
adult novel Geography Club. The book
continues the story of Russel Middlebrook, an
appealing and engaging protagonist. Once
again, Hartinger captures the feel of teenage
life. His characters feel real. They aren't perfect.
They make mistakes and they feel pain, but he
doesn't let them get bogged down by their
emotions. A witty barb is always waiting right
around the corner.
Especially impressive was the handling of the
burn survivors by both the campers and fellow
counselor Otto. This storyline could have easily
become maudlin and sappy, but he kept it crisp
and authentic.
Hartinger has proven himself a master in the YA
genre, achieving mainstream success and many
accolades. While his books are aimed primarily
at a teen audience, kids of all ages will love his
realistic and relatable tales of teenage angst.
Hartinger writes with a conversational flare --
you almost feel as if Russel himself is relating
the story to you. At times, this wears a little thin,
but over all it works well for the story. We need
more books like this available for teens, both
LGBT and mainstream.
If you enjoyed Geography Club, then The Order
of the Poison Oak is a must-read. And if you
haven't read Geography Club, what are you
waiting for?-- Josh Aterovis P&A
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