When Words Grow Fangs by Chase Connor

All Jude wants to do is play Bandits online with his friends, write articles for his blog, get good grades, and hopefully, get accepted into a university with a decent journalism program. After all, his dream is to become a first-rate journalist, writing about the issues the young people of the world deal with every day. As far as he’s concerned, he’s crushing his goals. When the typically liberal administration at his school decides they won’t allow a student to start an LGBTQ+ after school club, Jude’s track to achieving his goals suddenly veers off course. No one is standing up for what’s right and everyone seems to accept that an LGBTQ+ club just isn’t appropriate for the students of Whitmer Central High. Jude tries to talk some sense into the principal, but he quickly finds that finding an ally to help him reverse the decision about the club will be difficult. One night, in a fury over what is going on at his high school, Jude writes a scathing, yet fair, rebuke of his school’s decision. The next thing Jude knows, he’s the subject of a national news article, he’s gone viral on the internet, and he’s become both a hero and a pariah at his school. Quickly, he starts to realize that his dream career may not be as honorable and honest as he once thought, universities will avoid students who rock the boat, friends don’t always stick up for friends, and adults don’t always know what’s best. What’s Jude to do? His moms couldn’t be prouder of him, but what does all of this mean for a teen who hasn’t quite figured out his own sexuality?

Young Adult • Literary Fiction • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+