Tommy stands alone /

Gr. 7-10. Mexican-American Tomas lives with his parents and two younger sisters. He likes art class, has a close girlfriend named Maya, hangs out with the guys, and is gay. Humiliated by his friends who find a note in his pocket from another gay boy, Tomas discovers that alcohol numbs his pain, and he attempts suicide. Velasquez imparts the experiences of many gay teens in Tomas' story, which includes rejection from family and friends and the intervention of a caring Chicana therapist. This is the only YA novel available about a gay Latino. Its resolution is a bit too tidy and optimistic, but Velasquez has written an otherwise engaging story that will help teens, gay and straight, to better understand the consequences of homophobia. (Reviewed Oct. 15. 1995)1558851461Merri Monks

Gr 6-9-Tommy, a Chicano teen, is uncomfortable with the attention girls shower on him and wants to avoid his friends. When Rudy and Tyrone find a note written to him from David the joto (queer), Tommy can't take it anymore. He buys a bottle of vodka, steals some pills from his family's medicine cabinet, and attempts to kill himself. Maya, his best friend, calls on Ms. Martínez, a counselor, to guide him through this crisis. Although Tommy needs assistance, he is reluctant to come to terms with the fact that he is gay. Maya finally confronts him and forces him to deal with the situation. Once he does, the knowledge that there is hope comes very slowly at first, for he needs to open up to his family and, more importantly, to himself. Velásquez writes with clarity about the pain and suffering that the characters experience. But the message of getting help is overly stressed throughout-readers will feel deluged with advice. And while the advice is sound, the story is just too heavy-handed for YAs to take seriously.-Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Tommy, a gay Hispanic teen struggling with his sexuality, attempts suicide before a caring friend and an understanding counselor help him move toward self-acceptance. Hallmarked by one-dimensional characters and unrealistically simplistic resolutions, the story remains firmly entrenched in the 'problem novel' category. Glos. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.