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Out of Left Field
A nerdy gay teenager jumps headfirst into the bro-y world of high school baseball in this semi-autobiographical LGBTQ+ graphic novel.
Ninth-grader Jonah is not a jock. On the contrary, he loves history class and nerdy movies, and his athletic ineptitude verges on tragic. So, what’s he doing signing up for the baseball team? Could it have something to do with the cute shortstop, Elliot?
For the rest of high school, Jonah faces challenges on and off the baseball field, from heteronormative social pressure to thrilling romance. Realizing who his real friends are, he figures out what really matters and finally recognizes and embraces his gay identity.
Based on debut author-illustrator Jonah Newman’s coming-of-age experiences, Out of Left Field is a big-hearted and funny YA graphic novel about learning to be yourself.
Ninth-grader Jonah is not a jock. On the contrary, he loves history class and nerdy movies, and his athletic ineptitude verges on tragic. So, what’s he doing signing up for the baseball team? Could it have something to do with the cute shortstop, Elliot?
For the rest of high school, Jonah faces challenges on and off the baseball field, from heteronormative social pressure to thrilling romance. Realizing who his real friends are, he figures out what really matters and finally recognizes and embraces his gay identity.
Based on debut author-illustrator Jonah Newman’s coming-of-age experiences, Out of Left Field is a big-hearted and funny YA graphic novel about learning to be yourself.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2024
About the author
Jonah Newman
3 books10 followersJonah Newman is a cartoonist and editor. As an editor at Graphix, Scholastic's graphic novel imprint, he has worked with Dav Pilkey, Jamar Nicholas, Angeli Rafer, and many others. When he's not creating, editing, or reading comics, you might find Jonah binge-listening to history podcasts, playing in an LGBTQ+ softball league, or getting way too invested in his fantasy baseball team. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband (who's a human) and two kids (who are cats).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 14, 2024
A big hearted graphic novel debut based on the author/illustrator's own experiences playing on a homophobic baseball team in high school and struggling to embrace his sexuality among his friends and peers. This was an honest look at how hard it can be for queer teens to be out in high school when there's such intense pressure to fit in. Highly recommended especially for fans of books like the Heartstopper series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
April 19, 2024
Solid 3.5. Not for a middle grade audience as I had originally thought.
February 16, 2024
Loved the illustration style and color work. Solid look at how difficult and complicated coming out can be in high school, but parts of the story felt off to me — like the the girl on the baseball team didn’t quite fit — there wasn’t enough about her to make it feel like a real subplot, but there was too much of her to ignore. And I didn’t love the big secret revealed during the party scene - it felt forced and didn’t really make much sense. I don’t know that I’d recommend this book, exactly, but I also wouldn’t tell anyone not to read it. Hopefully this story makes its way into the hands of readers it will resonate with more than me!
(Also: I was a dummy and went into reading this thinking this was a middle grade book, and it is *DECIDEDLY NOT* 🤣)
* thank you to Andrews McMeel for the finished copy!
(Also: I was a dummy and went into reading this thinking this was a middle grade book, and it is *DECIDEDLY NOT* 🤣)
* thank you to Andrews McMeel for the finished copy!
December 22, 2023
This is more of a 3.5, than a true 4, but I enjoyed the messiness of it, so I'm rounding up. I really enjoyed this book. It felt authentic to the high school experience, used modern references, and was stylistically appealing. My biggest critique would be the pacing. Some years, we're given the full experience, while others, we jump right out of it. It felt like if we're going to label the seasons or semesters, you should have all of them included.
Our main character, Jonah, is trying to survive high school. He is not sure where he fits in or who he wants to be, so he tries his hand at baseball and making friends. I liked Jonah. He's flawed, but trying. You see a lot of typical teenage drama, but you also see great examples of communication. There is an okay cast of characters. I did enjoy Sophie and Jonah's friendship though. It also helped shape Jonah's journey in sexuality. The discussions surrounding it were honest and showed the pressures or discussions happening around teens too.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend it as a read. It's a great story of exploration and being a teen. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Our main character, Jonah, is trying to survive high school. He is not sure where he fits in or who he wants to be, so he tries his hand at baseball and making friends. I liked Jonah. He's flawed, but trying. You see a lot of typical teenage drama, but you also see great examples of communication. There is an okay cast of characters. I did enjoy Sophie and Jonah's friendship though. It also helped shape Jonah's journey in sexuality. The discussions surrounding it were honest and showed the pressures or discussions happening around teens too.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend it as a read. It's a great story of exploration and being a teen. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
December 27, 2023
Representation: gay white protagonist, gay white secondary character, lesbian white tertiary character, queer tertiary characters of colour, tertiary characters of colour.
Content Warning: outing, alcohol, homophobia, homophobic slurs, sexism, misogyny, bullying, internalised homophobia.
Review to come...
Content Warning: outing, alcohol, homophobia, homophobic slurs, sexism, misogyny, bullying, internalised homophobia.
Review to come...
April 9, 2024
It’s like a shallow sports version of Heartstopper, such an easy fun read
March 22, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Jonah is in 9th grade and likes history. So of course he’s getting bullied and he’s affraid to tell anyone he’s gay. In this graphic novel we see pure unfiltered reality, which does not happen often in books. It shows us what high school is best at doing (there’s nothing it excels in more) = breaking a nice and smart kid’s spirit. I know from experience. Bullying, peer pressure and teachers just never having a clue of what’s going on (something I still don’t get) or even caring about how students feel, just makes you hate school and have the worst time of your life. And how can you even get decent grades if you feel like crap?
This graphic novel is too realistic, so basically mostly one heap of negativity and it rushes relationships (and there’s a lot of swearing). I think the author did a great job incorporating his experiences into this but went a little too far in doing so. Too far and too much. I want reading to be diverse and not shy away from topics as sexuality and discrimination but I also want to enjoy reading and really get to know the characters and not be too uncomfortable for too long or almost all the time in this case. I think if the author made this a series of graphic novels and incorporated one or a few high school struggles and new experiences at a time and included the struggles of other students one or a few at a time too and took more time to let us really get to know the characters, this would have been a lot better. I mean this included a pervert(ish) gym teacher, a discriminating baseball coach, loooooots of different kinds of bullying and a lot of it, coming out to friends (which is a big first step), hiding your sexuality, inappropriate gossiping, being an untrustworthy friend, rushed first relationships and breakups and first times having sex, not feeling comfortable in your own skin, catching someone you like like who pretends to be straight, with someone of the same sex, inappropriate behavior when drunk (no means no!), finding out a bully is gay and comforting him, having the wrong friends, finding the right ones and almost losing them again,… And that’s all okay if this was developed a little better (like the rushed relationships) and spread over several novels. Unfortunately I’m not the biggest fan of the illustrations either.
I do feel the need to say that it must have been both really hard and a great feeling for the author to turn his experiences into a novel and I think it’s great he did but it just made a very negative (even if that’s reality) and uncomfortable read.
So if the cover makes you think this is going to be a hard but also fulfilling read or if it’s anything like more upbeat and cozy queer graphic novels like Heartstopper, you should alter your expectations.
Jonah is in 9th grade and likes history. So of course he’s getting bullied and he’s affraid to tell anyone he’s gay. In this graphic novel we see pure unfiltered reality, which does not happen often in books. It shows us what high school is best at doing (there’s nothing it excels in more) = breaking a nice and smart kid’s spirit. I know from experience. Bullying, peer pressure and teachers just never having a clue of what’s going on (something I still don’t get) or even caring about how students feel, just makes you hate school and have the worst time of your life. And how can you even get decent grades if you feel like crap?
This graphic novel is too realistic, so basically mostly one heap of negativity and it rushes relationships (and there’s a lot of swearing). I think the author did a great job incorporating his experiences into this but went a little too far in doing so. Too far and too much. I want reading to be diverse and not shy away from topics as sexuality and discrimination but I also want to enjoy reading and really get to know the characters and not be too uncomfortable for too long or almost all the time in this case. I think if the author made this a series of graphic novels and incorporated one or a few high school struggles and new experiences at a time and included the struggles of other students one or a few at a time too and took more time to let us really get to know the characters, this would have been a lot better. I mean this included a pervert(ish) gym teacher, a discriminating baseball coach, loooooots of different kinds of bullying and a lot of it, coming out to friends (which is a big first step), hiding your sexuality, inappropriate gossiping, being an untrustworthy friend, rushed first relationships and breakups and first times having sex, not feeling comfortable in your own skin, catching someone you like like who pretends to be straight, with someone of the same sex, inappropriate behavior when drunk (no means no!), finding out a bully is gay and comforting him, having the wrong friends, finding the right ones and almost losing them again,… And that’s all okay if this was developed a little better (like the rushed relationships) and spread over several novels. Unfortunately I’m not the biggest fan of the illustrations either.
I do feel the need to say that it must have been both really hard and a great feeling for the author to turn his experiences into a novel and I think it’s great he did but it just made a very negative (even if that’s reality) and uncomfortable read.
So if the cover makes you think this is going to be a hard but also fulfilling read or if it’s anything like more upbeat and cozy queer graphic novels like Heartstopper, you should alter your expectations.
October 25, 2023
"Out of Left Field" is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel that follows high schooler Jonah (loosely based on the author of the same name). Jonah is into history and fantasy films. To get the attention of a boy he likes, Jonah decides to join the school baseball team. What follows is the four years of Jonah in high school learning to navigate his new feelings, his new friends, and his baseball team.
What I loved - the artwork. I'm an avid reader of comics and graphic novels, and the visuals are just as important as the plot. The artwork was eye catching and engaging. It did a great job of telling the story. Emotions were conveyed easily on the faces. Things didn't get too cluttered. Overall, this was the highlight of this book.
What I liked - the story. Every LGBTQ+ student has their own journey. It won't be Jonah's, but seeing someone similar to them learning to navigate these new and different feelings will help them out. It's wonderful to see more of these voices out there. Jonah's struggles to come to terms with his homosexuality is very relatable. There's some humor in there, but not too much. The plot never feels too heavy or in your face. It's not preachy. It just wants to tell Jonah's story - the good parts and the bad parts. It's honest. It's emotional. It's real. You can easily connect with Jonah.
What I didn't like - The book takes place over the 4 high school years for Jonah. So much happens in this book, but it's rushed and underdeveloped. Huge chunks of what could have been interesting pieces to these characters is left out when you jump months at at time. I felt like many questions were left unanswered (or at least, the answers weren't satisfactory) for many characters. Also, as a science teacher, seeing students doing an experiment without goggles - extra big no from me. ;-)
Being that this is a graphic novel, what is the appropriate grade level? High school (F-bombs and other curses, plus some PG-13 sex scenes)
Overall, this should be on your list of graphic novels to read. Thanks to NetGalley for this early look.
What I loved - the artwork. I'm an avid reader of comics and graphic novels, and the visuals are just as important as the plot. The artwork was eye catching and engaging. It did a great job of telling the story. Emotions were conveyed easily on the faces. Things didn't get too cluttered. Overall, this was the highlight of this book.
What I liked - the story. Every LGBTQ+ student has their own journey. It won't be Jonah's, but seeing someone similar to them learning to navigate these new and different feelings will help them out. It's wonderful to see more of these voices out there. Jonah's struggles to come to terms with his homosexuality is very relatable. There's some humor in there, but not too much. The plot never feels too heavy or in your face. It's not preachy. It just wants to tell Jonah's story - the good parts and the bad parts. It's honest. It's emotional. It's real. You can easily connect with Jonah.
What I didn't like - The book takes place over the 4 high school years for Jonah. So much happens in this book, but it's rushed and underdeveloped. Huge chunks of what could have been interesting pieces to these characters is left out when you jump months at at time. I felt like many questions were left unanswered (or at least, the answers weren't satisfactory) for many characters. Also, as a science teacher, seeing students doing an experiment without goggles - extra big no from me. ;-)
Being that this is a graphic novel, what is the appropriate grade level? High school (F-bombs and other curses, plus some PG-13 sex scenes)
Overall, this should be on your list of graphic novels to read. Thanks to NetGalley for this early look.
November 18, 2023
A quickly-read and easily enjoyed graphic novel about a kid who kind of stumbles on to the baseball team, literally falls flat on his behind, and bounces right back up – all because one of the few kids in school to actually talk to him is a ball-player already. The fact this is a gay crush is nicely underplayed at first – not least by Jonah, who rightly doesn't see it an issue. But it gets to be when he hears the full-on locker-room opinions of his new team-mates, when he gets too close to a fellow nerdy girl, and when his eyes are also turned by the very out lad in town too...
This is a look at identity – for all the prattling signs put up outside the school on a daily basis that allege the inmates have a common ground, this is Jonah struggling to work out whether he is, can or should be a baseball player, an out gay man, a Napoleon buff, or none of those things. With the help of select school staff – and I think this most notable for featuring any parents in roughly zero frames – he is told to play the game for himself, and to be himself. The reality of this book that hits home so well is that that is, of course, easier said than done.
Oh, and don't worry – this is a lot more subtle and nuanced (even if certain characters aren't) than the cover art and the poorly punning title. It's heartfelt, and clearly semi-autobiographical and yet feels universally recognisable and relatable. Many a young reader will see themselves here before they can be themselves, and this will be a joyful lesson – albeit thoroughly fine on the entertainment side – for them. A strong four bases.
This is a look at identity – for all the prattling signs put up outside the school on a daily basis that allege the inmates have a common ground, this is Jonah struggling to work out whether he is, can or should be a baseball player, an out gay man, a Napoleon buff, or none of those things. With the help of select school staff – and I think this most notable for featuring any parents in roughly zero frames – he is told to play the game for himself, and to be himself. The reality of this book that hits home so well is that that is, of course, easier said than done.
Oh, and don't worry – this is a lot more subtle and nuanced (even if certain characters aren't) than the cover art and the poorly punning title. It's heartfelt, and clearly semi-autobiographical and yet feels universally recognisable and relatable. Many a young reader will see themselves here before they can be themselves, and this will be a joyful lesson – albeit thoroughly fine on the entertainment side – for them. A strong four bases.
February 18, 2024
Jonah joins the baseball team not because he loves to play. If anything, he would rather nurd-out on Napoleon, or watch Lord of the Rings. But he gets a crush on one of the baseball players and thinks that might be a way to get closer to him. Jonah is not our, and as far as he knows, neither is the player he has the crush on.
This story follows his whole high school playing baseball, and he wrestles with his sexuality. He figures he is gay, but dates this girl who loves Lord of the Rings as much as he does.
The author based this story on his life, but it doesn’t follow it exactly. What he said he was going for were the emotions involved, rather than the actual things that happened. There is also a subplot about a young woman joining the team, and being treated like crap by the other young men. Unlike Jonah, who gets support from his coach for everything, Amelia never gets a break, hardly gets to play, and doesn’t have the coach on her side.
This has a lot of humor, as well as a lot of bullying. It is an interesting mix of things, because that is high school
THanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published March 26, 2024.
This story follows his whole high school playing baseball, and he wrestles with his sexuality. He figures he is gay, but dates this girl who loves Lord of the Rings as much as he does.
The author based this story on his life, but it doesn’t follow it exactly. What he said he was going for were the emotions involved, rather than the actual things that happened. There is also a subplot about a young woman joining the team, and being treated like crap by the other young men. Unlike Jonah, who gets support from his coach for everything, Amelia never gets a break, hardly gets to play, and doesn’t have the coach on her side.
This has a lot of humor, as well as a lot of bullying. It is an interesting mix of things, because that is high school
THanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published March 26, 2024.
February 8, 2024
Edelweiss+ provided me a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an excellent YA novel full of teenage emotions: wanting to fit in, struggling to find yourself, crushes, and living authentically.
The story follows Jonah through three years of high school. He joins the baseball team on a whim, finds a best friend with the same nerdy loves as him, and discovers he might actually be crushing on boys. There is some strong language--both swearing and anti-LGBTQ language--and we watch Jonah struggle to feel comfortable around people who can clearly tell he's different.
I wish there would have been a little bit more expansion of the "girl on the baseball team" storyline, but I understand the focus was on Jonah and his journey. I just really found the parallels in their situations interesting and thought she might make a good friend.
This was an excellent YA novel full of teenage emotions: wanting to fit in, struggling to find yourself, crushes, and living authentically.
The story follows Jonah through three years of high school. He joins the baseball team on a whim, finds a best friend with the same nerdy loves as him, and discovers he might actually be crushing on boys. There is some strong language--both swearing and anti-LGBTQ language--and we watch Jonah struggle to feel comfortable around people who can clearly tell he's different.
I wish there would have been a little bit more expansion of the "girl on the baseball team" storyline, but I understand the focus was on Jonah and his journey. I just really found the parallels in their situations interesting and thought she might make a good friend.
March 19, 2024
***Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC***
This was a cute read with an unexpected amount of depth. Being a loose autobiographical fiction, I appreciated the messiness of Jonah's journey - much of which was rooted in the authors own experiences. Having suffered similarly in middle school and high school from being different (maybe /also/ due to my own"Lord of the Rings" obsession and closet-queerness), I really related to his desire to simply fit in. Like Jonah, that meant overwriting parts of my identity and striving for the status quo, before ultimately realizing that others' approval wasn't worth my own misery. Maybe it's for this reason that I teared up somewhat when the story ended with the opening lines from "The Fellowship of the Ring", indicating that the crumbling of one's world can still lay out the path for a promising and hopeful future.
This was a cute read with an unexpected amount of depth. Being a loose autobiographical fiction, I appreciated the messiness of Jonah's journey - much of which was rooted in the authors own experiences. Having suffered similarly in middle school and high school from being different (maybe /also/ due to my own"Lord of the Rings" obsession and closet-queerness), I really related to his desire to simply fit in. Like Jonah, that meant overwriting parts of my identity and striving for the status quo, before ultimately realizing that others' approval wasn't worth my own misery. Maybe it's for this reason that I teared up somewhat when the story ended with the opening lines from "The Fellowship of the Ring", indicating that the crumbling of one's world can still lay out the path for a promising and hopeful future.
March 29, 2024
A heartwarming, honest, and compelling graphic novel about navigating your way in the tricky world of high school while trying to figure out your true self and how to live in that truth. Jonah's journey joining the baseball team as a true novice, trying to fit into the sometimes/often toxic culture of the other boys on the team while grappling with his gay identity was filled with a lot of missteps along the way that felt so true to the process of growing up and finding yourself at any stage in life. You'll laugh, you'll tear up, you'll cringe and have flashbacks of your awkward teenage crushes (and you may even find yourself a little more interested in Napoleonic history). You'll also find yourself grappling with wanting to tear through the pages to find out what Jonah does next while wanted to appreciate every detail of the art.
April 8, 2024
Rating: 3.5
Themes:
High School
Coming Out
Baseball
Friendship
LGBTQIA+ Characters
Gay MC
Trigger Warnings:
Slurs
Bullying
MC being outed
Sexism (in sport)
A quick read based loosely off of the authors life. Quite a typical coming out story, would be very interesting for a reader who likes sports / baseball focused reads.
As I’m not much of a sporty person, and so much of this was based on the sport elements, I thought it was okay. I mainly picked this up for the LGBTQIA+ rep which is also a main focus.
A few trigger warnings listed above that may hinder readers enjoyment. I wish this was handled better within the story however a lot of it was just brushed off. I wish we saw more people calling out the bad behaviour, but it was not challenged at all really.
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing an e-copy of this graphic novel to review.
Themes:
High School
Coming Out
Baseball
Friendship
LGBTQIA+ Characters
Gay MC
Trigger Warnings:
Slurs
Bullying
MC being outed
Sexism (in sport)
A quick read based loosely off of the authors life. Quite a typical coming out story, would be very interesting for a reader who likes sports / baseball focused reads.
As I’m not much of a sporty person, and so much of this was based on the sport elements, I thought it was okay. I mainly picked this up for the LGBTQIA+ rep which is also a main focus.
A few trigger warnings listed above that may hinder readers enjoyment. I wish this was handled better within the story however a lot of it was just brushed off. I wish we saw more people calling out the bad behaviour, but it was not challenged at all really.
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing an e-copy of this graphic novel to review.
November 13, 2023
One of the first graphic novels I have read and it is a wonderfully illustrated, semi-biographical novel that is full of heart, awkwardness, teen angst and growing up.
I thought the detail in the pictures showed great humour and thought. It complemented the story very well. I loved how you could see the emotions plainly in the characters faces.
Jonah went through a lot in the 4 years that the story was based on. The most important of which was to stay true to himself. A very important lesson that often is overlooked in high school.
I think this was a great read and an important one for teens of all shapes, sizes and sexual orientation.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the detail in the pictures showed great humour and thought. It complemented the story very well. I loved how you could see the emotions plainly in the characters faces.
Jonah went through a lot in the 4 years that the story was based on. The most important of which was to stay true to himself. A very important lesson that often is overlooked in high school.
I think this was a great read and an important one for teens of all shapes, sizes and sexual orientation.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2024
Out of Left Field is a graphic novel by Jonah Newman about a high school student (loosely based on Newman) who is just trying to figure out how to play baseball, how to survive high school, and who exactly he is.
Newman's story will resonate with high school students, new adults, and anyone who has ever tried to fit in regardless of your phase of life. Newman's illustrations are detailed and convey the emotions necessary for some of the delicate, difficult situations the characters find themselves in.
The only real issue I had with the story was the pacing. In a number of spots in the story, we time jump randomly and if you aren't paying attention, you miss out on the fact that you might have advanced an entire school year.
**Thanks to Edelweiss for the review copy**
Newman's story will resonate with high school students, new adults, and anyone who has ever tried to fit in regardless of your phase of life. Newman's illustrations are detailed and convey the emotions necessary for some of the delicate, difficult situations the characters find themselves in.
The only real issue I had with the story was the pacing. In a number of spots in the story, we time jump randomly and if you aren't paying attention, you miss out on the fact that you might have advanced an entire school year.
**Thanks to Edelweiss for the review copy**
November 16, 2023
Based on the author's own experiences, the story begins in Jonah's freshman year of high school. He loves history and nerdy fantasies, so it is definitely a step out of his comfort zone when he suddenly joins the baseball team. The book follows Jonah throughout his high school years, as his baseball abilities grow--due to lots of hard work--and as he tries to come to terms with his sexuality. It's a bit of a quiet story, but there is honesty and experience in the story. Readers may find that Jonah isn't always his best self, but may still identify with him and root for him.
January 13, 2024
The semi-autobiographical graphic novel takes place during Jonah's four years of high school. It includes a lot of typical high school elements like cliques, bullying, sports, after prom parties, etc. Jonah spends much of the book figuring out his sexual identity.
While a lot of this book was realistic, I did struggle with some elements. I really didn't care for the gym teacher character, and I don't feel like he was a realistic representation of any teacher.
Not a high school purchase.
I read an ARC from Edelweiss.
While a lot of this book was realistic, I did struggle with some elements. I really didn't care for the gym teacher character, and I don't feel like he was a realistic representation of any teacher.
Not a high school purchase.
I read an ARC from Edelweiss.
January 30, 2024
E ARC provided by Netgalley
This was a very interesting, but decidedly Young Adult, look at how the author tried out and made his school baseball team even though he had no previous playing experience, and how the homophobia on the team affected him. This would be great for high school, but had a lot of f-words, on page sex, drinking, and a lot of negative language.
If you are looking for a middle grade book that combines sports with LGBTQIA+ issues, I would take a look at the novel A High Five For Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner.
This was a very interesting, but decidedly Young Adult, look at how the author tried out and made his school baseball team even though he had no previous playing experience, and how the homophobia on the team affected him. This would be great for high school, but had a lot of f-words, on page sex, drinking, and a lot of negative language.
If you are looking for a middle grade book that combines sports with LGBTQIA+ issues, I would take a look at the novel A High Five For Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner.
March 7, 2024
This book was a joy to read, I need to read more graphic novels and this has definitely made me even more excited to dive into picking more of them up, this book hit hard at times but it was a beautiful look into a teenager's journey of discovering himself and his sexuality. If anyone liked Heartstopper, I would highly recommend you check this out as I liked it even more than I liked that. The characters were amazing, with flaws and their own personalities and the art style and colours were pure perfection.
I was sent this e-Arc on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I was sent this e-Arc on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
April 7, 2024
Dynamic, crisp, graphic artwork blends with a highly entertaining universal tale of the rocky road toward becoming one’s true self. The book examines the role of high school baseball, how being on a team can give a sense of belonging, while at the same time make one feel isolated and alone.
Out of Left Field takes the reader inside the experience of being a young gay person, bravely making their way through high school, awkward and unsure with friendships and crushes, until finally finding their first same gender love.
Out of Left Field takes the reader inside the experience of being a young gay person, bravely making their way through high school, awkward and unsure with friendships and crushes, until finally finding their first same gender love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2023
Based on author Jonah Newman's experiences as a teen, this graphic novel perfectly captures the identity struggles as a young gay person. Hiding their true selves and even laughing along with homophobic jokes in an attempt to protect themselves. The art is bright and engaging, and the pacing is just right. What a fun, poignant book to read! Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2024
Jonah Newman’s debut graphic novel is fantastic! His semi autobiographical coming-of-age/coming-out story is both beautifully rendered (both the story and the artwork) and emotionally authentic. It’s easy to root for Jonah through the ups and downs of high school; and I think his experiences is a closeted gay teen in the “bro” culture of high school baseball will resonate with other readers. Newman’s book is full of heart and humor. I loved it!
December 31, 2023
A coming of age graphic novel of a baseball player who is trying to accept who he is, with the support of some friends. From first time playing in a big game to his first date with a boy, this GN hits all the spots. There was a bit of jumping around with the years, which kind of threw the pacing off, otherwise, it was a good book to end my year of reading! Thanks @Netgalley for the e-arc.
March 21, 2024
“Out of Left Field” follows a fictionalized version of the author - Jonah Newman - as he navigates being a high schooler trying to come to terms with his identity. In order to get closer to a crush, Jonah joins the baseball team and finds out that he rather enjoys the sport. Jonah has to navigate bigoted teammates, platonic relationships, and budding romances.
This graphic novel was such a delight and I read it all in one sitting. The pictures were bright and colorful, but still realistic. I loved the characters. They all felt very real…probably because it is based on the author’s life. I really enjoyed a story where the character isn’t immediately out and proud. They have these feelings, but they have to work through just what that means for them in the world. I was invested in Jonah and wanted to see how he would handle the trouble that is growing up.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!
This graphic novel was such a delight and I read it all in one sitting. The pictures were bright and colorful, but still realistic. I loved the characters. They all felt very real…probably because it is based on the author’s life. I really enjoyed a story where the character isn’t immediately out and proud. They have these feelings, but they have to work through just what that means for them in the world. I was invested in Jonah and wanted to see how he would handle the trouble that is growing up.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!
March 22, 2024
Clever, humorous, cozy, familiar, fresh, and relatable. Bold, bright illustrations push along a coming of age story that deals with the issues, but is not "heavy" with dealing with them. I would have liked two plot points to work out differently, but the realistic portrayal is still a home run. Not just for the sports fan, GLBTQ+ or graphic novel readers.
March 25, 2024
It's a sweet and easy story about finding yourself and the courage to live your life when you're a kid and everyone around you seems determined to make it impossible for you.
The art is simple but good, even though differentiating characters is almost impossible if they're not the three main ones.
Overall, a good message told in a simple style that makes it easy to get it across.
The art is simple but good, even though differentiating characters is almost impossible if they're not the three main ones.
Overall, a good message told in a simple style that makes it easy to get it across.
April 7, 2024
Heartfelt and sweet in spots, but also painfully honest in others about bullying, teen-male crassness, and how far you'll go to hide yourself to gain the approval of some idiot you'll never see again in later life but whose specific gravity right then feels overwhelming. I am perhaps a little biased due to having been Jonah's AP US History teacher, but perhaps not.
April 8, 2024
I don't usually bother with graphic novels, but a story about a gay kid in high school who plays baseball while trying to figure out his sexuality got my attention. Well written and beautifully drawn, this was clearly a labor of love. Highly recommend!
April 17, 2024
Thank you @andrewsmcmeelpublishing for this gifted copy.
My kids read this with me. We found this graphic novel on our pile, and this is an interesting and colorful piece. The story is flowy and the illustration is even better. The title of this book is obviously given but the entire story about Jonah and his coming of age and eventually out is the best part of the story. There are some “sexual content”; thus, this is geared for older YAs to adulthood. Overall, my kids and I think that this is a great graphic novel.
My kids read this with me. We found this graphic novel on our pile, and this is an interesting and colorful piece. The story is flowy and the illustration is even better. The title of this book is obviously given but the entire story about Jonah and his coming of age and eventually out is the best part of the story. There are some “sexual content”; thus, this is geared for older YAs to adulthood. Overall, my kids and I think that this is a great graphic novel.
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