A Boy Worth Knowing is a sweet, queer coming of age story – with ghosts. But that’s shockingly normalized in this setting. Nate Shaw can see ghosts and he’s gay, and both of those things are totally okay. Other people sometimes have a problem with the ghost part, including Nate’s mother, but Nate’s sexuality is never a point of shame or fear. Nate’s an outcast at school, until James, the new boy, takes an interest in being his friend.Their friendship is typical of teenage boys, bad horror movies, video games, and teasing. What’s not typical is that James has a ghost hanging around him that wants Nate’s help in getting James to move on. Nate must navigate the first real friendship he’s had around his ability to talk to ghosts, teenage social pressure, and his growing romantic feelings for James.The book creates really special characters in Nate and James. It doesn’t ignore teenage anxiety but it’s never rooted in who Nate is as a person, only how others might react to him or just normal worry. It also doesn’t shy away from the fact that 17 year old boys have hormones and bodies with desires, but stays age appropriate. It’s a cute, sweet, and hopeful story of a kid figuring himself out, making a best friend, and loving him along the way.
