Frederick is the shy new boy in school, and Xio is the bubbly chica who lends him a pen on the first day of class. They become fast friends-but when Xio decides she wants to be more than friends, Frederick isn't so sure. He loves hanging out with Xio and her crew, but he doesn't like her in that way. Instead he finds himself thinking more and more about Victor, the captain of the soccer team. But does that mean Frederick is gay? He hopes not-he sees how everyone makes fun of Iggy, a boy all the other kids think is gay. Frederick has to deal with some tough choices: even though he is curious about Iggy, he has just started fitting in at his new school, and he doesn't want to lose Xio, his best friend. In So Hard to Say, Alex Sanchez, acclaimed author of the groundbreaking novels Rainbow High and Rainbow Boys, of which School Library Journal said, "It can open eyes and change lives," helps younger readers look at self-discovery, come to terms with being gay, and accept people who are different from them.
"Insightful…Readers will find it easy to empathize with both protagonists as Frederick gradually comes to terms with being gay-and shares his secret with Xio…For the most part this is a well crafted novel. The author maps out spot on issues for this age group, from name calling to self questioning to worrying about what others think. These believable narrators face realistic and complicated proble
