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Sprout
On Long Island, I'd been anonymous. Just one of 2,567 students, not at the top of the head, not at the bottom. Just a brown-haired piece of the middle. Take me out and nothing would collapse. No one would notice.
But in Kansas, I was marked out. The new kid. The stranger. The boy with the weird accent. The boy with the weird dad, and no mom. From the moment Madison Pagels tripped me as I walked down the aisle of the school bus at 7:07 a.m. to the moment Madison's best friend, Chelsea Monroe, tripped me as I walked up the aisle at 3:56 p.m., and at the spitballs, hall-pulling, snickers, catcalls, "Kick me" notes, and fistfights in between, the school day pretty much seemed to revolve around me. After one rock-solid week of this, I decided that if there had to be a target on my head, I'd paint it there myself.
But in Kansas, I was marked out. The new kid. The stranger. The boy with the weird accent. The boy with the weird dad, and no mom. From the moment Madison Pagels tripped me as I walked down the aisle of the school bus at 7:07 a.m. to the moment Madison's best friend, Chelsea Monroe, tripped me as I walked up the aisle at 3:56 p.m., and at the spitballs, hall-pulling, snickers, catcalls, "Kick me" notes, and fistfights in between, the school day pretty much seemed to revolve around me. After one rock-solid week of this, I decided that if there had to be a target on my head, I'd paint it there myself.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2009
38 people are currently reading
5300 people want to read
About the author
Dale Peck
41 books108 followersDale Peck (born 1967 on Long Island, New York) is an American novelist, critic, and columnist. His 2009 novel, Sprout, won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Children's/Young Adult literature, and was a finalist for the Stonewall Book Award in the Children's and Young Adult Literature category.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
December 10, 2015
Cross posted at Shelf Inflicted and at Outlaw Reviews
Daniel Bradford (aka Sprout) is the new boy in school. He moved from Long Island to rural Kansas with his alcoholic father when he was twelve.
He dyes his hair green, has a way with words, makes new friends, and even finds a boyfriend.
This story was a little funny and a little sad. It dredged up some of my own painful memories of moving from the “Big City” to "the Country"). I can totally relate to Sprout's feelings about having to adapt to a whole new way of life in a small town, his inability to fit in, and difficulty making friends.
At first, I felt Sprout’s voice was too adult and his vocabulary a little too advanced. As the story progressed, and I became closer to the character, I found him more believable. Because of his circumstances, Sprout has had to grow up a little faster than his peers with more ideal home situations.
Sprout is a quirky and, at times, sarcastic character. I liked being a part of his thought process, learning about his friends, his family, his teachers, and seeing him mature.
This is a great story for young and old alike. Those who have a hard time “fitting in” will surely relate.
Daniel Bradford (aka Sprout) is the new boy in school. He moved from Long Island to rural Kansas with his alcoholic father when he was twelve.
He dyes his hair green, has a way with words, makes new friends, and even finds a boyfriend.
This story was a little funny and a little sad. It dredged up some of my own painful memories of moving from the “Big City” to "the Country"). I can totally relate to Sprout's feelings about having to adapt to a whole new way of life in a small town, his inability to fit in, and difficulty making friends.
At first, I felt Sprout’s voice was too adult and his vocabulary a little too advanced. As the story progressed, and I became closer to the character, I found him more believable. Because of his circumstances, Sprout has had to grow up a little faster than his peers with more ideal home situations.
Sprout is a quirky and, at times, sarcastic character. I liked being a part of his thought process, learning about his friends, his family, his teachers, and seeing him mature.
This is a great story for young and old alike. Those who have a hard time “fitting in” will surely relate.
July 28, 2011
*HEADDESK* This book pretty much sucked. It opened really well, with Daniel aka Sprout, as this interesting engaging main character and the other characters like Mrs. Miller, his dad, Ian, and Ruthie that were well drawn out and moved the plot along. Then they introduced Ty and the whole thing just went to shit. Instead of an interesting look at this kid and his life, it became the most boring didactic queer rural novel you will ever read. Do you enjoy reading about people in the woods doing things like walking, digging, not talking, and shooting stuff? Yeah. All the interesting side characters were dropped like hot potatoes, along with the main plot about the essay contest. And the author sucks at writing exposition. There would be long boring passages where he would hint at something maybe happening, but it wouldn't be until three paragraphs later when you were going "wait, they made out!?!? Where!@???!"
The ending is totally tacked on and answers none of the interesting questions raised by the novel because all the characters decide to behave massively out of character in the last 30 pages. And you are left with an ending that doesn't really explain anything.
The ending is totally tacked on and answers none of the interesting questions raised by the novel because all the characters decide to behave massively out of character in the last 30 pages. And you are left with an ending that doesn't really explain anything.
November 1, 2009
"Sprout" is about Daniel Bradford, aka Sprout, a unique individual that has dyed his hair green and is also gay. And the thing is is that he though he knows he is gay, it's not like a secret or anything. He just doesn't want to come out to everyone at school, doesn't want the publicity or being known for that one aspect of his life. However, it's tough when your mom has passed away and your dad is always drunk, and on top of that he has just moved from his old home to some strange Kentucky place in the middle of nowhere. How is he going to win that state essay contest and find a boyfriend now...?
Goshh. I feel so many things for this book, and yet so little for it. I'm slightly dissapointed overall, I sorta feel bad cuz I expected a lot from it which is sorta unfair. Umm... where to go from here. Okay I'm going to start off by saying that I AM a male teenager who in many ways can relate to Sprout SITUATION-wise, I mean I'm not going to say it out right but I'm pretty sure you can guess what I mean when I say I know what he's going through the entire book... but uh yeah. So basically I am the target audience for the book, even though probably more people that weren't the intended target audience read it and liked it.
Moving on. What I wanted from this book was something... I don't know. Something that was simple and funny, or anything really. I guess I just wanted a character that I could relate to. Someone who knows what I am going through. At times I felt like I could connect to Sprout, but those times were limited. It's just that at the beggining his voice was really adult and not really teen-speak, at all. And even when it did become more teen-speak I felt he wasn't really communicating all that well, like he was constantly alluding to what he was trying to say instead of actually saying it. I'm pretty sure the author did this so that Sprout didn't seem really whiny, but idk, I found it hard to connect with him.
Plot plot plot. I had a real issue with the plot. Okay so basically NOTHING happens until Sprout meets a certain character, not saying who, and then at that point for the next like 50-100 pages I loved the book. Like, there was one moment where I started laughing out loud. Maybe that's why I'm giving the book three stars. But anyway, afterwards towards the end something else happens and the whole thing kinda breaks apart... I mean at one point Sprout's friend Ruthie tells him some news, and even though the news is big, it's pretty much not mentioned at all in the book after it was stated. Plot hole much?
So um yeah... I didn't really know what to say about this book and I think I kinda made my review unneccesarily long but oh wellz. It was funny at times but it wasn't a "What They Always Tell Us" or "Vast Fields of Ordinary". Not like I'm comparing, just saying. I need a good GLBT book! Rawrr.
Goshh. I feel so many things for this book, and yet so little for it. I'm slightly dissapointed overall, I sorta feel bad cuz I expected a lot from it which is sorta unfair. Umm... where to go from here. Okay I'm going to start off by saying that I AM a male teenager who in many ways can relate to Sprout SITUATION-wise, I mean I'm not going to say it out right but I'm pretty sure you can guess what I mean when I say I know what he's going through the entire book... but uh yeah. So basically I am the target audience for the book, even though probably more people that weren't the intended target audience read it and liked it.
Moving on. What I wanted from this book was something... I don't know. Something that was simple and funny, or anything really. I guess I just wanted a character that I could relate to. Someone who knows what I am going through. At times I felt like I could connect to Sprout, but those times were limited. It's just that at the beggining his voice was really adult and not really teen-speak, at all. And even when it did become more teen-speak I felt he wasn't really communicating all that well, like he was constantly alluding to what he was trying to say instead of actually saying it. I'm pretty sure the author did this so that Sprout didn't seem really whiny, but idk, I found it hard to connect with him.
Plot plot plot. I had a real issue with the plot. Okay so basically NOTHING happens until Sprout meets a certain character, not saying who, and then at that point for the next like 50-100 pages I loved the book. Like, there was one moment where I started laughing out loud. Maybe that's why I'm giving the book three stars. But anyway, afterwards towards the end something else happens and the whole thing kinda breaks apart... I mean at one point Sprout's friend Ruthie tells him some news, and even though the news is big, it's pretty much not mentioned at all in the book after it was stated. Plot hole much?
So um yeah... I didn't really know what to say about this book and I think I kinda made my review unneccesarily long but oh wellz. It was funny at times but it wasn't a "What They Always Tell Us" or "Vast Fields of Ordinary". Not like I'm comparing, just saying. I need a good GLBT book! Rawrr.
February 7, 2014
I sat with a longtime acquaintance on the train the other day; he handles YA novels for a major publisher. When I brought up a couple of my favorite YA authors (both reviewed here)who focus on gay teens, he dismissed gay books as "usually bad." A gay man dismissing gay-themed YA books as bad--without actually knowing either of the authors' work. I could have slugged him. But he's otherwise a nice guy, so I let it pass.
Having just finished Dale Peck's "Sprout," recommended to me by a friend on AfterElton's gay lit forum, I'm thinking I should have slugged my friend after all.
Before starting to write this, I read the worst reviews of "Sprout" here. I see why those reviewers were displeased, but I hasten to say they missed the point. "Sprout" is a double-edged (or, perhaps, two-sided) story. It starts out surprisingly light-hearted, and laugh-out-loud funny. It takes a very unhappy subject and turns it into a picaresque adventure of a broken man and his confused and damaged son setting off to create a new life. Or, possibly, the story of a budding novelist who is helped to discover his talent by a quirky and damaged midwestern school teacher.
But, as one complaining reviewer wrote, midway through the book things take a darker turn, and the emotional pain beneath the laughter comes rising to the surface. And with it comes love, which in turn reveals more pain. But far from putting me off, this shift in tone simply pulled me into Daniel Bradford's world more fully. It helped me understand that the strength this boy was showing was real, but also that it masked wounds that had scarred over without healing. The pain at the end of the story, which left me weeping and exhilarated at the same time, shows us that Sprout is going to be fine; that he will, after all, heal. It is not just the story of a man emerging from the hurting soul of a boy; but the emergence of a writer with a story to tell and the experience to bring it to life.
Peck's writing is very good, beautiful in many places. There is nothing non-adult about this book, nothing that a sophisticated grown-up reader wouldn't enjoy. Unless of course, he just dislikes kids. I have two teenagers, so how could I help but love this?
Having just finished Dale Peck's "Sprout," recommended to me by a friend on AfterElton's gay lit forum, I'm thinking I should have slugged my friend after all.
Before starting to write this, I read the worst reviews of "Sprout" here. I see why those reviewers were displeased, but I hasten to say they missed the point. "Sprout" is a double-edged (or, perhaps, two-sided) story. It starts out surprisingly light-hearted, and laugh-out-loud funny. It takes a very unhappy subject and turns it into a picaresque adventure of a broken man and his confused and damaged son setting off to create a new life. Or, possibly, the story of a budding novelist who is helped to discover his talent by a quirky and damaged midwestern school teacher.
But, as one complaining reviewer wrote, midway through the book things take a darker turn, and the emotional pain beneath the laughter comes rising to the surface. And with it comes love, which in turn reveals more pain. But far from putting me off, this shift in tone simply pulled me into Daniel Bradford's world more fully. It helped me understand that the strength this boy was showing was real, but also that it masked wounds that had scarred over without healing. The pain at the end of the story, which left me weeping and exhilarated at the same time, shows us that Sprout is going to be fine; that he will, after all, heal. It is not just the story of a man emerging from the hurting soul of a boy; but the emergence of a writer with a story to tell and the experience to bring it to life.
Peck's writing is very good, beautiful in many places. There is nothing non-adult about this book, nothing that a sophisticated grown-up reader wouldn't enjoy. Unless of course, he just dislikes kids. I have two teenagers, so how could I help but love this?
August 6, 2009
I loved this book - Sprout was a funny and engaging character, and the novel was structured like he was writing it - in parts essays for Mrs Miller, the senior English teacher who likes inventing cocktails and has taken Sprout under her wing to train him for the State Essay Contest, and thoughts of his own. It was kind of hard to discern when it stopped being essays and started being his private thoughts, and I loved the confusing, sprawling way in which it was written.
The characters all had depth and were endlessly interesting, if a little frustrating - Sprout's strange relationship with Ian Abernathy, his future-starlet friend Ruthie Wilcox (who I felt we didn't find out enough about; though she seemed a really bizarre character, in what we did learn about her), Sprout's drunk father who later starts dating Mrs Miller, and Ty, Sprout's somewhat troubled friend.
Sprout himself is a really great character - he carries a dictionary around, for one thing, which is odd enough on his own. The point at which he reveals he is gay to Mrs Miller is also when the reader finds out he's gay, and I think this part would be a whole lot more effecting if I hadn't have known this as soon as I read the back cover blurb. Sprout was a character I really empathised with.
Even the settings were interesting - Sprout lives in a trailer which his father grew vines around, and surrounded with upside-down tree stumps. So many little details like that made a quirky story even stranger, and the characters, their experiences, their behavious, were believable even with their eccentricities.
One of many things I loved about this book was how honest it was; almost shockingly at times, but I think that added to the entire appeal of the novel. It was decidedly different.
Overall, a brilliantly funny and moving novel. I don't think this book is for everyone, but if you like books which are honest, witty and a little bit left of centre, it's definitely worth picking up.
The characters all had depth and were endlessly interesting, if a little frustrating - Sprout's strange relationship with Ian Abernathy, his future-starlet friend Ruthie Wilcox (who I felt we didn't find out enough about; though she seemed a really bizarre character, in what we did learn about her), Sprout's drunk father who later starts dating Mrs Miller, and Ty, Sprout's somewhat troubled friend.
Sprout himself is a really great character - he carries a dictionary around, for one thing, which is odd enough on his own. The point at which he reveals he is gay to Mrs Miller is also when the reader finds out he's gay, and I think this part would be a whole lot more effecting if I hadn't have known this as soon as I read the back cover blurb. Sprout was a character I really empathised with.
Even the settings were interesting - Sprout lives in a trailer which his father grew vines around, and surrounded with upside-down tree stumps. So many little details like that made a quirky story even stranger, and the characters, their experiences, their behavious, were believable even with their eccentricities.
One of many things I loved about this book was how honest it was; almost shockingly at times, but I think that added to the entire appeal of the novel. It was decidedly different.
Overall, a brilliantly funny and moving novel. I don't think this book is for everyone, but if you like books which are honest, witty and a little bit left of centre, it's definitely worth picking up.
December 9, 2009
This book is compelling, literary, beautifully written with well developed characters, both adult and teen. It is smart, funny and heartbreaking and not predictable at all. My only problem with it is that I wanted more. I felt like all the character’s stories were left unfinished. I will be thinking about scenes of this book for a long time.
The basic plot is smart, irreverent, and funny gay teen in small town Kansas. Add an alcoholic father, dead mother, hilarious writing teacher, and interesting best friend and you have the 1st half of the book, which is basically a smart comedy. Then there is the 2nd 1/2 of the book which is a lovely, poignant, at times hot romance. Finally, gay teens can have a hot romance, and a romantic romance, and a fully developed romance until… Well you have to read it to find out.
I really strongly feel like the story ended too abruptly, it just stopped. It was totally unsatisfying, and I even wrote the author to beg for a continuation. However I still loved the book enough to give it 5 stars.
I think this book is good for any queer teen or adult, John Green/Spectacular Now fans, and people who like sophisticated, contemporary, realistic fiction.
The basic plot is smart, irreverent, and funny gay teen in small town Kansas. Add an alcoholic father, dead mother, hilarious writing teacher, and interesting best friend and you have the 1st half of the book, which is basically a smart comedy. Then there is the 2nd 1/2 of the book which is a lovely, poignant, at times hot romance. Finally, gay teens can have a hot romance, and a romantic romance, and a fully developed romance until… Well you have to read it to find out.
I really strongly feel like the story ended too abruptly, it just stopped. It was totally unsatisfying, and I even wrote the author to beg for a continuation. However I still loved the book enough to give it 5 stars.
I think this book is good for any queer teen or adult, John Green/Spectacular Now fans, and people who like sophisticated, contemporary, realistic fiction.
June 14, 2023
Witty and fun. This is one of those "young adult" books which more than satisfies the adult reader.
The sophisticated narrative does not condescend, but assumes the reader is smart and curious. Why oh why weren't there books like this when I was a teenager?
The sophisticated narrative does not condescend, but assumes the reader is smart and curious. Why oh why weren't there books like this when I was a teenager?
November 3, 2013
“Well, uh. I mean, have you, you know? Acted on your, um, feelings?”I don't know where to start when talking about Sprout because, to be honest, I have mixed feelings about it.
Think about that for a minute. Do you honestly believe Mrs. M. would ever ask, oh, let’s say Ian Abernathy, if he was having sex? So, Ian, I hear you’ve joined the ranks of card-carrying heterosexuals. Gotten any action yet? Yeah, me neither.
It all started OK, I guess, until endless descriptions, telling-not-showing, a really weird writing style and the use of way too many big words made me go: meh, another one of those books that's trying way too hard to be quirky. With just about everything in it.
I have to admit, when I started Sprout, I didn't know a thing about it, only that it's about a gay boy and that's it. What made me read it? I don't know. But after around 15%-ish, I was reading it more to be done with it than because I was interested in how the story would continue.
I was way too confused until the 50%-mark because while Sprout (that's our main character's nickname that he got for his hair, his real name's Daniel) isn't an unreliable narrator, he keeps information from the reader that just confuses you. Sure, some of the information is easy to figure out but most of the time he wasn't even unreliable with keeping the information from the reader for the sake of it. You see, he's preparing for this essay contest and I guess this was just him trying out literary styles. Like in the first part of the story, where you learn most of the basic stuff about Sprout via 5 minute essays his teacher makes him write as kind of exercise.
Another thing that added to my meh feelings for this book was that while other people are mentioned in the first half of the book, it felt like it almost only had Sprout, his teacher and his dad playing a role before you even really got to know other people (because, you know, our dear Sprout being this literary genius and withholding information for what exactly when this ain't a crime or serious mystery novel?), which is why it was pretty dull and just dragged for me. This just added even more to my interest in finishing this book, not to my interest in the story. Whatever, I thought, I'm ready to be done with this "quirky" book.
But around halfway through the book, Sprout started to grow on me. Sure, he did say quite a lot of stupid stuff at the beginning, I was shaking my head at his pretentiousness (I just don't need clever sounding words showed down my throat) and in some moments even snobbiness but when I looked deeper, I saw how all of this—the love for big words and language in general and him obviously showing it off—is just a way to hide himself behind, to not show that all of what is happening around and to him since his mother died (his father drinking, him being pretty lonely and not talking to anybody about how he feels because he has nobody to really talk to) is getting to him. He addresses the reader quite frequently and so it feels like Sprout is telling you this story and while he's not telling you everything from the start, he starts to trust you at some point. (Which sounds kind of weird but I hope makes sense when you read it yourself.)
Soon enough, I found that I have soft spot for Sprout. Maybe even because he reminded me of myself a little.
All the (stupid, some would say) decisions he makes because he cares for someone way too much and then there's the taking himself way too serious at times (you ain't foolin me with throwing some hilarity in this narration of your life), I just thought, damn, isn't this book forcing a mirror in my face to look at.
It's so easy to judge people for how they are without actually thinking about what made them be this way and with Sprout, while I felt like he was just a pretentious, annoying kid I didn't particularly care about at the beginning, as I read on (and he started to grow on me) and I started to think about his backstory (his mum dying, his dad being an alcoholic), I started to understand. And it is also sometime during the end that you find out why he has such a big love for words and language and why it is that he clings on to it during pretty much every situation in his life that made me understand even more why he's the way he is and it broke my heart so fucking much for him.
Now let's talk about the romance in this book. I admit, for the first half of the story, the "romance" made me go wait-what-is-going-on-here-I-don't-understand (I think you'll get my feelings when you read the book) because a) it's just the way Sprout tells you his story (not telling you everything from the start aka withholding information), and b) because you keep wondering, so, is there more to this little thingy (the word I'll just use to not go into spoiler territory) here? I won't spoil it for you because I was suprised at the romance turn the story took after halfway through but the romance has to be the sweetest thing ever. Seriously. Maybe it's just me but I love it when two broken kids find a way to open up to each other about what is going on in their life, find solace in the fact that they're both going through some shit and finding a way to love each other, despite their flaws and whatever fucked up "role models" they have to deal with.
I hate it when people repeat the last thing that’s been said to them because they’re too afraid to ask what the other person meant by it. “You want to remember this moment,” I said finally, because when it comes right down to it, I’m a coward.The ending took a little (too) dramatic turn (for my taste) and left things open. I wasn't a big fan of the author opening another plot line so close to the end (talking about a certain plot line between Ruthie and someone else that felt like a comedic bomb going off in the book because I was just like: um, okay, seriously? and then it doesn't even get resolved) but other than that, I didn't mind the ending that much. Sure, I would have wished for a more satisfying ending because I started to care for Sprout (and a certain someone) at some point and wanted to be sure that he's (and certain someone are) OK. But I have a good feeling that things will get better for Sprout. While we are left hanging in a way, I think that he finally found the person who is his happy place.
Overall, my feelings for this book are mixed but I can overlook all the little bits that bothered me because I did love it. Maybe (probably) it's because I found parts of myself in Sprout and also because I just adored the sweet romance. This book certainly has its flaws, one of its biggest the quite dull and dragging beginning of the story but if you have a little patience at hand, I'd certainly recommend this book.
April 15, 2017
I greatly enjoyed this book, however I'm going to warn you now that there is no happy ending. It is bitter sweet, but not happy, which makes it one of the best endings I've read, but still torturous for your soul. What can I say, I'm a bit of a masochist. The syntax and word choice was of course beautiful, just as it was meant to be. Peck is an author that excels at choosing the perfect word, not just the good-enough words.
May 20, 2012
Sprout and his father moved to an isolated trailer in Kansas (from Long Island) after Sprout’s mother passed away (cancer). There, Sprout’s dad took to alcohol like a fish to water, and Sprout took to dying his hair green and rearranging their furniture – the stuff that wouldn’t fit into their new home – under a tarp in the woods. When Mrs. Miller – one of the high school English teachers – gets a copy of one of Sprout’s essays, she convinces him to enter a state-wide essay contest and starts training him. This novel is a collection of all of the pieces (plus!) he puts together during these writing sessions – where he tries to talk about himself in an interesting way that will grab the judges’ attention. Also, he’s gay, but he’s not supposed to write about that. And he’s in love with the new kid. Who might also be gay. But when they’re discovered (in the janitor’s closet!!)– by Sprout’s friends – Ty (his boyfriend?) runs off, maybe never to be seen again.
This is a wandering, character-driven, delightfully verbose (Sprout reads the dictionary for fun, so yeah) coming of age novel. I’m still not sure what Sprout’s secret is that everyone knows (he says it’s not that he’s gay), but I feel his pain. He manages to be funny in exactly the quirky kind of way that I love so much. Pain and grief and isolation make us into strange creatures, and Sprout maps that landscape expertly.
This is a wandering, character-driven, delightfully verbose (Sprout reads the dictionary for fun, so yeah) coming of age novel. I’m still not sure what Sprout’s secret is that everyone knows (he says it’s not that he’s gay), but I feel his pain. He manages to be funny in exactly the quirky kind of way that I love so much. Pain and grief and isolation make us into strange creatures, and Sprout maps that landscape expertly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2011
This is a great read about a young gay man coming into his own. He's smart and is intent on letting us know that. He's a writer and he loves playing word games -- almost as much as you'll love his style.
His situation is quirky and his life is complex, but he's charming and you quickly find yourself rooting for him.
While he's smart and able to take care of himself (and take care of an athletic bully who can't help tormenting him), when he meets another guy who's suffered a loss as big as his own, Sprout finds himself no longer in control and possibly entangled in problems that are too big for him without some savvy adult help. (Something that's woefully lacking in Sprout's life)
The author of this book teaches writing and he's created a charming, snarky kid that displays a love of language that makes him irresistible to any apsiring writers like me.
Read and enjoy!
His situation is quirky and his life is complex, but he's charming and you quickly find yourself rooting for him.
While he's smart and able to take care of himself (and take care of an athletic bully who can't help tormenting him), when he meets another guy who's suffered a loss as big as his own, Sprout finds himself no longer in control and possibly entangled in problems that are too big for him without some savvy adult help. (Something that's woefully lacking in Sprout's life)
The author of this book teaches writing and he's created a charming, snarky kid that displays a love of language that makes him irresistible to any apsiring writers like me.
Read and enjoy!
February 19, 2017
i think this is a case of liking the narrative and hating how the characters ended up. the book has a intriguing protagonist who veers off into the land of vagueness. i couldn't really lose myself into the story after ty's entry because the entire narrative shifted instead of telling us about why sprout feels (and does things) the way he does. [and that was what i was expecting]
the later parts of the book felt was like seeing through a haze of marijuana- er, hemp smoke, strange and unreal.
the later parts of the book felt was like seeing through a haze of marijuana- er, hemp smoke, strange and unreal.
August 30, 2012
Dale Peck's "Sprout" is written in a loose stream-of-consciousness style, with many asides, that put me off a bit at first. But once I got a chapter or two into the story, it all seemed quite natural to me and I found myself liking Sprout (Daniel). He’s an extremely intelligent and articulate kid with a unique way of looking at and describing the world, and one with a quirky sense of humour. The reader can’t help but feel that he’s adjusted very well to the lousy hand life has dealt him.
The early part of the novel is told in flashback, going back four years previous. We begin with a headlong flight from Long Island; after the death of Sprout’s mother his father had a complete break-down and simply loaded up a van and drove west until they finally ended up in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. The father’s descent into alcoholism and complete irresponsibility (and occasional seeming insanity) is told in a light-hearted way; he sometimes comes across as the jovial, eccentric, genial drunk. Though, when I really started to think about it and look past the gloss, I found myself disliking the character of the father more and more as the book progressed. No doubt about it, he was a TERRIBLE parent and as far as I’m concerned his actions, while understandable perhaps, were also inexcusable when he had a child to look after.
However, this really is not a doom-and-gloom novel. We zip forward to the present---Sprout is now sixteen---and along the way we get to learn a lot about his friends and teachers and life in and out of school. It’s all quite funny, really----the protagonist has such a way with words when talking about his life. And the story really takes off when he befriends Ty, a local boy who has things much worse; their friendship is at the heart of the book and leads to a rather shattering climax. And near the end, we finally begin to sense what Sprout is feeling beyond the flippant exterior, and find out that his unconventional home life and the disintegration of his family has really affected him much more deeply than the reader has first supposed.
The end of the story is both uplifting and heartbreaking---I know it made quite an impression on me. In fact, a few nights ago (when I was half-way through the book) I had intended to read just a couple of chapters before bed, and ended up reading the second half all in one sitting, finally finishing very late into the night. And afterwards I just lay there in the dark, thinking about the story, until I finally figured well, this is no good, I’m never going to get to sleep now. So I got up, went and did some work for several hours until the sun was well up in the sky, and I finally collapsed because I couldn’t keep my eyes open another minute. Not many books cause me to react in this way!
The book is a stand-alone, but if ever a novel warranted a sequel this is it. I’d like to see the story continued, but written from Ty’s point of view. I really do want to know what happened next! I wonder if I wrote the author and begged him to do another book, if he’d listen…. Ha!
This is quite unlike the majority of YA novels I read, and I can’t say how anyone else may react to it, but I certainly do recommend it.
The early part of the novel is told in flashback, going back four years previous. We begin with a headlong flight from Long Island; after the death of Sprout’s mother his father had a complete break-down and simply loaded up a van and drove west until they finally ended up in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. The father’s descent into alcoholism and complete irresponsibility (and occasional seeming insanity) is told in a light-hearted way; he sometimes comes across as the jovial, eccentric, genial drunk. Though, when I really started to think about it and look past the gloss, I found myself disliking the character of the father more and more as the book progressed. No doubt about it, he was a TERRIBLE parent and as far as I’m concerned his actions, while understandable perhaps, were also inexcusable when he had a child to look after.
However, this really is not a doom-and-gloom novel. We zip forward to the present---Sprout is now sixteen---and along the way we get to learn a lot about his friends and teachers and life in and out of school. It’s all quite funny, really----the protagonist has such a way with words when talking about his life. And the story really takes off when he befriends Ty, a local boy who has things much worse; their friendship is at the heart of the book and leads to a rather shattering climax. And near the end, we finally begin to sense what Sprout is feeling beyond the flippant exterior, and find out that his unconventional home life and the disintegration of his family has really affected him much more deeply than the reader has first supposed.
The end of the story is both uplifting and heartbreaking---I know it made quite an impression on me. In fact, a few nights ago (when I was half-way through the book) I had intended to read just a couple of chapters before bed, and ended up reading the second half all in one sitting, finally finishing very late into the night. And afterwards I just lay there in the dark, thinking about the story, until I finally figured well, this is no good, I’m never going to get to sleep now. So I got up, went and did some work for several hours until the sun was well up in the sky, and I finally collapsed because I couldn’t keep my eyes open another minute. Not many books cause me to react in this way!
The book is a stand-alone, but if ever a novel warranted a sequel this is it. I’d like to see the story continued, but written from Ty’s point of view. I really do want to know what happened next! I wonder if I wrote the author and begged him to do another book, if he’d listen…. Ha!
This is quite unlike the majority of YA novels I read, and I can’t say how anyone else may react to it, but I certainly do recommend it.
September 10, 2011
Quite a few of my fellow readers adhere to what is commonly referred to as "The 25 Page Rule." This means that if they aren’t enjoying a book by the time they’re 25 pages in, they abandon it. Well, I pity those folks because I can’t tell you how many rewarding reading experiences I might’ve missed if I gave up on books that quickly. Dale Peck’s Sprout certainly falls into that category. I think I was grinding my teeth through about 90% of this one, but I necked it out to the end and am so grateful that I did.
Sprout, the eponymous narrator, is, in most ways, the typical teenaged gay nebbish found in countless other coming of age stories – a smarmy know-it-all who seems to have one up on everyone around him, even the adults. Especially the adults. His constant stream of twee asides is grating from the outset and it never lets up. It seems as if the voice of the author, a notoriously caustic literary critic, is drowning out that of his young, green-haired protagonist.
But I should have realized that Peck is no amateur. This is a skilled and wily writer who knows how to manipulate his audience for maximum emotional impact. Sprout is a coming of age story in the truest sense of the word. By the book’s end, the relentless stream of sarcastic badinage makes perfect dramatic sense as we see Sprout shed the knee-jerk defenses of youth and begin to mature into a reflective and intelligent young man.
Although this is being promoted as a young adult novel, Peck has chosen not to talk down to his audience, creating something almost too sophisticated for the teen crowd. I mean, can he really be so out of touch with "real" people that he believes a rabble rousing, seventeen year old D student would use the word "apocryphal" in casual conversation? I think this is indicative of the fact that, as a writer, Peck is something of a showman who refuses to completely disappear behind his characters. Near the end of his lovely book Martin and John, a series of short stories that all involve the same two men living in various alternative realities, one of them suddenly calls the other "Dale," an unnecessary piece of literary tomfoolery which jolted me right out of the story. With Sprout, his style seems just a bit too precious and "writerly" to convincingly capture the authentic voice of a high school kid.
Nonetheless, this is certainly a worthwhile read. It will definitely speak to you if, like me, you count yourself among the misfits, geeks and outsiders. And while LGBT books with positive messages and relatable protagonists are a dime a dozen these days, very few are as stylish and well-written.
Sprout, the eponymous narrator, is, in most ways, the typical teenaged gay nebbish found in countless other coming of age stories – a smarmy know-it-all who seems to have one up on everyone around him, even the adults. Especially the adults. His constant stream of twee asides is grating from the outset and it never lets up. It seems as if the voice of the author, a notoriously caustic literary critic, is drowning out that of his young, green-haired protagonist.
But I should have realized that Peck is no amateur. This is a skilled and wily writer who knows how to manipulate his audience for maximum emotional impact. Sprout is a coming of age story in the truest sense of the word. By the book’s end, the relentless stream of sarcastic badinage makes perfect dramatic sense as we see Sprout shed the knee-jerk defenses of youth and begin to mature into a reflective and intelligent young man.
Although this is being promoted as a young adult novel, Peck has chosen not to talk down to his audience, creating something almost too sophisticated for the teen crowd. I mean, can he really be so out of touch with "real" people that he believes a rabble rousing, seventeen year old D student would use the word "apocryphal" in casual conversation? I think this is indicative of the fact that, as a writer, Peck is something of a showman who refuses to completely disappear behind his characters. Near the end of his lovely book Martin and John, a series of short stories that all involve the same two men living in various alternative realities, one of them suddenly calls the other "Dale," an unnecessary piece of literary tomfoolery which jolted me right out of the story. With Sprout, his style seems just a bit too precious and "writerly" to convincingly capture the authentic voice of a high school kid.
Nonetheless, this is certainly a worthwhile read. It will definitely speak to you if, like me, you count yourself among the misfits, geeks and outsiders. And while LGBT books with positive messages and relatable protagonists are a dime a dozen these days, very few are as stylish and well-written.
May 14, 2013
I am really conflicted about this book. I LOVED the first part. That all-consuming-must-have-more-please-don't-let-it-ever-stop kind of love. I made three pages of notes. I was charmed by this green haired boy who, while smart as hell, wasn't as annoying and stuck up as most of the really smart YA characters. Then I kept listening, and the second half of the story hit and the magic slowly started to bleed away.
In fact, I am so disheartened by the last half of this story, I can't even be arsed to type up those three pages of notes.
Daniel Bradford is not your average teen. Uprooted after his mom's death and relocated from Long Island to Kansas, he now lives in a trailer with his alcoholic father. A trailer covered with vines and other vegetation, with uprooted tree stumps decorating the front yard. His first day in his new school, resident asshat bully with a secret, Ian Abernathy, takes one look at 12 year old Daniel and declares him gay. Which, granted, not inaccurate. That's okay, though, Daniel makes a friend in Ruthie Wilcox, the girl determined to be a star. Daniel decides to start dyeing his hair green. His father explains it as the need to create an outward sign of how different Daniel feels inside. The green hair leads to him being nicknamed Sprout.
Up to this point the story is very engaging, if written in a sprawling, kind of disjointed fashion. It works. Then we meet Ty. It is suddenly all about Ty. Most everything else drops away as Sprout just stops caring. The really interesting secondary characters go for chapters without being mentioned, and when they are, everyone has turned into a upside down twisted version of themselves, acting completely unlike I expected them to.
In fact, I am so disheartened by the last half of this story, I can't even be arsed to type up those three pages of notes.
Daniel Bradford is not your average teen. Uprooted after his mom's death and relocated from Long Island to Kansas, he now lives in a trailer with his alcoholic father. A trailer covered with vines and other vegetation, with uprooted tree stumps decorating the front yard. His first day in his new school, resident asshat bully with a secret, Ian Abernathy, takes one look at 12 year old Daniel and declares him gay. Which, granted, not inaccurate. That's okay, though, Daniel makes a friend in Ruthie Wilcox, the girl determined to be a star. Daniel decides to start dyeing his hair green. His father explains it as the need to create an outward sign of how different Daniel feels inside. The green hair leads to him being nicknamed Sprout.
Up to this point the story is very engaging, if written in a sprawling, kind of disjointed fashion. It works. Then we meet Ty. It is suddenly all about Ty. Most everything else drops away as Sprout just stops caring. The really interesting secondary characters go for chapters without being mentioned, and when they are, everyone has turned into a upside down twisted version of themselves, acting completely unlike I expected them to.
June 26, 2009
Hmmm...this one is a conundrum. Very complex and layered. It needs another reading.
This is definitely a character study. All of the characters are complex individuals with both goodness and flaws. They are all unforgettable, especially Daniel (Sprout) Bradford, from whose perspective we get the story and Ty, the boy who becomes Sprout's boyfriend. The writing is at once heart-breaking and hilarious. It will be a tough read for teens because the language is intelligent (Sprout is a budding writer who carries around a dictionary that once belonged to his deceased mother), and because of the abundance of symbolism and the use of allusions.
The themes are mature and, again, complex. Issues of homosexuality, sex, love, abuse, alcoholism, loss, anger, friendship, and jealousy are all explored. And no easy answers are given. Not everything is resolved neatly, as is true in "real" life.
There is some language, alcohol consumption, lots of talk of sex (though nothing particularly graphic)...and because much of the sex is homosexual sex, as the main character says, the book may be problematic for school libraries. The book is definitely edgy. The conundrum is even thinking about not putting it on the shelf - librarians should not be censors. Yet the book is an easy target for those on the hunt for books that should be banned from high school libraries. I think the audience for this one is small mature, older male teens - but I think that this is the audience that needs this book.
This is definitely a character study. All of the characters are complex individuals with both goodness and flaws. They are all unforgettable, especially Daniel (Sprout) Bradford, from whose perspective we get the story and Ty, the boy who becomes Sprout's boyfriend. The writing is at once heart-breaking and hilarious. It will be a tough read for teens because the language is intelligent (Sprout is a budding writer who carries around a dictionary that once belonged to his deceased mother), and because of the abundance of symbolism and the use of allusions.
The themes are mature and, again, complex. Issues of homosexuality, sex, love, abuse, alcoholism, loss, anger, friendship, and jealousy are all explored. And no easy answers are given. Not everything is resolved neatly, as is true in "real" life.
There is some language, alcohol consumption, lots of talk of sex (though nothing particularly graphic)...and because much of the sex is homosexual sex, as the main character says, the book may be problematic for school libraries. The book is definitely edgy. The conundrum is even thinking about not putting it on the shelf - librarians should not be censors. Yet the book is an easy target for those on the hunt for books that should be banned from high school libraries. I think the audience for this one is small mature, older male teens - but I think that this is the audience that needs this book.
October 8, 2013
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
After his mother died of cancer, Sprout and his father packed their belongings and moved from Long Island to Hutchison, Kansas. They may as well moved to another planet. Sprout has been in Kansas for years now, but is still the new kid. His green hair makes him stand out as it is, but add in his eccentric, alcoholic father and the fact that he’s an in-the-closet gay teenager in the reddest red state in the country and there’s no way he can fit in.
“Sprout” popped up on a recommended reading list since I adore all that is David Levithan. Kind of an unfair thing to do to Dale Peck since Levithan just sets the bar soooooo high when it comes to teenage characters, huh? That being said, “Sprout” was a fairly decent read. I know many people have a huge pet peeve with adolescent characters who speak like an Encyclopedia Brittanica, but I’m not one of them (Non-spoiler alert: If you are generally annoyed by this – ride it out for the duration of “Sprout” – there might be a method to his madness). I kind of loved Sprout Bradford throughout most of the book. He was unique, he was witty and he obviously needed people to love him. Peck wrote a good book. However, open endings are my kryptonite. An open ending just sucks the happy endorphins right out of my system - especially when the book is less than 300 pages. Finish the book, Peck. I might even break my own rule and read the sequel. Until then, 3-Stars is as good a rating as I can muster.
After his mother died of cancer, Sprout and his father packed their belongings and moved from Long Island to Hutchison, Kansas. They may as well moved to another planet. Sprout has been in Kansas for years now, but is still the new kid. His green hair makes him stand out as it is, but add in his eccentric, alcoholic father and the fact that he’s an in-the-closet gay teenager in the reddest red state in the country and there’s no way he can fit in.
“Sprout” popped up on a recommended reading list since I adore all that is David Levithan. Kind of an unfair thing to do to Dale Peck since Levithan just sets the bar soooooo high when it comes to teenage characters, huh? That being said, “Sprout” was a fairly decent read. I know many people have a huge pet peeve with adolescent characters who speak like an Encyclopedia Brittanica, but I’m not one of them (Non-spoiler alert: If you are generally annoyed by this – ride it out for the duration of “Sprout” – there might be a method to his madness). I kind of loved Sprout Bradford throughout most of the book. He was unique, he was witty and he obviously needed people to love him. Peck wrote a good book. However, open endings are my kryptonite. An open ending just sucks the happy endorphins right out of my system - especially when the book is less than 300 pages. Finish the book, Peck. I might even break my own rule and read the sequel. Until then, 3-Stars is as good a rating as I can muster.
September 11, 2009
Bloomsbury, 2009 978-1-59990-160-2 $16.99
Sprout, so known for his dyed green hair, and his dad have moved from Long Island to the middle of nowhere in Kansas after the death of Sprout’s mother. His father settles them into a trailer on some land outside of town, and spends most of his time drinking. Sprout gets the usual hazing at school, but finds a friend in Ruth Wilcox, another smart outsider. Mrs. Miller, the Senior English teacher decides he should enter into the state essay contest, and having nothing better to do, Sprout agrees to tutoring and essay time trials all summer vacation. But Sprout has a secret—or a few of them, and he finally decides to tell Mrs. Miller that he is gay and that he wants to write about that in the contest. Meanwhile, he is developing a relationship with Ty, a kid even newer to the school than he, who lives near him, but under the very violent control of his father. The two boys sneak around together, becoming friends, and then more. When they are found out at school, Sprout, for no reason that he can understand, betrays Ty, who then disappears into the winter with no money and nowhere to go.
Sprout is an engaging character, and this is a beautifully written, funny at times, and very serious at others, as it portrays gay teens dealing with the struggles to survive at home and at school. Disappointingly it has a heartbreaking ending more reminiscent of LGBT teen novels of twenty or thirty years ago.
Sprout, so known for his dyed green hair, and his dad have moved from Long Island to the middle of nowhere in Kansas after the death of Sprout’s mother. His father settles them into a trailer on some land outside of town, and spends most of his time drinking. Sprout gets the usual hazing at school, but finds a friend in Ruth Wilcox, another smart outsider. Mrs. Miller, the Senior English teacher decides he should enter into the state essay contest, and having nothing better to do, Sprout agrees to tutoring and essay time trials all summer vacation. But Sprout has a secret—or a few of them, and he finally decides to tell Mrs. Miller that he is gay and that he wants to write about that in the contest. Meanwhile, he is developing a relationship with Ty, a kid even newer to the school than he, who lives near him, but under the very violent control of his father. The two boys sneak around together, becoming friends, and then more. When they are found out at school, Sprout, for no reason that he can understand, betrays Ty, who then disappears into the winter with no money and nowhere to go.
Sprout is an engaging character, and this is a beautifully written, funny at times, and very serious at others, as it portrays gay teens dealing with the struggles to survive at home and at school. Disappointingly it has a heartbreaking ending more reminiscent of LGBT teen novels of twenty or thirty years ago.
March 13, 2023
I have always loved Dale Peck's writing - when I read this I didn't realise it was aimed at YA - but maybe I should have, it was more accessible then some of his others but no less wonderful. If you need more than a recommendation to read this, and all Peck's other books, then go to the reviews by 1) Thomas on July 5, 2009 (I have much admired other reviews by him) or 2) Ulysses Dietz on February 7, 2014. Both go into greater depths explain the strengths, beauty and excellence of this book. On top of anything else the book is very funny in parts - though of course there are darker sides too. Just get it, read it and make up your own mind.
May 9, 2016
It is so nice to read a well-written ya book with a gay protagonist. I am now working my way through Dale Peck's other books. Can't believe I only now discovered him. Fantastic!
August 15, 2017
Sprout
The question of who I really am and why did I do that?
Sprout is the outsider: the guy who didn't grow up in the small town of Hutchinson, Kansas. He felt so much of an outsider that he dies his hair green during the first week of school at Buhler High. That week he gets the special attention of Ruthie Wilcox and Ian Abernathy, both of whom will become, in different ways, important people in his life. How can a boy from Long Island survive in the country? Somewhere along the line Mrs. Miller, the school's senior English teacher takes an interest in Sprout and encourages him to enter the State essay writing contest. Sprout begins to write and his story unfolds.
Dale Peck has written a quirky account of a young man's life, fully capturing the vigour and spirit of youth. This account is sometimes sassy, sometimes humorous and sometimes sad. The account is first person narrative. In sometimes long, winding passages we follow Sprouts thoughts deep into his mind, his personality, his world view. This account is very discursive as Sprout gets side tracked or even avoids the truth. If you want your authors to continually be clear and get to the point you won't enjoy this book. This is a character novel about a questioning youth, and the novel ends with some questions left unanswered. This may be frustrating and untidy, but life is like that. Things rarely come to us in neat packages. If you enjoy finding out about people, in all their complexities, confusions and incompleteness you will love this book. Peck is a fine, intelligent writer and both youth and adults will like this book.
Sprout, as we have seen, is confused and avoiding the truth. He has secret, but he wants to hide them, even from himself. Youth will like his sassiness and sense of humour. While being an outsider, he has spirit and his life is certainly not boring. The reader sides with the underdog, only to find that he has winning characteristics; that he is perhaps even brilliant in some ways. There are other characters in this book: Ruthie, Ian, Ty (a boy Sprout meets half way through the story), Mrs. Miller and Sprout's dad. All are represented with skill and we get to know their characteristics and personality, but Sprout dominates this book. While getting the feel for other people we really gell with Sprout.
Most of us want to be part of the 'in' crowd: to be popular: to be involved in everything, to be a 'star'. But some of us simply are not. That does not mean that we do not have potential: it is just not manifesting at the moment. We may find that the very thing we hate, being an outsider, is our very strength, if only we can positively master it. On another track, who we are is a mystery, but if we trace it down we can discover at least some of the truth. Why am I who I am? Why do I do the things I do? If we can discover some of the answers we are on the way to being the 'star' we so desire to be.
This novel has gay themes, so if you are of a conservative frame of mind be warned. While sex is a part of the story it is not graphically described.
I loved this book. To reveal my bias, I like stories about youth, gay themed fiction, and most importantly stories concentrating on character. I am also not afraid of a little intellectual challenged. That said, I am happy to rate this book as 5 stars.
August 11, 2023
This book was so… much. It took me almost 2 years to finish because of how much I disliked the MC.
Let’s start with my first complaint- the book has little to nothing in common with it’s description. I was under the impression that this was a gay early 2000’s YA, somewhere along the lines of Geography Club, or some straight to DVD trashy romcom. It literally describes itself as being hilarious, frustrating, and exquisite. Only 1 of those 3 descriptors were accurate, in my opinion.
Here’s the real plot (and try your best to follow along, because every time I ranted to my friends about it, it took about 15 minutes to cover all the random plot lines)-
Daniel Bradford (aka Sprout) has green hair, lives in rural Kansas, and carries his dead moms dictionary with him everywhere for some reason. He has one friend, who he repeatedly calls weird/annoying/ugly, and he’s bullied for being a weird outcast. Allegedly. There’s not really many scenes of him being bullied, besides from one character, Ian, who he’s been sleeping with since they were both 12. Sprout is asked by one of his teachers to enter an essay writing contest, because he is smart apparently, and he spends all summer at her house preparing for this contest. She is possibly an alcoholic, and she attempts to provide him with alcohol. Totally normal! His father is an alcoholic, and is kind of supportive/kind of not, but either way we don’t see too much of him, so it doesn’t matter. School starts, and Sprout meets a boy named Ty. Forget everything else going on in the book, it’s about Ty and Sprout falling in love now! Ty lives in a strict, conservative, abusive household, where he and his siblings are regularly beat by their father. Everybody knows about it, but nobody tries to help them. Except for Sprout, who is now obsessed with him and feels like he has to be the one to save him, to keep him from running away, and also having constant sex with him in some sort of weird serial-killer-type lair in the woods. But then they’re caught at school by his ex-best friend, and Ian’s there too, because apparently those two have been dating since June and now it’s December, and also she’s pregnant? Ty runs away, three weeks pass with no sign of him, Sprout writes the essay of his life which may or may not be the 277pg book I just read.
I hate all of the characters in this book. Sprout is an annoying smartass, Mrs. Miller is a terrible teacher, his dad doesn’t show up enough for me to care, same with Ian and Ruthie. Ty, though. Oh my god. He is like the JROTC kid from my nightmares. I have no idea what Sprout is supposed to see in him, besides the obvious fact that he’s using Ty as a replacement for his mother? I’m not sad that Ty ran away. Get over him, he was too much for you. You are 16. You cannot save him.
I think that this book was well written, there were many scenes that kept me on my toes. But, I think this is an awful representation of love, sex, and friendship, and I would not want any teenager to read this and internalize it. It is not romantic to have your closeted boyfriend point a gun at you. Don’t lick hair dye off of anybody’s body. Even as teenagers, you can be in a healthier relationship than this. I am so disappointed with this book.
Let’s start with my first complaint- the book has little to nothing in common with it’s description. I was under the impression that this was a gay early 2000’s YA, somewhere along the lines of Geography Club, or some straight to DVD trashy romcom. It literally describes itself as being hilarious, frustrating, and exquisite. Only 1 of those 3 descriptors were accurate, in my opinion.
Here’s the real plot (and try your best to follow along, because every time I ranted to my friends about it, it took about 15 minutes to cover all the random plot lines)-
Daniel Bradford (aka Sprout) has green hair, lives in rural Kansas, and carries his dead moms dictionary with him everywhere for some reason. He has one friend, who he repeatedly calls weird/annoying/ugly, and he’s bullied for being a weird outcast. Allegedly. There’s not really many scenes of him being bullied, besides from one character, Ian, who he’s been sleeping with since they were both 12. Sprout is asked by one of his teachers to enter an essay writing contest, because he is smart apparently, and he spends all summer at her house preparing for this contest. She is possibly an alcoholic, and she attempts to provide him with alcohol. Totally normal! His father is an alcoholic, and is kind of supportive/kind of not, but either way we don’t see too much of him, so it doesn’t matter. School starts, and Sprout meets a boy named Ty. Forget everything else going on in the book, it’s about Ty and Sprout falling in love now! Ty lives in a strict, conservative, abusive household, where he and his siblings are regularly beat by their father. Everybody knows about it, but nobody tries to help them. Except for Sprout, who is now obsessed with him and feels like he has to be the one to save him, to keep him from running away, and also having constant sex with him in some sort of weird serial-killer-type lair in the woods. But then they’re caught at school by his ex-best friend, and Ian’s there too, because apparently those two have been dating since June and now it’s December, and also she’s pregnant? Ty runs away, three weeks pass with no sign of him, Sprout writes the essay of his life which may or may not be the 277pg book I just read.
I hate all of the characters in this book. Sprout is an annoying smartass, Mrs. Miller is a terrible teacher, his dad doesn’t show up enough for me to care, same with Ian and Ruthie. Ty, though. Oh my god. He is like the JROTC kid from my nightmares. I have no idea what Sprout is supposed to see in him, besides the obvious fact that he’s using Ty as a replacement for his mother? I’m not sad that Ty ran away. Get over him, he was too much for you. You are 16. You cannot save him.
I think that this book was well written, there were many scenes that kept me on my toes. But, I think this is an awful representation of love, sex, and friendship, and I would not want any teenager to read this and internalize it. It is not romantic to have your closeted boyfriend point a gun at you. Don’t lick hair dye off of anybody’s body. Even as teenagers, you can be in a healthier relationship than this. I am so disappointed with this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2013
This was a very bizarre book. Though that might have been me as I vaguely remember being possibly half-asleep whenever I read it. That's not to say that the book itself is boring, no, I was just really tired but wanted to finish it. Although, this isn't really because the book has a thrilling promise of an answered question or a cliffhanger, but it was just bizarre enough that I could never tell what direction it was going. The entire thing read really really strange to me. The characters flitting in and out with various stages of surreal qualities, the unresolved sexual tension, the random semi-gratuitous accounts of gay sex... VERY bizarre. I could never really tell what was actually happening, what was essay, and what were real events transcribed as essay. On top of that, this book is riddled with forth wall gimmicks. The narrator is constantly talking to you and interrupting himself to clarify maybe a long word he used or possibly to tell you to "get your mind out of the gutter!" after a euphemistic sounding passage about dying his hair that follows on the heels of the gratuitous sex. And on top of that, the passage of time was very vague and unclear. He hopped around his timeline a lot started up particular stories (remember when we had that dog? Oh yeah that’s a different story—never mentioned again), and that made it harder to understand that time was passing at the same time. I couldn’t even tell what time year this was supposed to take place in. The book itself was written in 2009, and there are numerous references to the world in general (President Obama, Ocean’s 11, ipod), that can provide framing, however, some of events that happened felt more like they were taking place in the 19670’s or earlier. I mean, who still makes fun of people for being gay? (By the way I had just seen The Perks of Being a Wallflower and didn’t actually know it was in the past until I saw the phones and was confused when I heard “faggot” used as an insult. But I digress). Now I’ve never been to Kansas or lived anywhere particularly rural or Conservative, so maybe boys do actually spend their time climbing trees, digging holes, chasing ostriches, and mud-wrestling there. And Sprout and his friend (I’ll get to him later) were, in fact, poor(ish). So… I don’t know. I felt as though this was the point of the book. Let me try to explain. Emphasis on TRY. Actually, this book synopsis may be more for me than for anyone else trying to figure out if they want to read it or not.
THIS BOOK IS SO CONFUSING.
THIS BOOK IS SO CONFUSING.
June 1, 2018
Modern day YA plot with an old-school YA ending.
July 5, 2013
Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.
I bought Sprout quite a few years ago, but just never got around to reading. Having now read it, I so wish I had picked it up when I first bought it! Sprout is a brilliant, moving and witty story of one boy's less than perfect life.
At 12, after the death of his mother, Sprout's father up sticks and drags Sprout from his home and friends in New York all the way to a town the middle of nowhere, Kansas. Four years of being the new guy and suffering taunts because of it, when Ty starts at his school he couldn't be happier; someone else to take the flak. Little does Sprout know that Ty will come to mean more to him than reprieve from the bullying.
There is so much more to Sprout than what I said above, but quite a few things happen that summarising it all would be pretty difficult. Sprout is such a fantastic character; he has such a unique voice with his observations, his love of language, and his wit. His humour is such that it covers up the elements of his life that would ordinarily be quite heavy; his alcoholic father who behaves eccentrically and can't seem to get over his grief for his dead wife, Sprout's own grief, his issues over coming out about his sexuality, and his first sexual experiences. Sprout makes light of it all with his witty turns of phrase, and it doesn't even occur to you until later that, wow, Sprout has a difficult life.
Sprout is gay, and he doesn't have a problem with it. However, he doesn't want to come out at school. He feels if he did, he will be labelled. Without coming right out and saying it, Sprout doesn't want to be defined by his sexuality. As he says to his friend Ruthie:
Sprout's Dad knows he's gay, but doesn't want to know, doesn't want to talk about it, and treats his sexuality with something close to the saying "out of sight, out of mind" - if they don't talk about it, then he can pretend it's not true. Saying that, he does care in his own way. It's pretty telling when he leaves a condom and a note for Sprout in his room saying, '"I don’t want to know. But I don’t want you dead either."' (p135) It may not show it so well out of context, but in context, this was one of the sweetest things! His Dad is deeply troubled, but despite that, and despite not being pro-Sprout-being-gay, he doesn't disown him or shut him out, he still loves him and remembers to be a responsible father, wanting to keep his son safe. This simple action brought tears to my eyes because of what it meant.
Sprout is also the first book I have read for LGBTQ YA Month where the main character is gay that actually covers sex between same-sex couples, and I only realised it when Sprout started discussing his sexual experiences. I found it quite surprising, not because of the sex itself, but because it's the first book to even really mention it in any serious way. The Perks of Being a Wallflower made small mentions to cruising, but this is the first book that actually really talks about it. We never see Sprout having sex, and nor is it discussed gratuitously or graphically, but is talked about with pretty much the same attitude and tone as non-LGBTQ YA romances would discuss sex. What I mean by that is it doesn't come across as gay sex - homosexual sex is different from heterosexual sex, we know that, and there are small references to this, but on the whole, it's just teenagers first experiencing sex, Sprout's sexuality not really making a difference to the universal thoughts and feelings surrounding a teen's first time:
There's so much more in this book too. The wonderful relationship between Mrs. Millar and Sprout, the issues of sexual confusion and self-disgust that are also covered. I would have liked more about Sprout's friend Ruthie and the bully Ian Abernathy, they seem to have their own issues, and it would have been great if we got more of their stories. I was left a little confused by the ending, but overall, Sprout is such a beautiful story, at times heartbreaking, but with so much humour and insight. Its an amazing book, and I couldn't recommend it enough.
I bought Sprout quite a few years ago, but just never got around to reading. Having now read it, I so wish I had picked it up when I first bought it! Sprout is a brilliant, moving and witty story of one boy's less than perfect life.
At 12, after the death of his mother, Sprout's father up sticks and drags Sprout from his home and friends in New York all the way to a town the middle of nowhere, Kansas. Four years of being the new guy and suffering taunts because of it, when Ty starts at his school he couldn't be happier; someone else to take the flak. Little does Sprout know that Ty will come to mean more to him than reprieve from the bullying.
There is so much more to Sprout than what I said above, but quite a few things happen that summarising it all would be pretty difficult. Sprout is such a fantastic character; he has such a unique voice with his observations, his love of language, and his wit. His humour is such that it covers up the elements of his life that would ordinarily be quite heavy; his alcoholic father who behaves eccentrically and can't seem to get over his grief for his dead wife, Sprout's own grief, his issues over coming out about his sexuality, and his first sexual experiences. Sprout makes light of it all with his witty turns of phrase, and it doesn't even occur to you until later that, wow, Sprout has a difficult life.
Sprout is gay, and he doesn't have a problem with it. However, he doesn't want to come out at school. He feels if he did, he will be labelled. Without coming right out and saying it, Sprout doesn't want to be defined by his sexuality. As he says to his friend Ruthie:
'"I don't want to be that guy, okay? The gay guy. The token homosexual. The school fag. I don't want to try out for every stupid school musical, wear pink triangle pins, and start a letter-writing campaign to bring my boyfriend to prom. I just want to be me."' (p115)
Sprout's Dad knows he's gay, but doesn't want to know, doesn't want to talk about it, and treats his sexuality with something close to the saying "out of sight, out of mind" - if they don't talk about it, then he can pretend it's not true. Saying that, he does care in his own way. It's pretty telling when he leaves a condom and a note for Sprout in his room saying, '"I don’t want to know. But I don’t want you dead either."' (p135) It may not show it so well out of context, but in context, this was one of the sweetest things! His Dad is deeply troubled, but despite that, and despite not being pro-Sprout-being-gay, he doesn't disown him or shut him out, he still loves him and remembers to be a responsible father, wanting to keep his son safe. This simple action brought tears to my eyes because of what it meant.
Sprout is also the first book I have read for LGBTQ YA Month where the main character is gay that actually covers sex between same-sex couples, and I only realised it when Sprout started discussing his sexual experiences. I found it quite surprising, not because of the sex itself, but because it's the first book to even really mention it in any serious way. The Perks of Being a Wallflower made small mentions to cruising, but this is the first book that actually really talks about it. We never see Sprout having sex, and nor is it discussed gratuitously or graphically, but is talked about with pretty much the same attitude and tone as non-LGBTQ YA romances would discuss sex. What I mean by that is it doesn't come across as gay sex - homosexual sex is different from heterosexual sex, we know that, and there are small references to this, but on the whole, it's just teenagers first experiencing sex, Sprout's sexuality not really making a difference to the universal thoughts and feelings surrounding a teen's first time:
'"Because it's not just about flesh. Bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. There's an alchemy that happens during sex that causes 1 + 1 to add up to so much more than 2, even as those halves meld in an almost magical way to form a single unit that's more complete than either of them alone. I don't know, maybe it's just endorphins, but I've run an entire marathon and it didn't make me feel that good... And so anyway, yeah: sex. Awesome."' (p235-236)
There's so much more in this book too. The wonderful relationship between Mrs. Millar and Sprout, the issues of sexual confusion and self-disgust that are also covered. I would have liked more about Sprout's friend Ruthie and the bully Ian Abernathy, they seem to have their own issues, and it would have been great if we got more of their stories. I was left a little confused by the ending, but overall, Sprout is such a beautiful story, at times heartbreaking, but with so much humour and insight. Its an amazing book, and I couldn't recommend it enough.
January 15, 2024
Did you disappear, or were you just misplaced?
"It is not your problem."
"He is not an it."
"It is not your problem."
"He is not an it."
June 25, 2012
Hm...where to begin? I thought up some funny responses to this book while reading, but didn't write them down before they crapped out the back of my brain.
Sprout (a.k.a. Daniel) is 16 and growing up in rural Kansas after being transplanted following the death of his mother and his father's descent into alcoholism four years ago. Sound like a hard life? Toss in the fact that he's gay and you've got the American Dream. Also, he has hair as green as a Wicked Witch's titty.
Did I mention the son of an abusive religious fanatic with a dead twin as the love interest? There's a son of a...fuck it, you get the point. (<--inside joke for those who have already read).
So, let's break it down:
You see, Sprout tells his story through a series of journalistic exercises at the prodding of his English teacher, who thinks he's a shoo-in for the state essay writing contest.
And just who is Sprout? The sarcastic kid who's quick with a quip and a lexicographical addiction. See what I did there?
Alright, enough fuck-roundary (copy-written and trademarked). Every other word in this book is an exercise in how to send your audience scrounging for Dictionary.com or, if they're lucky enough to have it on an eReader (I looked, eBook does not exist), hit the "Look Up Word" button. I completely understand Sprout's motivation for using every left-field synonym, but there were times I couldn't help but feel that Dale Peck was running around his room, screaming "Look at how many words *I* know!" while he was banging around on his computer.
Okay, that's harsh(ish). The word addiction is a great bit of characterization, albeit grating on the nerves, but let's be honest, teens could stand to learn a few more these days.
But let's go past that to the meat:
Sprout is a great read, but only once you get to the middle. The first half of the book is really a bunch of vague references to Sprout's life that aren't addressed until much later on, so make a mental note of every eccentricity. Plus, it isn't until the last half that the real love element comes into play and when it does, it's done very well.
And brush up on your pop culture references, kids. One moment you're hit with "Resident Evil" movies and a very unfortunate Terry Schiavo mention that had me making uncomfortable noises accompanied by a bevy of facial expressions. Rectal exams are more comfortable. Of course, the only rectal exams I've ever had were with a...ya know what, skip it.
So here are my major issues:
The dialog gets miffy and unrealistic, especially when talking with Ty (crazy daddy guy). Sometimes it was like reading a conversation between two cardboard cutouts and all the depth that implies. Peck tried, but it fell short of the target.
Whimsy comes into play quite a bit in this book, which makes this little slice of Kansas all the more interesting, but sometimes goes a little too far and leaves the reader going "Yeah, sure. If you say so, Peck."
For those who don't know, this book won the 2009-10 Lambda Literary Award for Best Teen Fiction. Honestly, I was far more blown away by Nick Burd's The Vast Fields of Ordinary, which was up for the same award.
Now, don't get me wrong. Peck has done a commendable job here in the growing category of Gay Teen Fiction and it is definitely worth the time.
I give the book 4 of 5 because I wasn't particularly blown away by it, nor did I ever stop to think "Wow, I completely feel this character as a person and understand their world." But it is vastly superior to some of the other books I've read recently (see: My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger).
So give it a go. You'll be entertained for a few days at the very least and I think there is something here the reader can take away and apply to their own lives.
Sprout (a.k.a. Daniel) is 16 and growing up in rural Kansas after being transplanted following the death of his mother and his father's descent into alcoholism four years ago. Sound like a hard life? Toss in the fact that he's gay and you've got the American Dream. Also, he has hair as green as a Wicked Witch's titty.
Did I mention the son of an abusive religious fanatic with a dead twin as the love interest? There's a son of a...fuck it, you get the point. (<--inside joke for those who have already read).
So, let's break it down:
You see, Sprout tells his story through a series of journalistic exercises at the prodding of his English teacher, who thinks he's a shoo-in for the state essay writing contest.
And just who is Sprout? The sarcastic kid who's quick with a quip and a lexicographical addiction. See what I did there?
Alright, enough fuck-roundary (copy-written and trademarked). Every other word in this book is an exercise in how to send your audience scrounging for Dictionary.com or, if they're lucky enough to have it on an eReader (I looked, eBook does not exist), hit the "Look Up Word" button. I completely understand Sprout's motivation for using every left-field synonym, but there were times I couldn't help but feel that Dale Peck was running around his room, screaming "Look at how many words *I* know!" while he was banging around on his computer.
Okay, that's harsh(ish). The word addiction is a great bit of characterization, albeit grating on the nerves, but let's be honest, teens could stand to learn a few more these days.
But let's go past that to the meat:
Sprout is a great read, but only once you get to the middle. The first half of the book is really a bunch of vague references to Sprout's life that aren't addressed until much later on, so make a mental note of every eccentricity. Plus, it isn't until the last half that the real love element comes into play and when it does, it's done very well.
And brush up on your pop culture references, kids. One moment you're hit with "Resident Evil" movies and a very unfortunate Terry Schiavo mention that had me making uncomfortable noises accompanied by a bevy of facial expressions. Rectal exams are more comfortable. Of course, the only rectal exams I've ever had were with a...ya know what, skip it.
So here are my major issues:
The dialog gets miffy and unrealistic, especially when talking with Ty (crazy daddy guy). Sometimes it was like reading a conversation between two cardboard cutouts and all the depth that implies. Peck tried, but it fell short of the target.
Whimsy comes into play quite a bit in this book, which makes this little slice of Kansas all the more interesting, but sometimes goes a little too far and leaves the reader going "Yeah, sure. If you say so, Peck."
For those who don't know, this book won the 2009-10 Lambda Literary Award for Best Teen Fiction. Honestly, I was far more blown away by Nick Burd's The Vast Fields of Ordinary, which was up for the same award.
Now, don't get me wrong. Peck has done a commendable job here in the growing category of Gay Teen Fiction and it is definitely worth the time.
I give the book 4 of 5 because I wasn't particularly blown away by it, nor did I ever stop to think "Wow, I completely feel this character as a person and understand their world." But it is vastly superior to some of the other books I've read recently (see: My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger).
So give it a go. You'll be entertained for a few days at the very least and I think there is something here the reader can take away and apply to their own lives.
October 7, 2014
Sprout Bradford has a secret. Everyone knows it. But no one talks about it. It isn't what you think. His secret has nothing to do with his green hair, his romantic relationships, or even his dysfunctional family life.
All of the characters might know the secret at the center of Sprout (2009) by Dale Peck. But after finishing the novel, I still have no idea.
The premise behind Sprout is rather clever. Preparing to compete in a state essay contest in Kansas the chapters of the story are, for the most part, Sprout's practice essays as presented to his writing coach Mrs. Miller. This conceit gives the novel a very meta quality--Sprout knows that he is writing the story and so do you. But in a weird, jarring way, it works. It makes the story interesting. It seems so clever.
The first part of Sprout was a blast. Peck introduces a bunch of truly screwball characters--all flawed but all somehow likable in spite of it. Or maybe because of it. Sprout's narrations were also funny and witty. Here's a sixteen-year-old boy you'd really love to meet in real life.
Then I got to the halfway point and everything fell apart. A new character was introduced. The writing style changed. Characters that were likable became loathsome. And I was certain that the novel would. Never. End. Because it dragged so much. I can't really explain why, because it would be an epic spoiler, except to say I think what was meant to be the focus of the story was introduced too late. I was ready to read one type of book when the author threw a totally different type at me that I was unprepared to deal with.
Sprout is a boy who keeps himself at a remove. The strongest parts of Sprout come when he is observing his world and describing it. That aspect of the story was lacking in the second half when things verged a bit to closely to the surreal for my tastes.
After breezing through the first half of the novel, and loving it, I was truly disappointed to find the second half not only lagging but also lacking anything in the way of a true resolution at the end. The story was so open-ended that I still don't really know what happened to most of the characters. And then, honestly, what's the point of reading about them?
All of the characters might know the secret at the center of Sprout (2009) by Dale Peck. But after finishing the novel, I still have no idea.
The premise behind Sprout is rather clever. Preparing to compete in a state essay contest in Kansas the chapters of the story are, for the most part, Sprout's practice essays as presented to his writing coach Mrs. Miller. This conceit gives the novel a very meta quality--Sprout knows that he is writing the story and so do you. But in a weird, jarring way, it works. It makes the story interesting. It seems so clever.
The first part of Sprout was a blast. Peck introduces a bunch of truly screwball characters--all flawed but all somehow likable in spite of it. Or maybe because of it. Sprout's narrations were also funny and witty. Here's a sixteen-year-old boy you'd really love to meet in real life.
Then I got to the halfway point and everything fell apart. A new character was introduced. The writing style changed. Characters that were likable became loathsome. And I was certain that the novel would. Never. End. Because it dragged so much. I can't really explain why, because it would be an epic spoiler, except to say I think what was meant to be the focus of the story was introduced too late. I was ready to read one type of book when the author threw a totally different type at me that I was unprepared to deal with.
Sprout is a boy who keeps himself at a remove. The strongest parts of Sprout come when he is observing his world and describing it. That aspect of the story was lacking in the second half when things verged a bit to closely to the surreal for my tastes.
After breezing through the first half of the novel, and loving it, I was truly disappointed to find the second half not only lagging but also lacking anything in the way of a true resolution at the end. The story was so open-ended that I still don't really know what happened to most of the characters. And then, honestly, what's the point of reading about them?
May 15, 2013
I honestly don't have enough words to figure out how to describe this book. The best description I suppose is.... nope, can't do it. I loved it, and the characters felt so real, but the lack of ending frustrated me in a way no other book has. We all want a happy ending, be it in our books or in real life. I realize that trying to find the right ending for Sprout and Ty would have.... I don't know, devalued their relationship in some way? There may not be one right ending, despite what the readers may want, and normally, having to create your own ending can make a book more interesting. In this case though, I fell so in love with the characters that the lack of closure surrounding each one of them left me feeling like I was missing something crucial. I wanted to follow each and every character from the time they met until their dying days, to grow old with them and learn about them, and it sort of feels like being forced to leave too early, like it ended at the climax of the novel.
My only other issues with this book are the somewhat confusing timeline and the narrative style. I found myself having to go back and re-read sentences and pages over and over again just to make some sense of where each character was in their life, and I couldn't pinpoint Sprout's age at any given time until it was specifically stated. Sprout had an interesting and thoughtful narrative throughout the novel, and I understand that it was supposed to be like an essay for him, but he would go for pages injecting in little notes about his writing in between thoughts, and then in other sections he simply wouldn't and you would forget that he was supposed to be writing an essay.
I think that every person should read this book without expectation, because what you expect is not what you'll get, no matter what people tell you. make your own decisions. I feel like each person can take away something different from this book, but they have to give it a chance.
My only other issues with this book are the somewhat confusing timeline and the narrative style. I found myself having to go back and re-read sentences and pages over and over again just to make some sense of where each character was in their life, and I couldn't pinpoint Sprout's age at any given time until it was specifically stated. Sprout had an interesting and thoughtful narrative throughout the novel, and I understand that it was supposed to be like an essay for him, but he would go for pages injecting in little notes about his writing in between thoughts, and then in other sections he simply wouldn't and you would forget that he was supposed to be writing an essay.
I think that every person should read this book without expectation, because what you expect is not what you'll get, no matter what people tell you. make your own decisions. I feel like each person can take away something different from this book, but they have to give it a chance.
February 1, 2010
Very intelligently written about a bright character who is himself an author. Hm, could it be somewhat autobiographical, one wonders? As much as I enjoyed reading it, I don't see it as a best choice for the Peach nominees. Even though Peck (and Sprout, his writer-character) works hard to keep the story clean enough to go on the shelves of the fictional high school in Kansas that he attends, it isn't the one f-bomb or solely the physicality of a homosexual romance that makes me think it verges on too mature for provincial Georgia or for the younger end of our high school students. Instead, it's the alcoholism of Sprout's father and perhaps his writing teacher,too; the closeted rage that leads to bullying by the same school jock who makes out with Sprout in the janitor's closet; the desperation & denial that make Sprout's relationship with Ty both transformatively beautiful and doomed that puts it over the heads of many prospective Peach readers, their teachers, and their librarians. Teen readers, many of them anyway, just like the Kansas state writing contest judges whom Sprout and his teacher Ms. Miller aren't sure can handle the truth of a young man trying to come to terms with and find happiness, may not appreciate the beautiful execution of Sprout's struggle. Ultimately, I see this as a book I can recommend to particular teens, rather than to the wide, disparate audience for the Peaches.
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