Spinning Out

High school junior Frenchy is just getting by, smoking pot with his best friend Stewart and skating through life. But Stewart is up to something and he wants Frenchy to join in--by trying out for the high school musical, Man of La Mancha. A perfect plan for Stewart's most legendary prank ever, right? Wrong. Stewart is serious, and convincing. The next thing Frenchy knows they have won the lead parts of Don Quixote and his sidekick Sancho. Stewart's passion infuses the whole production, but his antics begin to border on obsessive, and Frenchy has to step in more and more often to reign him in. Ultimately, like Quixote, Stewart is spiralling into the beginning stages of schizophrenia. Frenchy embodies and then explodes his role as sidekick both in the play and in life as he figures out how to be a friend, a leader, and a man. David Stahler has delicately woven a layered story about class, friendship, and the uncertainty of adulthood. With all the fun of High School Musical with a depth and grace of reality, this is a memorable coming of age novel that will resonate with a variety of readers.

David Stahler Jr., is the author of several novels for young adults. He teaches high school English in the mountains of northern Vermont.