In the months prior to his 16th birthday, Jack is adjusting to difficult changes in his family life. His parents have split up and his mom's new health conscious, aging hippy boyfriend has moved into the house. In addition, Jack's father is gay and everyone seems to know it. Faced with vicious teasing at school as well as his own homophobic reactions, Jack has a hard time maintaining a relationship with his dad, in spite of the fact his father is the same man he always was, someone Jack has loved and admired. The wry first-person narrative is full of the sort of exaggeration and hyperbole typical of teenagers. Like Jack himself, this first novel is witty, insightful and full of heart. (Age 12 and older)