Cuts to the heart in so many ways that are personal and profound.
Every sport has its storied rivalries. The Celtics and the Lakers. The Red Sox and the Yankees. The Buckeyes and the Wolverines. High school football has Stonewall and Briggs, a matchup the whole city turns out for. But this year’s most highly anticipated game sparks more than impassioned team chants from the bleachers. On a field that should be dominated by good-natured sportsmanship, the Friday night lights stand as solemn observers of an event that reshapes a close-knit community. Agile on and off the field, senior linebacker and team co-captain Ben Hoy has his entire future laid out before him. His full-ride scholarship is already in the bag, and this game should be the icing on the cake of a terrific season. Instead, social issues trespass into City Stadium and a historic high school rivalry turns into a riotous scene. Racial tensions whip the frenzied football fans into an angry mob intent on lashing out at each other. As though the civil rights movement never happened, the young players eagerly take up the fight, one school raging against the other. Almost everyone is swept up in the violence, even the coaches, yet Ben can’t fathom the reasons why. He reacts from his heart and speaks out against the injustices, earning Ben resistance, disdain, and anger on every front. Change needs to happen, but Ben would rather not be the face of a movement. Especially since his words and actions have effects that ripple throughout his school, his family, and his community.
“Pick a side, find a reason, shout over the opposition.” In a world where everyone seems to be on opposing sides, it can be tough to choose kindness, reasonableness, and humanity. This is the ongoing struggle faced by a thoughtful teen in Fanning’s latest young adult novel, Hometown. The story cuts to the heart in so many ways that are personal and profound. Not only are there many mirrored current events shaping viewpoints in Ben’s town, but peer pressure and heavy expectations settle in like a familiar weight. While contemporary issues drive the story, the compelling cast is the best part of this pointed yet respectful novel. Amid all the social commentary and stereotypes is a really likable protagonist, one who isn’t afraid to speak out against racism while learning from others. Ben is a good kid caught up in a bad situation, and his actions say a lot about his character. An enjoyable read and an accurate reflection of reality, Hometown is a story about the lasting legacy of our most difficult choices.
