Twelve Days in August

Griswold Quartet

by Liza Ketchum, Liza Ketchum Murrow

Twelve days in August change a sixteen-year-old soccer player's perceptions of himself, his family, girls, and gays.

Genres: Young Adult

187 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Also writes under the name Liza Ketchum Murrow.

Virginia Jefferson Cup Honor Book, Virginia Library Association, 1988, for West against the Wind; Children's Choice selection, 1989, for Good-bye, Sammy; best young-adult novel designation, American Library Association, 1990, and Mark Twain Award listee, 1991-92, both for Fire in the Heart; Mark Twain Award listee, and Sequoyah Award listee, both 1993-94, both for The Ghost of Lost Island; Lambda Literary Award, 1998, for Blue Coyote.

Reviews

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rather dated book (1993) and has the wonderfully straight forward writing of the time. It is also a tribute to the LGBT books written when the genre was new.

The action surrounds a soccer team, a new kid, and the idea of bullying.

I do think this book is worth reading.

[Kj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a buried gem here, and while the book very much holds its own today, when reading with an eye to its early '90s audience/demographic, it truly sparkles. The fact that book's original blurb and log lines/teaser steer clear of the queer issues at the heart of the story—focusing only the sports team drama—makes me wonder if this bait and switch (or equivocation on the part of publishers) was an ingenious way to get this book into the hands of readers who expect soccer team action and instead get (in addition) a realistic and compassionate introduction to anti-homophobia and queer allyship. The warnings about standing on the fence as being no defense are clear, but there's also unapologetic representation of queer futures and what it means to really be a team member, whether that's at home, with friends, or on the field. Absolutely special and still well worth introducing to its comparable demographic thirty years later.

**Thank you so much Bryce for gifting this my way!

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was published when I was twelve (1993), and it sounds just right for the time. The blurb on the back doesn't tell you that this story is one of homophobia.

New guy Alex is graceful and blond (and a great soccer player) and immediately labeled as gay by Randy whose position he may be taking over. Then anyone who's friendly to Alex is also labeled gay. (Randy uses the word *ag though, and makes stereotypical mocking postures, etc.) Randy is trying to get everyone on the team not to pass to Alex and all of that very mature stuff. Sixteen-year-old junior Todd doesn't like Randy, but nor is he comfortable with Alex, and he has to decide what to do.

The writing and the characters are good. It's just sad that books like this needed to be written, and I'm a little bummed that Todd doesn't just do what's right because it's right. Instead he needs the guidance of his Uncle Gordo, and Uncle Gordo--spoiler--reveals to Todd that he is gay. We shouldn't all need a personal example of someone who is already beloved in order for us to see the humanity in each other.

[Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Twelvve Days in August the main character, Tood is hoping to make his school's varsity soccer team. Last year he was junior varsity as a junior but now he's a sophmore and has pretty good chanses on playing left wing on the forward line of the team's lineup. Then a new kid moves in. Alex Beekman, he is a great player and a big threat to Todd and Randy, the star of last year's tournament. Randy starts saying things about Alex and tries to get Todd ti join him. If he doesn't he gets called "gay" but if he does, it makes him feel like a terrible person because him and Alex are secretly friends. He has a tough decision to make. Be a bad friend or get picked on for the rest of the year? Aside from that he also has problems with his family. He wrecked his Uncle's car! He has a lot of problems unsolved What will happen?

[Martha Schwalbe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a soccer book with a nasty bully. It reminds me of Players for students who play soccer rather than basketball. It was published first in 1993 so cassette tapes, tape decks, and phones attached to the wall are the norm and references are made to these items. The story is timeless. The main characters are boys but the three supporting girls are all strong role models. I will definitely book talk this one is Sports Literature.