Daniel, Deconstructed

by James Ramos

Overview

A nerdy high schooler learns to embrace his main-character energy in this witty and heart-healing ode to movie tropes, meet-cutes, and LGBTQ+ love.

Photographer and film buff Daniel Sanchez learned a long time ago that the only way to get by in an allistic world is to mask his autism and follow the script. Which means he knows that boisterous, buff, and beautiful soccer superstars like his best friend, Mona Sinclair, shouldn’t be wasting time hanging out with introverts who prefer being behind the camera.

So when Daniel meets a new classmate, Gabe Mendes, who is tall, mysterious, nonbinary, and—somehow—as cool as Mona, Daniel knows exactly how this is going to play out. Mona and Gabe will meet cute, win their nominations for Homecoming Court, and ride off into the sunset together. Daniel just needs to do a little behind-the-scenes directing.

But matchmaking means stepping into the mystifying and illogical world of love, dating, and relationships, where nothing is as it seems and no one knows their lines. And when Daniel finds himself playing a starring role in this romance, he’ll question everything he thought he knew about himself and his place in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781335010025
Publisher:	Inkyard Press
Publication date:	02/06/2024
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	190,656
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

James Ramos (they/them) is an autistic, nonbinary, unapologetically dorky Minnesota native who now calls Arizona home. James is passionate about storytelling, particularly stories that give voice to marginalized people, especially those within the LGBTQ community and people of color. When they aren’t writing James can usually be found cosplaying with their friends or surrounded by their amazing family of cats.

Editorial Reviews

01/29/2024

Autistic high school senior and photographer Daniel Sanchez is convinced that his introverted, geeky ways make him a poor friendship match for popular, bisexual soccer player Ramona “Mona” Sinclair. Though they’ve been friends since they were 12 and share a passion for old movies and Harrison Ford, he’s convinced that, come graduation, she will leave him behind. That’s fine with Daniel—he just wants her to be happy. When he meets charismatic Gabe, who is nonbinary, during a LARPing bout, he denies his instant attraction to them and instead focuses on matchmaking them with Mona. But no matter how hard Daniel tries, his growing relationship with Gabe keeps throwing a wrench in his plans. The cast’s inherently kind and respectful actions as they strive toward maturity together is a bright spot throughout. Via Daniel’s thoughtful examinations of neurodivergence, sexuality, and self-identity through photography (“The filter of a lens between myself and the rest of the world is comforting”), Ramos (The Wrong Kind of Weird), who is autistic and queer, infuses this realistic and relatable romp with raw emotion and affirming introspection. Daniel is Cuban American, Gabe is Black, and Mona has brown skin. Ages 13–up. Agent: Emily Forney, BookEnds Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Wrong Kind of Weird

“Sweet, snarky, and delightfully dorky." —Elise Bryant, author of Happily Ever Afters

“The Wrong Kind of Weird is the right kind of read for anyone looking for a huggable, nerdy rom-com packed full of heart... and anime." —Eric Smith, author of Don’t Read the Comments

“A hilariously relatable story about finding who you are and where you belong—and owning it.” —Whitney Grandison, author of A Love Hate Thing

“Ramos’ delightful novel oozes an energetic, all-encompassing love for geek culture… A charmingly nerdy and romantic coming-of-age story.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

"Via an unapologetically geeky protagonist whose infectious enthusiasm for nerd culture leaps off the page, Ramos captures the sometimes all-consuming fear of trying to figure out who one truly is and the fear of letting go... A spirited read." —Publishers Weekly

"Diverting and witty [with] complex and thoroughly lovable characters." —​​​​​​​Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

03/01/2024

Gr 9 Up—High school senior Daniel (Black, Cuban American) adores Live Action Role Playing (LARPing), info-dumping, his best friend Mona (described as having "tawny brown" skin), and most of all, taking photographs and creating videos for his school's weekly broadcast. Daniel's camera helps him experience the world as a detached spectator, as he's less inclined to see himself as the main character in his own life. That's why, when the handsome and fascinating Gabe (Black, nonbinary) enters the scene, Daniel sees Gabe more as a love interest for Mona than for himself. To convince Mona and Gabe how perfect they are for each other, Daniel hatches a plan to attend the homecoming dance as a trio. The affections of Gabe and Mona, however, may lie elsewhere. Much of the plot also describes how Daniel navigates his environment as an autistic person. Neurodivergent readers may relate to Daniel's self-monitoring of his facial expressions, his tendency to overstimulate in certain scenarios, and his frustration with the allistic world's lack of straightforwardness. Though certain plot points feel underdeveloped or extraneous, and the LARPing scenes sometimes slow down the novel's overall momentum, it cannot be denied that Ramos is skilled at depicting Daniel with ease and tenderness, without erasing the daily realities associated with being a Black, queer, neurodivergent teenager. VERDICT Ramos's worldbuilding is at once authentic yet wholesome, while never veering into the saccharine. While Daniel himself would prefer not to be in the spotlight, romance readers will not be able to get enough of him as a protagonist.—Ingrid Conley-Abrams

School Library Journal