Out of Left Field

by Jonah Newman

Overview

A nerdy gay teenager jumps headfirst into the bro-y world of high school baseball in this semi-autobiographical LGBTQ+ graphic novel.

Ninth-grader Jonah is not a jock. On the contrary, he loves history class and nerdy movies, and his athletic ineptitude verges on tragic. So, what’s he doing signing up for the baseball team? Could it have something to do with the cute shortstop, Elliot?

For the rest of high school, Jonah faces challenges on and off the baseball field, from heteronormative social pressure to thrilling romance. Realizing who his real friends are, he figures out what really matters and finally recognizes and embraces his gay identity.

Based on debut author-illustrator Jonah Newman’s coming-of-age experiences, Out of Left Field is a big-hearted and funny YA graphic novel about learning to be yourself.

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“Brilliantly written and illustrated high school story that deftly showcases the triumphs and regrets of friendship and finding oneself. A remarkable debut!” —Dav Pilkey, #1 bestselling graphic novelist

“First base, first boyfriends, and believing in yourself—Out of Left Field is a charming tour of the mistakes and triumphs of coming out in high school.” —Ngozi Ukazu, award-winning creator of Check, Please!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781524884826
Publisher:	Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication date:	03/26/2024
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jonah Newman is a cartoonist and editor. As an editor at Graphix, Scholastic’s graphic novel imprint, he has worked with Dav Pilkey, Jamar Nicholas, Angeli Rafer, and many others. When he’s not creating, editing, or reading comics, you might find Jonah binge-listening to history podcasts, playing in an LGBTQ+ softball league, or getting way too invested in his fantasy baseball team. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband (who’s a human) and two kids (who are cats).

Editorial Reviews

"Brilliantly written and illustrated high school story that deftly showcases the triumphs and regrets of friendship and finding oneself. A remarkable debut!" (Dav Pilkey, #1 bestselling graphic novelist)

"First base, first boyfriends, and believing in yourself—Out of Left Field is a charming tour of the mistakes and triumphs of coming out in high school." (Ngozi Ukazu, award-winning creator of Check, Please!)

"Clever paneling and nearly wordless sequences effectively pump the brakes for key moments—and show glimpses of Jonah’s wild imagination... multiple queer characters of all ages at various stages of coming out add an important sense of community and possibility... A welcome hit into the outfield of books about queer athletes." (Kirkus Review)

“In this semi-autobiographical graphic novel debut, Newman presents an empathetic and sometimes painfully frank exploration of finding oneself … Vibrant and fluid illustrations impart a youthful spirit that captures athletic dynamism and the joy that comes with growing into oneself, despite the challenges.” (Publishers Weekly)

From the Publisher

2023-12-16
A closeted teen steps up to the plate for a cute boy—and himself.

After jocks ridicule and knock over his history class presentation, freshman Jonah picks up the pieces. Cute classmate Elliot helps. That small act of kindness makes sparks fly, cuing confusing feelings. Jonah decides to join the baseball team to get closer to Elliot—even if it means enduring more bullying from the other teammates. But Coach Jackson sees Jonah’s athletic potential and takes him under his wing. As the plot follows the four baseball seasons until Jonah’s graduation, Jonah slowly goes from laughingstock to star. But does he ever truly fit in? Cartoonist and editor Newman’s semiautobiographical graphic novel debut is a heartfelt tale of self-discovery. Consolidating all four years of high school into one book makes for a quick pace. Clever paneling and nearly wordless sequences effectively pump the brakes for key moments—and show glimpses of Jonah’s wild imagination. Despite the rampant bro culture and homophobia of the aughts setting, multiple queer characters of all ages at various stages of coming out add an important sense of community and possibility. A subplot about a female teammate briefly touches on sexism. Though the ensemble cast is diverse in skin tone, the majority of the main cast present white; Coach Jackson is Black.

A welcome hit into the outfield of books about queer athletes. (author’s note, process notes, resources) (Graphic fiction. 14-17)

Kirkus Reviews

01/08/2024

Ninth grader Jonah knows two things for certain: he’s not gay and he doesn’t like baseball. So why is the idea of joining his high school baseball team for the opportunity to hang out with cute, friendly classmate Elliot so appealing? Jonah’s entrance onto the baseball diamond is not without its fair share of fits and starts: he’s not particularly athletic, and his fear of being perceived as gay forces Jonah to make himself smaller around his teammates. Alongside Jonah’s struggles accepting his sexuality and contending with heteronormative pressures, female teammate Amelia determines to not let yearslong benching and the captain’s misogyny get in the way of her dreams. As the years progress toward graduation, and as Jonah’s love life starts looking up, he’s forced to make a choice between prioritizing his budding relationship or keeping it a secret to fit in. In this semi-autobiographical graphic novel debut, Newman presents an empathetic and sometimes painfully frank exploration of finding oneself via his own high school experiences. Vibrant and fluid illustrations impart a youthful spirit that captures athletic dynamism and the joy that comes with growing into oneself, despite the challenges. Jonah is depicted with pale skin and freckles; other characters are rendered with varying skin tones. Ages 14–17. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

05/24/2024

Gr 6–9—Jonah's coming out story tracks him from a French history-loving, nerdy high school underclassman to an unexpected baseball hero at graduation. Along the way, much unfolds: He makes good friends with a girl he previously tried to consider as a romantic attraction, he fails to realize the boy on whom he has a semi-aware crush on is gay, he copes with stereotypical and foul-mouthed bullies, and he is brought to the realization of his sexual identity by an openly gay classmate. The candy-colored art is bouncy. Jonah himself is white with red hair and his classmates have a variety of skin tones. His Black baseball coach is tolerant, although perhaps not outwardly gay-friendly, while his French teacher is openly lesbian without pushing Jonah towards his own self-awareness. Newman's graphic novel/roman à clef deploys sardonic humor in the visual details while keeping the characters and plot clear and engaging for readers, whether or not they catch these sly features. VERDICT An excellent graphic novel for kids of any orientation or awareness.—Francisca Goldsmith

School Library Journal