I wish I could have read this book when my son was in the public school system. Many of the author's experiences rang true, especially the interest by school employees in diagnosing his child with labels from the DSM that reflect psychological trends rather than behavioral reality. It seems that the school system felt more comfortable declaring a child autistic than attempting to understand his sexual orientation.

Schwartz gives an excellent description of the ways in which the closet creates emotional and psychological stress in gay children, which in turn makes it difficult for them to socialize into the classroom. The Schwartzes were strong advocates for their son, spending thousands of dollars for therapy that their insurance didn't cover, and regularly confronting teachers and school administrators with their concerns about the ways their son was being mistreated in the classroom. The fact that they were not wealthy and had modest means, being a single income family with three children, helped me to relate to their story. Although Schwartz makes clear that the book describes one person's struggle and that the experience cannot be generalized, I recommended this book highly to any parent whose child doesn't quite fit in because he or she is "oddly normal."