Sprout

Sprout by Dale Peck (NY: Bloomsbury, 2009).

Transplanted from Long Island to middle-of-nowhere Kansas, Daniel Bradford has plenty of issues to deal with--his dad's alcoholism, his mom's recent death from cancer, his new kid status, and his own eccentricities--like constant reading of the dictionary. So dyeing his hair green isn't a huge deal, nor gaining the attendant nickname of "Sprout." Really, he doesn't mind it. Some things are a bigger deal though--like being gay, but not out, in a small town high school. And then finding, and losing, love. Sprout relies on his trenchant humor and fondness for word play and writing to cope and leaves a steadfast record in the process.

This is an excellent read for high school and up. Language and sexual situations.