Rainbow Road

Jason Carrillo came out to his basketball team senior year and lost his university scholarship. Now, with graduation behind him and summer ending, he's asked to speak at the opening of a gay and lesbian high school across the country. But after spending years in the closet and losing his scholarship dream, what message can he offer?

Kyle Meeks is getting ready to go to Princeton in the fall and trying to see as much as possible of his boyfriend Jason before they have to separate. When Jason tells him about his speaking invitation, Kyle jumps at the chance to drive across country with him. Yet he can't help worrying: will their romance survive two weeks crammed in a car together?

Nelson Glassman is happy his best friend Kyle has found love with Jason. Now he's looking for his own true love-and hopes he might find his soul mate during the road trip. But will being the "third wheel" in a trio ruin his friendships with Kyle and Jason?

During an eye-opening post-graduation summer road trip, Jason, Kyle, and Nelson, each embark on a personal journey across a landscape of love, sexuality, homophobia, and above all, friendship.

With Rainbow Road, Alex Sanchez concludes the story begun in Rainbow Boys and Rainbow High about what it means to be young and gay, again told in his unflinchingly honest voice.

Honors and Awards:

Lambda Literary Award Finalist
New York Public Library “Book for the Teen Age”
ALA "Popular Paperback for Young Adults"

Read the praise:

School Library Journal: Gr 9 Up-The final installment of this trilogy is a true winner. Even though coming out publicly resulted in Virginia high school basketball star Jason Carrillo's losing his college athletic scholarship, it turned him into an important role model for gay and lesbian teens. And so, when a new GLBT high school in Los Angeles is searching for a keynote speaker for its opening ceremony, it is not surprising that Jason is given an all-expenses-paid invitation. His boyfriend, Kyle, definitely wants to be there, too. And Kyle's best friend-pink-haired, boy-hungry Nelson-has a car and thinks that this would be the perfect opportunity for a post-senior-year road trip. Virginia to L.A. by car: 3000 miles and plenty of time to gain an understanding of what being gay in America is all about. These boys are distinct personalities and genuine teens, searching for clarity and identity and acceptance, trying to make sense of themselves and a world that can be equally bright and dark. Sanchez writes with humor and compassion. Some mature romance scenes, occasional frank language, and an inclusion of transgender/transsexual/bisexual story lines translate into a tender book that will likely be appreciated and embraced by young adult readers.-Jeff Katz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews: More soapy goodness from the rainbow boys. This time Kyle, Jason and Nelson go on a road trip together. Jason, whose coming out and subsequent loss of college scholarship drew national attention in the last episode, is asked to speak at the opening ceremonies of Harry Hay High School in Los Angeles. This necessitates a trip across the country. Jason is sort of bisexual, but he loves his less uptight and totally gay boyfriend Kyle. The two think the trip will be a perfect time for them to get in some alone time before Kyle heads off to college, but they need Nelson's (Kyle's pink-haired best friend) car. It turns out to be a three-man trip with many pitfalls. They encounter Radical Faeries, Britney Spears look-alike transgendered boys, Hetero-flexible girls, long-term committed homosexual couples . . . and a little homophobia as they travel from landmark to landmark across the country. There are more after-school-special moments here than in the previous volumes, but fans of the trilogy will adore this final installment. A little sex might make this a not-for-everyone experience, but it's a perfect feel-good read for gay teens. (Fiction. YA)

Horn Book: "The best of three books about these friends...Sanchez sends them on their way with optimism and aplomb."

KLIATT: An important book for readers looking for a sympathetic and empathetic portrayal of gay teens."