Heartstopper, Volume 2, written by Alice Oseman, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: This second book in the Heartstopper series picks up immediately where the first book left off. Charlie and Nick, having spent the majority of the first book becoming close friends and experiencing building romantic tension, have just kissed for the first time. The kiss is interrupted and Nick, who has not previously had feelings for another boy, leaves Charlie rather abruptly. Book Two begins with both characters awash in feelings of confusion, wondering how the other feels. Charlie, who has been out as gay for several years, feels that he has made a mistake in kissing his straight friend and worries that he has ruined their friendship. Unbeknownst to Charlie, Nick is realizing that he enjoyed the kiss and has feelings for Charlie, but is trying to process what this means for him and for their relationship. The two spend the remainder of the book enjoying the bubbling excitement of new love and supporting each other through the hills and valleys of coming out, making their relationship public, and dealing with a wide variety of reactions and levels of acceptance. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book is a hug snuggled under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. Charlie and Nick both experience confusing feelings at times, but they are so wonderfully kind and understanding to each other as their relationship and personal identities grow and change. While there are a few students at Charlie and Nick’s school that do not seem to accept them and engage in some homophobic teasing, many of the people in their lives, including parents, sibling, and friends from school, process the new relationship and Nick’s coming out in warm and loving https://libresbooksmi.blogspot.com ways. Some of Charlie’s friends express concern about Nick hurting Charlie by using him in a temporary and experimental way, which is a common trope in lesser stories. But in this case, though the story could easily go in that direction, Oseman chooses to help readers see, through Nick, that while caution is prudent, Nick’s new bisexual identity only becomes clear to him after he becomes so close with Charlie. While the romance vibes and attraction are definitely swoony, the interactions through Book 2 remain firmly in the PG category, making this an aspirational and acceptable story for MS students as well as HS students. There is some language, including some possibly triggering homophobic remarks, but students are more likely to hear worse on Netflix or in the hallways of their own schools. This is a heartwarming, sweet story that offers a beautiful picture of two boys falling in love. It is a must purchase, along with Book 1, for secondary school libraries.