Things I love about this book:

It tackles the topic of toxic masculinity, and the way we don't allow boys to touch each other/be touched in any kind of healthy way once they reach adolescence -- it's ok for friends to put their arms over each other's shoulder, or bump shoulders, or cry. And, woo! It's amazing how ingrained not seeing that is in American culture. I found myself anxious about these displays of affection, even knowing that it's toxic bullshit. People need physical touch -- it helps them regulate. Affection is good.

It has real conversations about the stigma of appearing "gay" and about how there is also nothing wrong with being gay. The central friendship is between two boys who discuss whether or not they are gay/attracted to each other, and it turns out they are not. But the message is that the close friendship they enjoy would continue regardless.

Celebration of band geeks, comic books, and found family. Delightful! It will get better, kids, and it's ok to love the things you love.

There's some pretty extreme bullying (it ramps up), and I wanted the teachers to catch things sooner. I also appreciate the sincere weird ways that things can go wrong even with best intentions. "We'll just tell him how we feel" becomes a weird semi-blackmail situation. Yep, conversations can go sideways.

I also really enjoyed that the main character is just a really good kid. He keep liking the things he likes and being who he is regardless of the crap thrown at him.

Weaker points -- well, it's not a particularly fast moving or plot driven book. It's a year in the life. I enjoyed it. Some kids will enjoy it. Some will not be up for that type of story. ( )

Middle-schooler Matt is excited to be joining his best friend Eric as a drummer in orchestra, instead of being the only boy in the flute section as in the past. The two are even more thrilled when they learn the school orchestra will be taking a field trip to a local amusement park in the spring – that is, until they learn that their favorite comic book artist will be doing a one-day only special signing at the same exact time. How can they manage both? Or will they always remain disappointed?

This book was odd and seemed to give all kinds of mixed messages. For starters, Matt seems to be pleased on the whole with his liberal parents who talk with concern about things like gender stereotypes. But then he is all too eager to throw away his ‘girly’ piccolo to join the drum section, even though two of his worst bullies are there and he admittedly finds playing the drum kind of boring. There’s a few moments where it feels like there could be some resolutions/turning points with the bullies, but these don’t quite come to fruition. In one case, there seems to be an implication that the worse of the two bullies – who constantly uses “queers” as a slur – might himself be gay, so in a way I’m glad the author didn’t go with that tired trope (or at least, didn’t fully explore/state it, but the implication is still there).

The ending of the book felt very ‘meh.’ There had been far too many storylines introduced and few conclusions existed. We can reasonably assume that Matt will strengthen his newfound friendships with Hector and Jack after Eric’s absence, but everything feels very up in the air. Often I like the ‘slice of life’ kind of stories, but I don’t think this quite qualifies as that. There may be some readers who will really enjoy this story, but I’m not one of them. ( )

Matt and Eric have been best friends since fourth grade, when Eric welcomed Matt into band and Matt introduced Eric to comics. Now sixth graders, they've just gotten two major pieces of news: one, their band will get to perform a concert at the World of Amazement, an awesome theme park; and two, Eric's pastry chef mom got a job across the country in New York and he'll be moving at the end of the school year. When a third piece of news arrives - their favorite comics creator will be at DefenderCon the same time as their spring concert - they hatch a plan to ditch the "optional" day and go to the Con instead. But the best-laid plans...etc.

Matt, who is Korean-American, and Eric, who is white, both come from loving, supportive homes; the same doesn't seem to be true for the two worst bullies in their class (and in band), Sean and Kenny. Matt and Eric experience blatant homophobia ("gay" used as an insult, continually being called queer even though both are pretty sure they're straight and that being gay isn't a bad thing) and bullying, sometimes even physical harassment. The teachers seem aware of very little of it, although when there's a big fight at the end, another kid runs for help.

More than anything The Boys in the Back Row is about the true, deep, sincere friendship between Matt and Eric, and how, despite their last hurrah not going as planned, they vow to stay friends after Eric moves.

Quotes (from ARC)

...but then sixth grade came lurching in like a one-legged zombie, and what do you know, everything actually did change. (from the first paragraph)

Mom also didn't believe in "boy instruments" or "girl instruments," whether I was the only boy flute and piccolo player in school or not. Every single bully at school disagreed with them, though, and they didn't tell Mom and Dad about it. The told me... (10)

Eric and I got harassed a lot, but it didn't stop us from actually being ourselves. (115)

Being suspicious of people all the time is an incredible bummer. You have to keep your guard up whenever you're around those people, you can't trust what they say even if they're not always trying to mess with you, and you have to watch what you say because you never know if it'll be used against you. (132-133) ( )

Narrated by Keong Sim. Matt and Eric are best friends and members of the school marching band. They both geek out over comic books. But Eric and his mother will be moving to New York and the boys decide that their last great adventure will be to meet their favorite comic creator--by sneaking out of a band competition and attending a nearby comic-con. Narrator Sim came off too soporific a reader initially, but as we come to see the love and true friendship between Matt and Eric, Sim's voice grows into the story. Love between best bros is a wonderful thing.