Johnnie Ray Rousseau is a gay black teenager in the 70's. He is finishing high school looking to head off to college to spread his wings. He is closeted. His best friend is Efrem. Cherie is trying to get him to be her boyfriend, so he has to tell her why he says no. He lusts after Todd who loves Leslie and Skipper who loves Kathleen. He knows he cannot be in the school play because of his race but that does not stop him from dreaming of being the lead. He then gets involved in theater with college kids where he meets Marshall who becomes his first lover. High school gets messy for his friends then him when he's outed. What will he do? Will he spread his wings or return to the closet?

I enjoyed this story. It is so realistic of high school. I knew every one of these people. I felt bad for many of them. Todd and Leslie have the saddest story. Johnnie Ray is not believed by the cops about Todd, and he feels guilt but also realizes he did what he could. I felt bad for Efrem when he has troubles at home but was glad about his ending. I hated the youth pastor who outed Johnnie Ray but laughed when they went for the exorcism. Johnnie Ray felt the same as I did. I loved how he ended it. These really were a cast of characters with Johnnie Ray providing insight to it all.

I look forward to reading Mr. Duplechen's other books. I was pulled into Johnnie Ray's world and loved it. ( )

Blackbird fills to the brim with compassion, understanding, authenticity and insightful perceptions. Its storyline tells of a young man's coming of age and coming to face the reality of his sexual orientation against the backdrop of an environment where judgments of others supersedes any understanding or acceptance of others.
This book's many sub-themes each feel accurate and believable: the story and fate of the teenage couple who've 'made a baby,' the teachers who fail at teaching, the racism the hurts target and victim both, the homophobia that condemns the hater and the hated, the church that fails at Christianity and the many parents who have failed at truly parenting their children.
The book has many sad stories within it. Teenage suicide, teenage pregnancy, racial divide and others.
While the main theme of the book deals with a young man coming to terms with his own sexuality, a frightful experience for all teenagers, straight or gay, the sub-theme that stuck me most dealt with how religion becomes a tool and excuse for hatred, judgment, condemnation and stupidity strong enough to allow parents to disavow their own children. In fact, the book's most insightful and stinging prose deals with this use of religious belief to justify personal judgment, "I just couldn't believe that the God who made me what I am could be any more displeased with me for not being heterosexual than for not being tall."
It is not God who is displeased, it is the people who pretend to speak for his authority.Meister Eckhardt summed it up thusly: "God does not love you because of who you are, but because of who He is."
I believe the author intended a tale not about racism or homophobia, but about the impacts of judgments, hatreds, prejudices and sanctimonious self-righteousness, the excuses used to justify these reprehensible behaviors (chiefly religion), and the extent to which they harm.
It is a powerful, insightful book. It is a must read by all readers, not because its theme is homosexuality, but because it is humanity; humanity at its best, and humanity at its worst. ( )

Johnnie Ray Rousseau auditions for the role of Romeo in his high school's play, knowing full well that they would never going to allow a black boy to play the part. Still, the news hits him hard and begins a month of changes that will affect his family, his friends and who he is. It's the month that his high school girlfriend decides it's time to go "all the way." It's the month when his best friend Efram Zimbalist Johnson is beaten to a bloody pulp by his father when he finds him messing around with another boy. It's the month Johnnie meets Marshall McNeill, by far the sexiest man on the planet, who opens him up to who he really is. And, it's the month of his excorcism.

Blackbird is an intelligent, funny "coming out" and coming of age story, depicting all the ups and downs of being a teenager: the anxiety of sexual discovery, the pressure of parents to fit in, and how high school can seem so unfair. ( )