The Minus-One Club

November 1, 2022
A teen boy learns that he doesn't have to grieve alone. After Black, biracial high school sophomore Kermit's older sister, Sheila, is killed by a drunk driver, he receives a mysterious invitation in his school locker to join an unknown group; the back of the card reads only "-1." The Minus-One Club is composed of classmates who have suffered a devastating loss: There's football player Patrick, whose father died while sailing; artsy Celia, whose twin sister succumbed to leukemia; geeky Simon, whose beloved late grandfather was his only family; dance team member Janna, whose mother died in a car accident while Janna was learning to drive; and handsome, openly gay Matt, who lost his mother to pancreatic cancer. The rules of the club are simple--it is top secret, and they don't talk about death. Kermit needs the support; as a closeted gay teen with homophobic, religious parents, he's unsure where to place his grief. Memories and dreams of Sheila guide Kermit as he quickly becomes closer with Matt, but while the club provides some level of security, ignoring their losses can lead to emotional spiraling and dangerous consequences. Magoon tackles a lot with Kermit's story, but the realistic jumble of romance, grief, religion, toxic masculinity, sexuality, and depression may leave readers feeling like there are too many threads and not enough character development to truly feel invested. An ambitious coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 13-18)

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November 28, 2022
Soon after 15-year-old Kermit Sanders’s older sister is killed by a drunk driver, Kermit is anonymously invited to the secret Minus-One Club, comprising
fellow students from his high school who have all lost an immediate family member. The club only has two major rules: no one outside the Minus-One Club is to know about its existence, and members must never discuss death. Longing for community and support, Kermit agrees to join and, in doing so, begins bonding with his crush, Matt Rincorn. While Matt is openly gay, Kermit isn’t; due to his devoutly evangelical upbringing, he is fearful of exploring his sexuality. The homophobia that Kermit experiences both internally and from his religious parents, compounded by the club’s strict rules—avoiding discussions of death results in a lack of grief processing for several of its members—triggers potentially fatal breakdowns. Exploring the multitude of ways people grieve, Magoon (Chester Keene Cracks the Code) tells an emotionally complex narrative that emphasizes the importance of the roles loved ones play in individual lives and the ways one can be forever changed when they’re gone. Ages 14–up.

May 26, 2023

Gr 9 Up-High school sophomore Kermit Sanders has just lost his older sister Sheila in a drunk-driving accident. On his first day back at school he receives a mysterious note inviting him to what turns out to be the titular Minus-One Club, a group of classmates who have also experienced loss. While the group is for connection and companionship, Rule #1 of the club is: "We don't talk about it." Kermit forms an especially close bond with Matt, the only openly gay student in school, who lost his mom to cancer. Kermit has long struggled to suppress his own sexuality, having grown up in a church that frames homosexuality as a sin, but connecting with Matt allows him to begin to accept himself. This novel depicts teens dealing with heavy topics in a realistic way; their struggles are messy, nonlinear, and believable. While a book that centers on grief will undeniably deal with heavy topics, it should be noted that the story also depicts teen alcohol abuse, hate crimes, and a suicide attempt. Kermit is biracial; other characters' races are not indicated. VERDICT A raw coming-of-age story that illustrates the multi-faceted nature of grief and growing up.-Mary Kamela

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* After losing his sister, Sheila, in a tragic car accident, 15-year-old Kermit Sanders is encouraged to take his grief to God and find peace in the platitudes of scripture. Kermit finds this more of a risk than comfort, especially since he's not the straight, Christian, poster boy everyone in his small Indiana town assumes him to be. Despite his best attempts to create distance, Kermit finds himself summoned by the Minus-One Club--a secret group of students who have also recently lost a loved one. But when Kermit grows particularly close to Matthew, the only out gay boy in their high school, he finds that navigating grief, healing, and everything in between is a lot more complicated than he thought. Told in episodic form oscillating among events of Kermit's present, past, and dream state, the novel immerses readers in Kermit's exploration of who he ultimately will choose to be. Magoon expertly layers intersectional identity elements in ways that are subtly expressed, emphasizing the nuances in a digestible manner. Initially, readers may find themselves naturally leaning more into the budding romance between Matthew and Kermit, but echoing the unexpected nature of loss, the presence of the Minus-One Club demands readers consider the ways we can show up for one another (whether wanted or not) in times of grief. This timely and thoughtful novel makes room for the increasing depth and complexity of navigating adolescence alongside grief, religious dissent, and healing.

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January 1, 2023
The Minus-One Club has two rules: "1. Tell no one else about us. 2. We never talk about "�IT." "IT" is death, and the loss of a loved one is the only admission criterion for the secret club to which tenth grader Kermit suddenly finds himself invited after his older sister, Sheila, is killed in a car accident. The close-knit group also includes popular and openly gay Matt, whose mother died of cancer. Kermit, who is struggling with his Christian faith and with coming out, is attracted to Matt's easy confidence and thrilled when Matt returns his affections. But as the boys grow closer, Kermit begins to see that Matt's effortless aplomb is really just a facade covering up a self-destructive drinking problem. Soon Kermit must decide if never talking about Sheila's death, Matt's drinking, or his own sexuality is helping him cope or actually amplifying his loss. Readers will be drawn into the development of Kermit and Matt's tender first love, which is realistically halting, clumsy, and intimate. Short, dialogue-rich chapters interspersed with dream-sequence exchanges between Kermit and his bossy, loving late sister add levity and keep the pacing brisk. This evocative exploration of grief, sexual identity, and personal spirituality will be a boon to any teen grappling with these issues.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)