Reality Boy is a work of fiction that shows the awful truth about Reality TV. But don’t let the word “awful” turn you off. This is an amazingly well written book. The author, A.S. King, does something magical: Just as you begin to lose faith in the human race, she shows us how it's all going to be OK. For Gerald. And for us.
Gerald's a seventeen-year-old who starred on a reality TV show when he was five. I don't know about you, but I get embarrassed when my mom shares goofy pictures of me as a kid on Facebook. Can you imagine what it's like to have your whole life broadcast before the entire nation? When you're five? A time in our lives when none of us is at our best behavior?
Needless to say, the trauma of Gerald's early childhood experience as a reality TV star leaves him feeling angry and misunderstood. Fortunately, he's not alone. He meets a junk yard owner's daughter at his after-school job and finally, his future begins to look brighter. Not that any one person can save you. But finding a friend (and, maybe, a potential love interest?) who understands your misery is about the best thing that can happen to a person who feels like the whole world is rooting against him. If you like books about loveable misfits you can cheer on, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Dumplin', or Eleanor & Park you'll love Reality Boy.