The Order of the Poison Oak (The Russel Middlebrook Series) - Softcover

Brent Hartinger is an author, playwright, and screenwriter. Geography Club, the first book in his Lambda Award-winning Russel Middlebrook Series, is now a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky.

In 1990, Brent helped found one of the world's first gay teen support groups, in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. In 2005, he co-founded the entertainment website AfterElton.com, which was sold to MTV/Viacom in 2006. Read more by and about Brent, or contact him at www.brenthartinger.com.

"[When I finished the book], I was sniffling and my eyes were moist: It's what's meant by the phrase 'being moved to tears.'...the book is beautifully written, authentic-sounding and smart....all the right traditional values are underscored: honesty, cleverness, generosity, trust." - Philadelphia Inquirer

"A touching and realistic portrait of gay teens. The characters are three-dimensional, and Russell narrates in a perfect teen patois that is often hilarious. Teens -- gay and straight -- will connect." - Kirkus Reviews

"Hartinger is a master at crafting a high school setting, and Russel, Min, Gunnar and all the rest are just great characters ... A brave, bold book." - Bookslut.com

"Lest any of this sounds angst-ridden, it's all leavened by Russel's chatty, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes enthusiastic teen voice. He addresses the reader like one teen telling his story to another, lending the story an immediacy and sense of reality, and his observations can be funny as well as refreshingly honest." - Kliatt

"The story transcends queer kid romance angst ... The Order of the Poison Oak, with its easygoing emphasis on the virtue of tolerance and the value of friendship, is a well-pitched novel for teen readers -- but one that will appeal to grownups with a yen for intelligent, humorous coming-of-age fiction." - Richard Labonte's Book Marks

"A delight ... funny, touching ... With this third novel from Brent Hartinger, I can see that he is an author who is only becoming more accomplished. (Highest Rating)" - Midwest Book Review

"Superb. 5Q (Highest Rating)" - VOYA