Cemetery Boys

Cemetery Boys

• Genre: Fiction; young adult LGBTQ+/fantasy
• Originally Published: 2020
• Reading Level/Interest: Grades 9-12
• Structure/Length: 26 chapters; approximately 352 pages; approximately 10 hours, 14 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Yadriel, a transgender boy, longs to prove himself as a brujo, a traditional Latinx practitioner of magic. The central conflict revolves around Yadriel’s determination to prove his abilities and his identity. When Yadriel attempts to summon the spirit of his recently deceased cousin, Miguel, he inadvertently summons the spirit of Julian, a rebellious and charming boy; their quest for answers becomes an adventure filled with magic and romance. The novel explores identity, family, love, and the importance of self-acceptance.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Identity and LGBTQ+ themes; violence, including death by stabbing; assault; magic; description of ritual human sacrifice; profanity

Aiden Thomas, Author

• Bio: Born 1988; contemporary American author known for their young adult fiction and LGBTQ+ representation; celebrated for their diverse and inclusive storytelling; often explores themes of identity, love, and the supernatural
• Other Works: Lost in the Never Woods (2021); The Sunbearer Trials (2022); Just Max (2024)
• Awards: Stonewall Book Award (2021); ALA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults (2021)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Growth
• Community and Chosen Family
• Death as the Beginning

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the cultural context connected to the setting and conflict of the novel.
• Study paired texts and other resources to make connections to the text’s themes of Growth, Community and Chosen Family, and Death as the Beginning.
• Create an altar of remembrance to demonstrate understanding of characterization.
• Analyze and evaluate the author’s craft to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding language, cultural and personal identity, first impressions, and other topics.