Better Nate Than Ever

Billy Elliot meets Glee! Tim Federle's warm and witty debut is the story of small-town boy Nate as he follows his dreams and learns to be his own best self. "Judy Blume as seen through a Stephen Sondheim lens." Huffington Post

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Billy Elliot meets Glee! in this award-winning book about a small-town boy with big ambitions. Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster has always wanted to star in a Broadway show. (In fact, he’d settle for seeing a Broadway show.) With best pal Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom. Tim Federle's hilarious and touching debut is full of broken curfews, second chances and the adventure of growing up – because sometimes you have to get four hundred miles from your back garden to finally feel at home.

It’s not that I had any aspirations to run off to London’s West End as a child (I’m about as far from a triple threat as you could possibly get) but more that I can identify with the sense Nate has of needing to adjust or escape.
So many (if not all) the stories I read or studied at school said absolutely nothing to me, there was just no one I could relate to. People who were in any way ‘other’ usually ended up being depicted as sensational or extreme and far too often as the villain.
If anything books at school put me off reading and sent some very confusing messages about what every young boy should aspire to be.
Better Nate Than Ever is quite the opposite, managing to be hilarious, heart-breaking and at times incredible poignant, often with the main character oblivious to just how so. I honestly can’t praise this book enough and regardless of Better Nate Than Ever‘s ‘9 years +’ rating, urge you to go out an buy a copy (and copies for all of your family and friends). Nobody is too old to learn a little something from Nate Foster.

-- Hot UK Hot UK
Nae is an endearing and determined character, and Federle creates a voice that is both witty and naïve […] this is a book that is sure to appeal to any reader with an interest in musical theatre or Broadway. Inis Reading Guide
Nate Foster is another endlessly lovable underdog, a Broadway-obsessed outsider in his (perfectly-named) town of Jankburg, Pennsylvania who takes a secret journey to New York City to audition for ET: The Musical. Nate’s genuine wit sparkles on every page […] and it’s beyond heart-warming to experience his discovery of a world where he finally feels like he belongs. The Guardian

Tim Federle began crashing New York auditions as a teenager, landing in five Broadway shows, from Gypsy to The Little Mermaid (starring Tim in a catfish costume). Tim has penned columns for Apartment Therapy and Huffington Post, choreographed routines for Sting and James Taylor at Carnegie Hall, and coached the child stars of Billy Elliot on Broadway – Tim’s inspiration for his debut novel, Better Nate Than Ever, which was named a Stonewall Honor Book. Tim lives in New York City, USA

Find him at TimFederle.com, on Twitter @TimFederle and on YouTube – Tim Federle Reading and many more. #BetterNate

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