Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2005 (Vol. 73, No. 19))
More soapy goodness from the rainbow boys from Rainbow High (2003). This time Kyle, Jason and Nelson go on a road trip together. Jason, whose coming out and subsequent loss of college scholarship drew national attention in the last episode, is asked to speak at the opening ceremonies of Harry Hay High School in Los Angeles. This necessitates a trip across the country. Jason is sort of bisexual, but he loves his less uptight and totally gay boyfriend Kyle. The two think the trip will be a perfect time for them to get in some alone time before Kyle heads off to college, but they need Nelson's (Kyle's pink-haired best friend) car. It turns out to be a three-man trip with many pitfalls. They encounter Radical Faeries, Britney Spears look-alike transgendered boys, Hetero-flexible girls, long-term committed homosexual couples . . . and a little homophobia as they travel from landmark to landmark across the country. There are more after-school-special moments here than in the previous volumes, but fans of the trilogy will adore this final installment. A little sex might make this a not-for-everyone experience, but it's a perfect feel-good read for gay teens. 2005, Simon & Schuster, 256p, $16.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. © 2005 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paula Rohrlick (KLIATT Review, September 2005 (Vol. 39, No. 5))
Jason lost a basketball scholarship to college when he came out as gay in his senior year, but now he’s been asked to be a speaker at the opening of a new gay/lesbian/transgender high school in LA, all the way across the country. Road trip! He and his boyfriend Kyle, along with Kyle’s best friend Nelson, set out from Virginia and encounter a wide spectrum of the gay experience as they travel the US, from a gay sanctuary to a transgender boy who dresses as Britney Spears, gay bashers who chase them in a truck, and a committed gay couple celebrating their 20th year together. The three teenagers, just graduated from high school, discover a lot about themselves and each other in the course of the trip: smart, sensitive Kyle learns that his idol Jason is only human; Jason continues to feel attracted to girls as well as boys; and outrageous Nelson, who dyes his hair pink, finds love at long last. This sequel to Rainbow Boys and Rainbow High focuses on the emotional ups and downs of the boys’ experiences as they explore their feelings for each other and feelings about being gay, as well as presenting a look at various aspects of gay life. There is some drinking, smoking reefers, and sex, though nothing X-rated. YAs who have been following the series will be delighted to read this conclusion to the adventures of this trio. While the writing is not especially polished, the characters are appealing, their feelings are realistically portrayed, and the tone is supportive and hopeful. This might be a controversial book in some libraries, but it will also be an important book for readers looking for a sympathetic and empathetic portrayal of gay teens. (Rainbow Trilogy) Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: SA--Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2005, Simon & Schuster, 256p., $16.95. Ages 15 to adult.

Cynthia Winfield (VOYA, October 2005 (Vol. 28, No. 4))
The Rainbow trilogy's final novel, following Rainbow Boys (Simon & Schuster, 2001/VOYA December 2001) and Rainbow High (2004/VOYA December 2003) finds Kyle, Jason, and Nelson in their last summer before college embarking on a cross-country road trip rich with life lessons amid campsites and tourist attractions. The rotating first-person narration is confusing but improves as chapters lengthen. Jason, the clean-cut basketball star who lost a scholarship opportunity by coming out as gay, is dedicated to daily on-court workouts. Nelson, the flaming queen with longish curls dyed "stomach medicine" pink, is Kyle's best friend. Even-keeled Kyle, Jason's boyfriend, keeps the others on track and manages their travel route and finances. They encounter Graceland; the Civil Rights Museum (their suggestion is to include gay rights struggle); a gay sanctuary alive with colorful faeries and bare-chested women; the Mississippi; a male-to-female transgender character en route to a Brittney look-alike contest in New Orleans; campgrounds whose close quarters illuminate family strife next door (and Nelson advises the lisping, misfit child); tobacco-chewing, beer-drinking homophobes trying to run them off the road; an older gay couple quietly celebrating their twentieth anniversary; and more. The author's research is evident in locations and encounters. The absence of violence and of graphic sex (beyond "they kissed and touched, exploring nooks and crannies, tearing open condoms, entering one another, feeling closer than ever" near the end) and the rarity of profanity make this novel acceptable for public and school libraries. This quirky adventure will delight interested teens, and larger collections should include the series. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P J S (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2005, Simon & Schuster, 256p., $16.95. Ages 12 to 18.