Nikhil Out Loud

I read The Best At It a few years ago, and I loved it. Nikhil Out Loud has been on my TBR since then, and it didn’t disappoint! Optimistic, warm and funny, it paints a vivid picture of adolescence and all the drama that comes with it.

Thirteen-year-old Nikhil Shah is the voice of Raj Reddy, a beloved cartoon character. He loves working in the studio, and with his best friend Anton, life couldn’t get better.

Unfortunately, he learns that he is to move to Ohio because his mother feels the need to spend time with her parents … and everything slides downhill from there. His voice begins to break, his new friend circle seems awkward, and he cannot seem to build a relationship with his ailing grandfather. How will he continue to play Raj Reddy when his voice is cracking? Why was he cast as the Narrator of the school musical when he can’t sing? And how will that affect his relationship with DeSean, who was so sure he would get the lead role?

What I truly loved about Nikhil Out Loud is the relationships amongst the various characters. We have no messy miscommunications just to take the plot forward. Rather, the moment things seem to get complicated, the characters don’t drag things on but talk about it. In these little details lies the warmth of the story. When Nikhil comes out as gay in the school newspaper, things could spiral out of control, especially with his conservative grandfather. But that’s not what happens. Instead, Nikhil understands what it means to have community rally behind you.

Feisty characters, unexpected humour and silliness that is typical of tweens come together without ever seeming cringy or unbelievable. A story about change and growth, Nikhil Out Loud is an uplifting book that reaffirms our faith in the world in a wholly believable way.