Johnny turns to drinking after his dad dies in a car accident. His mother is overcome by grief and isn’t much of a mother at all. Johnny takes over the responsibilities of the grocery shopping, paying the bills and caring for his mother the way she should be caring for him. Drinking seems to be the only thing that can relieve the stress. His drinking habits also influence his choice of friends and his appearance. He’s used to being called names in his black clothes, black hair, black nails and eyeliner. When Johnny wakes in the hospital from a possible drug overdose, his mom sends him to live with his father’s brother, Uncle Sam, in South Carolina.The one thing, well the one person that keeps Johnny on the straight and narrow is Debbie Harry the singer from Blondie. Once Johnny heard her singing in his stay in rehab, he has a slight obsession. He wishes he could be more like her, strong, tough, cool and beautiful. At his new school Johnny meets Maria who also shares in his love of music. He knows he is falling in love with Maria, so why does he want to be Debbie Harry and wear her clothes?Have you heard of Debbie Harry Sings in French? Well, I hadn't and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But this novel ended up leaving a strong impression. Johnny’s story is very interesting to say the least. This books main theme is a teen trying to find his identity, he doesn’t think he is gay, but he likes to feel beautiful and he even wears a dress in one part of the story. Brother’s also incorporates a very real and compelling look into homosexuality and transvetism. I couldn’t help but feel empathetic. He ends up learning more about his father toward the end of the story and Johnny’s musical and artistic style makes more sense. Debbie Harry Sings in French is Meagan Brother’s debut novel. I would recommend it to readers who like music and are looking for something fresh and enlightening. ( )

Meagan Brothers' first novel tells the story of Johnny, a Florida teen, who takes over for his mom when his dad is killed in a car accident. After 3 years of drinking, Johnny's mom makes a full recovery and wants to be a parent to him again. But in the meantime, he's been doing all the chores, paying bills, and taking care of business, as well as partying hard. One night, Johnny's out with friends after drinking heavily. A girl in his group gives him ecstasy when he asks for aspirin, and he's hospitalized for an overdose. Johnny's mom ships him off to rehab and then to his Uncle's house. In rehab, he discovered Blondie and he continues his obsession with Blondie at his new school in South Carolina. He meets Maria, who becomes his girlfriend, and he starts to become more and more interested in singing Blondie songs as Debbie Harry, not just singing along as Johnny. The angle that Brothers uses in this novel--Johnny's straight, but likes to dress in drag and perform--fills a niche that is pretty empty at the moment. A lot of books portray characters that are questioning their sexuality, but none seem to have straight transvestite characters. Meagan Brothers does a good job of filling this gap; this is her first novel and I think that if she writes another one, she'll have further developed and refined her style. I think that one area that needs work is the voice: I never quite believed that I was hearing from a male narrator. The tone never allowed me to forget that I was reading a female author writing as a 16-year old boy. Thus, the deduction in stars. But I do think that this author shows promise and the book addresses an under-served topic. And, the sex scene that appears in the book uses condoms. It's safe sex, and it's not presented like an after school special. Brothers gets points there. Recommended for all high school library and public library teen collections. ( )

A very entertaining read. Frank without offending those with delicate sensibilities. Johnny's dad died in a car accident when he was 12, and his mom was so depressed that he spent the next years dealing with things way beyond his maturity level. When she suddenly wakes up and discovers he is a goth alcohol abuser who almost ODs, she sends him to live with his uncle in Florida. When he discovers Blondie, he realizes that he wants to be as beautiful as Debbie Harry, and his open-minded new girlfriend helps him to figure out how. ( )

Johnny's had a tough life. His father dies, his mom refuses to leave the house, and he starts drinking, and he gets teased at school and labeled as gay. When a near death experience with drugs wakes his mom up to his condition, Johnny is sent to rehab and then to his uncle's house. He finds comfort in the songs of Debbie Harry and Maria, a friend he hopes will become something more. But soon he starts to think he might want to dress like Debbie Harry too? Does this make him gay, or just different? ( )