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Cover of Flamer

Flamer

by Mike Curato

ISBN: 9781250756145Henry Holt and Company (BYR)

*I know I’m not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They’re mean, and scary, and they’re always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.* *I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.* It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes―but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.

Genres

Graphic NovelLGBTQ Fiction
Author self-identifies as: person of color, LGBTQ+source ↗About these classifications →

Banned or challenged 8 times across 8 jurisdictions.

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Related Laws

This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.

⚠ Challenger signal

Also flagged by 2 challenger groups

These groups have publicly targeted this book for removal. This is NOT a confirmed ban — it’s a signal that the book is on one or more challenger lists, which often precedes formal challenges in specific districts. See methodology for how we distinguish targeting from enforcement.

Timeline

Unified view of laws affecting this book and jurisdictions where it’s been removed or challenged, in chronological order.

8 law events8 ban events
  1. 22

    Mar 22, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  2. 22

    Mar 25, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Approved by Governor

  3. 23

    May 3, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Ordered enrolled

  4. 23

    May 16, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  5. 23

    May 17, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Approved by Governor

  6. 23

    Jun 13, 2023

    LawTexas HB 900

    Signed by the Governor

  7. 23

    Jun 30, 2023

    Banremoved

    Clay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

    Banremoved

    Marion County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

    Banremoved

    Volusia County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

  8. 24

    Jun 1, 2024

    Banchallenged

    Harford County Public Schools, MD

    HCPS board votes to remove Flamer from school libraries after parent appeal, overriding committee recommendation to retain. First book removed under new district challenge process.

  9. 24

    Jun 30, 2024

    Banremoved

    Bay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

  10. 24

    Aug 14, 2024

    Banreinstated

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

    Returned to library shelves per Judge Sharon Gleason's August 7, 2024 preliminary injunction order (to be completed by 2024-08-14). The November 4, 2024 settlement confirmed this return + a $89,000 payment to plaintiffs, with 7 of the original 56 titles staying permanently off district library shelves.

  11. 25

    Aug 13, 2025

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Federal Judge Carlos Mendoza (U.S. Middle District of FL) rules in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that HB 1069 provision targeting "descriptions of sexual conduct" is unconstitutionally overbroad. Named 23 books and stated "none of these books are obscene." The mandate to remove books with even a single reference to prohibited subject matter violates students' First Amendment right of free access to ideas. Parts requiring a process for challenging books were NOT struck down.

  12. 25

    Nov 5, 2025

    Banreinstated

    Harford County Public Schools, MD

    Maryland State Board of Education reverses HCPS decision, orders Flamer returned to secondary school libraries. First state-level reversal of a local book ban in Maryland.

  13. 26

    Jan 1, 2026

    Banunder legal challenge

    Harford County Public Schools, MD

    HCPS board votes 5-2 to appeal state ruling to Harford County Circuit Court, despite counsel advising less than 20% chance of winning.

  14. 26

    Apr 8, 2026

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Jacksonville group proposed banning three books from Duval County Public Schools, citing violation of state law regarding sexual content

Platform availability

3 platforms tracked

Availability at online retailers and library platforms, refreshed by our daily scanner. “Pending review” means the scanner saw the title unavailable but a human hasn’t confirmed whether it’s a stockout or a real removal.

All ban records (8)

Volusia County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

Bay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Clay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

Fort Worth ISD, TX

school · school district

Under ConsiderationA board or committee is actively reviewing whether to remove this book.

Under review by committee of master-certified librarians per FWISD book review process.

Reported Aug 28, 2023

Harford County Public Schools, MD

school · school district

Under Legal ChallengeA lawsuit has been filed challenging this ban or the law behind it.

Challenged for LGBTQ+ content. Returned to HCPS libraries per Maryland State Board of Education, Spring 2025.

Reported Jan 1, 2024

Keller ISD, TX

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed under Keller ISD EFB policy review. Board overruled their own review committee decisions.

Reported Aug 16, 2022

Marion County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

school · school district

ReinstatedThe book was previously removed but has been returned to shelves.

Challenged by school board; reviewed per court order in Case 3:23-cv-00265-SLG