About this book
Russel Middlebrook is convinced he's the only gay kid at Goodkind High School. Then his online gay chat buddy turns out to be none other than Kevin, the popular but closeted star of the school's baseball team. Soon Russel meets other gay students, too. There's his best friend Min, who reveals that she is bisexual, and her soccer–playing girlfriend Terese. Then there's Terese's politically active friend, Ike. But how can kids this diverse get together without drawing attention to themselves? "We just choose a club that's so boring, nobody in their right mind would ever in a million years join it. We could call it Geography Club!" Brent Hartinger's debut novel, what became first of a series about Russel Middlebrook, is a fast–paced, funny, and trenchant portrait of contemporary teenagers who may not learn any actual geography in their latest club, but who learn plenty about the treacherous social terrain of high school and the even more dangerous landscape of the human heart.
Censorship history
In 2025, "Geography Club" by Brent Hartinger was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States due to its LGBTQ+ content. This ban was part of a broader movement against books featuring LGBTQ+ themes, often initiated by local parent-teacher associations (PTAs) and conservative advocacy groups. Specific instances included formal complaints lodged in various school districts, leading to votes by school boards to remove the book from libraries and curricula. The bans have faced challenges from LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, but as of now, many remain upheld.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | LGBTQ+ |