SYNC Audiobooks Week 9

This summer, SYNC will be providing two free teen audiobooks each week from April 26th to July 25th. Each week will focus on a specific theme, pairing a classic YA title with a more modern YA title. These two titles will be available to download for free this week only (from 6/21 to 6/27) at the SYNC website. The ninth week will start on Thursday, June 21st with Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg. The theme for the ninth week is “Pride Week.”

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s coming-of-age, coming-out cocktail with a twist of terror. Thirteen-year-old Franklin Robertson is trying to survive adolescence. His parents don’t understand him, his brother torments him, he has no friends, and he’s more interested in the high school quarterback than any girl. The one bright spot in his life is the glow of the black-and-white TV in his parents’ basement. Here, he worships at the altar of the Saturday Night Horror Movie, hosted by the eerie Dr. Cerberus. Before long, Franklin is convinced that only by going on the show will his life be redeemed—by Dr. Cerberus himself! An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Simon Helberg as Franklin Robertson Jamison Jones as Doctor Cerberus Steven Culp as Lawrence Robertson Pamela J. Gray as Lydia Robertson Jarrett Sleeper as Rodney Robertson Original music by Steven Cahill. Directed by Bart DeLorenzo. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in July of 2010. Doctor Ceberus is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

Rafe is a normal teenager from Colorado. He’s been out since 8th grade, accepted by his peers & championed by his progressive parents. And while that’s important, all Rafe really wants is to be a regular guy. To have his sexuality be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time. So when Rafe transfers to an all-boys’ boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret — not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate breaking down and realizes his own labels aren’t well-concealed. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben…who doesn’t even know that love is possible.