The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky

Ever since cancer invaded his adoptive mother’s life, Brett feels like he’s losing everything, most of all control. To cope, Brett fuels all of his anxieties into epic fantasies, including his intergalactic Kid Condor comic book series, which features food constellations and characters not unlike those in his own life. But lately Brett’s grip on reality has started to lose its hold. The fictions he’s been telling himself – about his unattractive body, the feeling that he’s a burden to his best friend, that he’s too messed up to be loved – have consumed him completely, and Brett will do anything to forget about the cosmic-sized hole in his chest, even if it’s unhealthy.

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky is a relatable portrayal of a teen’s journey toward self-acceptance, written with extreme care and vulnerability, that explores internal battles with disordered eating and grief. Brett's struggle with familial loss, identity, and body dysmorphia, provides hope through humor, curiosity and genuine friendships.

Content Warnings: body shaming, eating disorder, fatphobia, death of parent, disordered eating, alcoholism, cancer, self harm, suicide, 

Author
https://www.joshgalarza.com/

Longtime Montessori educator Josh Galarza writes fiction and creative nonfiction, and is a multidisciplinary visual artist specializing in printmaking and book arts. His research centers around male gender performance, queer issues, body liberation, and Chicano studies. His debut novel, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky (Henry Holt & Company), was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

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Galarza earned his BA in English and BFA in art from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he later taught printmaking. He currently lives in Richmond, VA, where he teaches in the English Department at Virginia Commonwealth University while completing an MFA in creative writing.