{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260417T232332Z","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1534429131?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"1534429131","authors":["Tim Federle"],"book_id":"9781534429130","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/better-nate-than-ever-1534429131","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781534429130.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","description":"Soon to be a Disney+ Original movie! “The Nate series by Tim Federle is a wonderful evocation of what it’s like to be a theater kid. Highly recommended.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda, star and creator of the musical, Hamilton A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Slate Favorite Book of the Year A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical in this winning middle grade novel that The New York Times called “inspired and inspiring.” Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical , and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom. Tim Federle’s “hilarious and heartwarming debut novel” ( Publishers Weekly ) is full of broken curfews, second chances, and the adventure of growing up—because sometimes you have to get four hundred miles from your backyard to finally feel at home.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781534429130","publication_date":"20180918","publisher":"Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers","slug":"better-nate-than-ever","subtitle":"","title":"Better Nate Than Ever"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"JUV031060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Theater Stories","score":0.8013,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039080","confidence_band":"high","label":"Kids' LGBTQ+ Stories","score":0.7962,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF047050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Theater & Musicals for Teens","score":0.7513,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"JUV031060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Theater Stories","score":0.8013,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039080","confidence_band":"high","label":"Kids' LGBTQ+ Stories","score":0.7962,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF047050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Theater & Musicals for Teens","score":0.7513,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"JUV031060","confidence_band":"high","label":"Theater Stories","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039060","confidence_band":"high","label":"Friendship","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"JUV060000","confidence_band":"high","label":"LGBTQ+ / General","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Theater Stories","score":0.8013,"slug":"theater-stories"},{"label":"Kids' LGBTQ+ Stories","score":0.7962,"slug":"kids-lgbtq-stories"},{"label":"Theater & Musicals for Teens","score":0.7513,"slug":"theater-musicals-for-teens"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy Theater Stories","Good for readers interested in series","Good for fans of Middle Grade"],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Mandy Gonzalez"],"book_id":"9781534468955","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781534468955.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.8609,"title":"Fearless","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781534468955"},{"authors":["Paul Ruditis"],"book_id":"9781416933922","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781416933922.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":12.3578,"title":"Everyone's a Critic","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781416933922"},{"authors":["Lisa Mantchev"],"book_id":"9780312608668","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780312608668.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":12.3329,"title":"Eyes Like Stars","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780312608668"},{"authors":["Lisa Mantchev"],"book_id":"9781250004857","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781250004857.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":12.2779,"title":"So Silver Bright","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781250004857"},{"authors":["Tim Federle","Simon & Schuster Audio"],"book_id":"9781481404099","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781481404099.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":11.9385,"title":"The Great American Whatever","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781481404099"},{"authors":["Ali Stroker","Stacy Davidowitz"],"book_id":"9781419764042","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781419764042.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":9.9756,"title":"Cut Loose! (the Chance to Fly #2)","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781419764042"},{"authors":["Nicole Kronzer"],"book_id":"9781419754562","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781419754562.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":9.9707,"title":"The Roof Over Our Heads","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781419754562"},{"authors":["Lindsay Champion"],"book_id":"9781645953289","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781645953289.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":9.9534,"title":"Setting the Stage","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781645953289"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:series"],"label":"Series","score":0.1313,"slug":"series"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:lambda literary award winner"],"label":"Literary","score":0.0955,"slug":"literary"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:lgbtq"],"label":"Lgbtq","score":0.0827,"slug":"lgbtq"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:lambda literary award winner"],"label":"Award","score":0.0629,"slug":"award"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Series, Literary, Lgbtq.","Reading lane: Theater Stories and Kids' LGBTQ+ Stories.","Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers."]},"llm_signals":null,"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":false,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":436,"goodreads_ratings_count":8061,"goodreads_reviews_count":1266,"quality_score":0.9728}}