By Rex Ogle
I was a boy in Texas in the 1980s. At that time, young men were expected to grow into cowboys or firefighters or G.I. Joes. We weren’t supposed to cry or write poetry or enjoy playing with Barbie dolls (who, by the way, had so many cool outfits to wear).
I wanted to be all those things—the things I was expected to be and the things I wasn’t. But when I was growing up, it was impressed upon me that I couldn’t be part of both worlds. I was either one type of boy or the other.
When my mom brought home her new boyfriend—a man who would become my brother’s father and a fixture in my life for twelve years—one of the first things he said to me was, “Well, look at this little fruitcake.” At the time, I didn’t know what to make of the comment. A fruitcake? It took a few years before I realized he was calling out my more effeminate behaviors.
He never said it with vitriol or hate in his voice, but more as a matter of fact. He knew something about me that I wouldn’t understand for years to come, and it was his own odd way of warning me that the world wasn’t supportive of boys like me.
I’d like to believe the world has come a long way. In some ways it has, yet in many ways it hasn’t. But what I do know, now, is that there’s nothing wrong with being sensitive. In fact, I’d argue that sensitive boys (and sensitive children in general) make the world a much better place, because they understand what it means to feel othered.
Having and displaying a delicate appreciation of others’ feelings leads to respect, inclusion, tolerance, compassion, kindness, and empathy. And in today’s world, we need all those characteristics in our youth more than ever—and in adults, too.
Any child can (and should) aspire to be whatever they want, from cowboy to firefighter to doll collector. And I suspect that being sensitive—quick to detect and respond to slight changes, signals, and influences—is an advantage, not just in athletics or creative fields but in professional settings and relationships in general.
So yeah, I was a sensitive boy. I was a fruitcake. I still am. And I couldn’t be prouder to have written a book that celebrates my younger self, because without him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
The heartfelt conclusion to Rex Ogle’s emotionally resonant and highly relatable Four Eyes trilogy, Fruitcake: A Graphic Novel, will be released on April 7, 2026. Suitable for grades 5–7, the story dives headfirst into the exhilarating and confusing world of first crushes, identity, and self-discovery. Featuring Dave Valeza’s vibrant, colorful, and engaging illustrations, Fruitcake is a tender story of laughter and fear, crushes and coming out, and the courage it takes to embrace who you are.
Rex Ogle is an award-winning author of more than one hundred books for kids, including his memoirs Free Lunch, Road Home, and Four Eyes and Pizza Face. Born and raised in Texas, Rex now lives in Los Angeles, where he writes every day. He still wears glasses, picks at his pimples, and can’t stop eating cake. Learn more about Rex and his books at rexogle.com.