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This is not really a high school book. Not because it has some "sexy time", although it does. Sam Hell would fall under the "adult themes" category. For example, the opening scene is when a now-adult Sam Hell is considering a vasectomy. Not a high school issue. But the story of the life of Sam HILL, a child born with ocular albinism, is very much worth the read. Ocular Albinism give Sam red eyes, and you can imagine how he is teased and tormented by both adults and peers.
Sam's mom is a devout Catholic; Sam attends Catholic school. Even the nuns at the school treat him differently and the kids call him "Devil Boy." The hero of this story is Sam's mother who never allows her only child to think he is less than "extraordinary".
Have you heard of the term "bildungsroman"? That is what is more popularly known as a "Coming-of-Age" story. It is a genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood in which character change is important. The reader really grows up along with Sam in this novel. And that is where you might find a little too much adult content. Just warning you. I find the storyline compatible with that content.
The author's note at the end is so great - here is where the story comes from. Dugoni was the oldest of 10 children born to a staunchly Catholic family. The last child was born with Down's Syndrome. Like the mother in Sam Hell, Mrs. Dugoni became a fierce advocate and defender of her child's rights and abilities. Although Sam has a different situation than Robert Dugoni's little brother, the theme remains.
Loved this book. You can watch a video review HERE.
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