Boy Meets Boy
 | Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2005, Paperback Customer Rating: 55 reviews Recommend |
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This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.
When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.
This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.
From the Hardcover edition.
In this delightful young adult novel for readers 12 and up, high school sophomore Paul says, "There isn’t really a gay scene or a straight scene in our town. They got all mixed up a while back, which I think is for the best." And, as he observes at the end of the story, "It's a wonderful world." Paul has both gay and straight friends, and they all hang out together at terrific bookstores and concerts, and advise one another on the sometimes troubled progress of their various romances. Paul is smitten with Noah, and they are beginning a serious relationship when Kyle, Paul’s ex, complicates things by deciding that all is forgiven. Joni is going out with Chuck, who dominates her, much to her friends' disapproval. Tony’s conservative parents refuse to acknowledge that he is gay, so the others must bone up on Bible verses all week so they can pretend Saturday night is a study group. And then there's Infinite Darlene, football quarterback and Homecoming Queen, who deserves a whole romance novel of her own. Life in their town is gloriously accepting of differences and only occasionally verges on magic realism, in this first novel in which same sex preference is not the problem. — Patty Campbell
Title: Boy Meets Boy
Sales Rank: 110100 in Books
Author: David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2005-05-10, Paperback, 192 pages, ISBN: 0375832998
Package Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches, 0.45 pounds
- A fun little world and fun little story
- This book is nothing less of complete fun with drama sprinkled on top. Though, it has a really unrealistic feel to it, there is no doubt a reader will be sucked into Paul's quirky world. The situations are very real, its simply the details around them that give it an unreal feeling. In the big picture, its a very refreshing book since the problems… More reviews
- Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
- It's not often that I read a book so easy... easy to read and easy to like. In an almost utopian world, Paul is a teen apparently without problem: at 5 years old his teacher wrote in his profile that he was absolutely gay, and she did it as a positive thing, Paul was a lot more aware of himself than his fellow schoolmates. After reading his profile,… More reviews
- Definitely worth a read
- Well, the book's nothing if not original and seriously funny. I bought this as a birthday present to one of my friends and he loved it - prompting me to read it myself. I had a permanent stitch in my side and it's definitely one of my favorites now.
My only the problem with this book is that it seemed to go by so fast! I wish it was a little longer, but I have this little problem… More reviews
- This story on young gay love is charming, refreshing and irresistible!
- I have a fun time reading this one. My only regrets is that I did not pick it up sooner. The prose is lovely, the narration refreshing and delightful as we get to experience Paul's charming young gay life through his eyes. Paul's life is every young gay boy's dream, acceptance by family, friends and teachers. He knows who he is and is more or less certain of life.… More reviews
- A gay kid's Narnia...
- I got this audio book on a whim after reading the descriptions. For one, yes, some of the actors, especially the narrator, verge on annoying. I suppose it's the unrealistic optimism and hope that exudes from every word. However, looking past the almost child-like whining, you get a sense of what life is like if you were born "normal" by today's… More reviews
