LaRochelle, David. Absolutely, positively not...

LaRochelle, David. Absolutely, positively not.... Levine/Scholastic, 2005 [0-439-59109-0]
Steven is a High School boy going through the usual traumas about passing his driving test, arguing with his parents along with one other thing that has been smoldering in the back of his head. Why is he not interested in girls? Why does he think Coach Bowman is so handsome? All he knows is that he is not gay (or is he) so he goes to the library and gets an outdated book for information. He glues pictures of girls in bikinis on the walls of his room and tries aversion therapy by snapping a rubber band which he keeps on is wrist every time he thinks about a boy. He even goes on a rampage of dating a whole series of girls. Why does not kissing do anything for him? Finally he faces the fact that he may be gay and goes to tell his best friend (who happens to be a girl) and she says...I am glad you finally admitted it. Now comes the school dance and he knows he can't take a girl so... his friend suggests he bring her dog as a date. At the end of this 219 page book, he ends up going to a gay discussion group to talk and even meets another gay guy on the hockey team at school. Steven comes out to his parents who each react very differently, though lovingly. This is a lighthearted book dealing sexual orientation. There is no discussion of physical relationships... just the head trip the boy is going through. I have spoken to some gay friends about the book and they say it is an accurate depiction of how some boys initially face they fact that they may be gay. I hope the book is accepted in the schools.