I'm not really sure how to describe it. It was funny and a little sad. I felt so bad for Stephen for being so clueless as to his own mind and for trying so hard to prove that he wasn't what he was. I suppose what makes it sad is that people struggle with this kind of thing everyday.

I wanted to smack his best friend Rachel because whether or not you knew before he did, and even though you were supporrive, you don't out anyone. I don't care if her family had already figured it out, it was up to Stephen to tell them he's gay. And his parents *sigh* they were so clueless, but in the end they were a good mom and dad. I think the best part was poor Stephen trying every idiotic thing he could to prove he wasn't gay.

All-in-all it was a good read. ( )

LaRochelle creates a story here that is deeply rooted in the real coming out experience of a gay individual. He is able to convey the real painful emotions that a person feels when they are trying to make that choice to finally tell people. He also does a masterful job of conveying the fear that the character's parents has with their son being gay. In many instances the author takes what one would think and flips it around, such as the father being the most accepting of the main character.I recommend this book to anyone that is wanting to be challenged on their belief system on how gay people feel because LaRachelle gets it exactly right in this book. ( )

Steven is a sixteen-year-old boy who doesn’t know many things but is absolutely positive about one thing: he’s absolutely, positively NOT gay. He sets out to prove it by collecting photos of girls in bikinis, sitting at the jock table, and dating like crazy. He is not ready to admit the truth and embarks on a journey to find out what it really takes to be a man.

This is a very humorous story that is bound to entertain any reader no matter what their sexual orientation is. It uses humor to help readers understand the worries of young males and females when exploring their sexuality. Steven’s character has a lot of doubts that many other teen have as well. This would be a great book to spark a discussion over acceptance, and empathy.

Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 4.8

A breezy, delightful story about a teenage boy coming to terms with being gay. Positive messages abound in this wryly humorous romp. ( )

Absolutely, Positively Not is a humorous book about a teenage boy accepting and admitting his sexual orientation. Steven, who is aware of his sexual attraction to men, struggles greatly with himself in admitting he is gay. He tries his hand at multiple masculine things like hanging pictures of woman around his room, eating lunch with “manly” hockey players, and dating numerous girls to prove to himself that he is straight. The author leads his readers to wonder if Steven is
"absolutely, positively not...gay" or "absolutely, positively not...straight". This is a good read for a young adult struggling with his/her sexuality. ( )