The Straight Road to Kylie

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Racy gay-themed read is fun but contrived.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this book features a gay protagonist who ultimately meets his first boyfriend. Along the way, he has sex with a girl, makes out with a bartender, and dares two girls to kiss. There's also plenty of underage drinking -- at the beginning of the book, Jonathan even has sex when he's drunk -- along with some swearing, and mentions of chain stores and fast food outlets.

  • This is pretty much an entertainment-only kind of book, but it could lead to some good conversations about how gay kids are treated in our society, at your kid's school, etc. See our "Families Can Talk About" section for some ideas.
  • Jonathan learns that he can't just play it straight -- he also needs to meet other gay guys, including a first boyfriend.
  • Jonathan doesn't always make good decisions, but he does ultimately learn that he has to be himself -- no matter how good the bribe.
  • Not applicable.
  • The book begins with gay Jonathan having drunken sex with a girl. He also kisses two guys, including his first real boyfriend. He makes out with his pretend girlfriend and challenges her to kiss another girl.
  • Some swearing, including "bitch" and "f--k."
  • Jonathan works at Target. He eats at McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, etc.
  • Lots of underage drinking at parties.

What's the story?

Jonathan knows he's gay, but he agrees to pose as the boyfriend of a popular rich girl when she bribes him with a chance to see his favorite pop star in concert: Kylie Minogue. But after fighting with friends -- and falling for a cute boy -- he begins to wonder if he made the right choice.


Is it any good?

 

The premise is fun but farfetched: A popular girl bribes a gay boy to be her boyfriend, hoping to maintain her social status "by dating the newest, hottest guy on the market." Readers willing to accept it will get drawn into energetic Jonathan's often wacky suburban life. Outrageous characters breathe life into this story -- like his bisexual best friend Carrie, who introduces herself by slapping his booty and shouting, "Oh, baby is this seat taken?!" Readers will have some good laughs along the way (at a Halloween party, for example, he dresses in a Madonna combat costume, but tells his fake girlfriend that he is dressed as an Italian GI Joe).

Be warned: There is lots of mature material -- drinking, swearing, sex -- and the plot follows a predictable path. In the end, Jonathan learns that he can't just play it straight -- he also needs to meet other gay guys, including a first boyfriend.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the growing number of books about gay and lesbian teens. Who reads these books? Is it just gay kids, or do you think straight kids feel comfortable reading them, too?

  • Do these books present an accurate reality? Do you know kids like
    Jonathan who are able to be out -- and fairly popular -- at your school?

  • There is a lot of controversial material here, including
    Jonathan's drunken first time. If you were in charge of publishing YA
    books, would there be any topics, behavior, messages, language that
    would be off limits? Who should get to decide what's right for you to
    read?


This review was written by Kate Pavao
Teen, 16 years old
May 10, 2010
 
fantastic novel
amaazing book , i enjoyed it!

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This review was written by Kate Pavao
Author:Nico Medina
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Coming of Age
Publisher:Simon Pulse
Publication date:May 22, 2007
Number of pages:304
Paperback price:$8.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):14 - 14
Read aloud:15
Read alone:15

This review was written by Kate Pavao
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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