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Swim the Fly

(2009, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Don Calame)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Stereotypical boys, objectified girls, no redeeming message.

Themes in this book include:   dating/crushes, friendship, growing up, honesty, peer pressure

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Matt, Sean, and Coop are preoccupied by their goal of seeing a naked girl before summer ends. They lie and cheat with no real consequences except that their crazy schemes never work out.

  • Role models:

    The main characters see girls as nothing more than bodies to ogle. They lie and cheat without major consequences, and even Matt's grandfather is deceitful when it comes to women.

  • Violence:

    Matt is chased by a bigger boy and thrown into a pool. He hits his head and is knocked unconscious. Coop's dad tells a story from his teen years in which he breaks an old man's nose with a stick of salami.

  • Sex:

    Matt and his brother and friends tease each other about masturbating, there are multiple uses of varied slang for genitalia, and the use of pornography is mentioned a couple of times. The boys spy on a nude beach; two of the boys try to peek over a dressing room door where girls are trying on bathing suits. At a party, the boys hear a girl ask her friend for a condom because she's going to meet a random boy in the bedroom, so the boys hide in the bedroom's closet in order to watch. They take pictures of the couple undressing each other and post them on Facebook without their knowledge.

  • Language:

    Teens use language including "f--k," "goddamn," "ass," and "s--t," and many slang terms like "pants hamster" and "tenting your Speedo."

  • Consumerism:

    Some brands like Playboy, iPod, Tootsie Pop, Facebook, Speedo, Marlboro, O'Doul's, and Mountain Dew are mentioned. Kelly likes to shop and calls Valerie "boring" because she's saving her money for college.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The boys attend a teen party where everyone has to bring alcohol in order to get in. The main characters bring non-alcoholic beer, but other teens bring alcohol and one secondary character says she might be drunk. Matt's mother used to smoke Marlboros, but now smokes organic cigarettes.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Swim the Fly

Parents need to know that the focus of this coming-of-age novel is the main characters' goal to see a naked woman in real life, without the woman's knowledge. The boys lie to parents, girls, and a swim coach. They tease each other about masturbation and refer to using internet porn and reading Playboy. They attend a party where teens are drinking, and they spy on and take pictures of a couple who are planning to have sex at the party. There are no real consequences for their behavior and, in fact, they are rewarded in some ways. By the time Matt decides not to lie anymore, the book is almost over and he has a girlfriend anyway. Matt's dad left his mom for a younger woman, but this is only mentioned in passing and not really explored as far as how this might affect the family.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the boys' goal. Why was there such urgency about it? What does the fact that they wanted to see a naked woman without her knowledge say about how they view women as people?
  • Matt's dad left his mom for a younger woman, and his grandfather is not honest in his relationships either. How do you think this could affect Matt's relationships? How do you think Matt could overcome these influences?
  • Why would Kelly get back together with Tony after he cheated on her so often? Why was Matt so preoccupied with Kelly when she couldn't even remember his name?
  • Why didn't Matt notice Valerie until she expressed interest in him?
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