Parents' Guide to

Anatomy of a Boyfriend

By Pam Gelman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Graphic first love -- & sex -- story better for older teens.

Book Daria Snadowsky Coming of Age 2007
Anatomy of a Boyfriend Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 4 parent reviews

amberkapiolani
amberkapiolani Adult
August 28, 2011
age 13+

best book I've ever read :)

this book is GREAT, i read it when i was 13 and LOVED it. It is informational as well as witty. Dominique is a character that so many teenage girls can relate to. The relationship between Wes and Dominique is one that really can be described as first love; even though it ends in heartache, it shows how teenagers can often mistake love and how to get over it. I'm a big reader and i love reading books like these; I've read Judy Blume's Forever and was not as taken by it as i was with this one. I've read this book front to back about ten times in the last five years and i still laugh and cry at the appropriate parts. Teenage girls should read this book, there are so many important life lessons that you can't get anywhere else. It should be turned into a movie :)))))))))

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
xoxoChelseaBeth
xoxoChelseaBeth Parent of 4, 6 and 17-year-old
June 26, 2011
age 12+

Stop sheltering children.

I think that your children will do fine with this book. If they are 13 or under they may have questions, but you as a parent should be willing to answer them in a way that doesn't make them uncomfortable. I promise that over half of American children ages 12-13 already know about the content in this book (sex, kissing, ect.) If they don't they will soon, so why not put a positive influence in their minds so they'll do the right thing. Sex is natural and normal and they need to know that. Also, if your child can't handle it then you aren't doing a very good job with them, now are you?

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Dominique, a high-achieving student at an all-girl high school, meets Wes, a track star at the local public high school. Her best friend Amy encourages Dom to pursue him. They slowly develop a relationship, the first physical one for both. Eventually, hot and heavy, they find secret ways to be alone and explore first sexual encounters. Promising always to be together, they attend different colleges in different states and attempt to maintain their close relationship through email, phone calls, and visits back home. But is it possible?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (7):

First love and first times are very dramatic, no doubt, but they're not always on display so graphically, with how-to manual-style details. Written in the first person, the book lets readers get up close and personal with Dominique's thoughts, feelings, apprehensions, and pleasures. Like many teens, she communicates as much through email, text messaging, and cell phones as she does in person. And she's much more candid via email, in fact, especially when she's making a big relationship decision. For readers at this junction between high school and college romance, this book may give them something to ponder, but younger readers may be overwhelmed by the protagonist's obsession with her boyfriend and the explicit details of their relationship.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the sexual content of this book. Does it seem overly graphic -- or just realistic? When authors are writing books targeting teens, is any subject matter off limits?

  • Do you think books like this one can shape teen sexual behavior? Who or what do you think has the most influence over your decisions? Does media, including books, play a role?

Book Details

  • Author: Daria Snadowsky
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Delacorte Press
  • Publication date: February 19, 2007
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 14
  • Number of pages: 272
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate