Absolutely, Positively, Not...    by David LaRochelle Order:  USA  Can Arthur A. Levine, 2005 (2005) Hardcover      Reviewed by Lyn Seippel Sixteen-year-old Steven thinks about being gay a lot, but he's sure he's not. He's just waiting until he becomes attracted to girls. He decides to take matters into his own hands and date until he finds a girl to whom he is attracted. Despite dating almost all the girls in his class, it doesn't happen for him. He gives up girls and tells his best friend Rachel that he is gay. That's no surprise to her or her family. Rachel thinks being gay is perfectly normal and wants to start a Gay/Straight Alliance. It's not easy to make her understand that Steven isn't ready to announce his sexual orientation to the world. In spite of that, Steven would really like to find someone to talk to, who knows what he is feeling. Tired of dating girls, to whom he'll never be attracted, Steven takes an unusual approach to his high school dance. His date is a hit, but only Rachel understands why he chose to take her golden retriever Kelly to the dance. Absolutely, Positively, Not... won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award for good reason. Steven's dialogue with himself, his hilarious dates with a variety of girls, and his driving with his parents are just a few of the comic episodes in this coming out novel. LaRochelle has written a serious book with a sense of humor that can be shared by all. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews