Parents' Guide to

Two Boys Kissing

By Barbara Schultz, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Poignant tale of several gay teens and record-breaking kiss.

Book David Levithan Emotions 2013
Two Boys Kissing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

MomTwoThree
MomTwoThree Adult
May 23, 2021
age 18+

SOFT PORN for teens

This book is included in the curriculum of my kids' high school sophomore English class. Meant to shed light on the plight of LGBTQ community in terms of not being totally accepted, it misses the mark by including teen characters that drink alcohol and have sex with strangers that they've met online. There is a particularly graphic scene in the book that you would consider "soft porn". In addition, the writing itself is not particularly "gripping". There are so many other well written books out there that could be shared with our teens - this is not the one.
tobier
tobier Adult
February 7, 2016
age 12+

Not what I expected

I expected this to be a light and fluffy beach read- boy, was I wrong. This book made me cry and think. Though there's nothing especially explicit in the ways of violence or sex, this book is deep and in no way restricted to the young adult audience it was intended for.
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What's the Story?

The omniscient spirits of gay ancestors narrate this story that looks at the lives of several gay teens during a few days leading up to and including two boys' attempt to break the world's record for the longest kiss. A range of lives and experiences are explored: the nerves and thrill of first love, the self-loathing of a boy who suffers his parents' contempt, the coldness of family members who won't acknowledge their son's sexual orientation, the beautiful bond between friends and family members with open hearts. Some characters' lives are intertwined with the TWO BOYS KISSING -- including a friend who was the victim of a hate crime -- while others are unaware of them, but all exist in an evolving world where readers are reminded there is much more hope today than existed for previous generations.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (5 ):

David Levithan writes with heartbreaking sensitivity about the poignant struggle of gay teens to secure love and acceptance in a society where they still often feel "other." This author has a powerful understanding of the emotions of young people who live on the edges; here, he renders well-formed, relatable characters whose various experiences are further illuminated by the context offered by the gay ancestors/narrators. This is at once a beautifully written novel about some moving modern-day characters, and an eloquent comment on the current evolutionary stage of society's treatment of gay youth.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how things have changed for gay youth in the past few decades. Is it easier now to be an openly gay teen? Does having gay characters more commonly appear in books and TV shows help increase tolerance?

  • Discuss the part the Internet plays in spreading Craig and Harry's message, and the danger it poses for Cooper.

  • Do some online research and learn about the real men (Matty Dale and Bobby Canciello) who inspired David Levithan to invent a story about a record-breaking kiss.

Book Details

  • Author: David Levithan
  • Genre: Emotions
  • Topics: Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Knopf
  • Publication date: August 27, 2013
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
  • Number of pages: 208
  • Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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