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Calame, Don. Swim the Fly. Somerville, MA; Candlewick, 2009.

Every summer Matt & his friends set themselves a challenge. Past challenges have been things like collect a hundred frogs but this year, the 15-year-olds have decided upon a much more mature challenge; to see a real, live naked girl. Their goal is somewhat hampered by the fact that none of them even have the courage to ask a girl out in the first place.

Don Calame’s first book is a masterpiece of hilarious male teenage awkwardness. In their on-going quest to achieve their goal, Matt agrees to swim the hardest stroke in their swim team meet, the boys buy non-alcoholic beer to get into a party, & they dress in drag in order to sneak into the girl’s locker room. The boys’ antics are nicely off-set by Matt’s grandfather’s equally hare-brained scheme to hook up with their widow neighbor. I can’t remember the last time a book made me literally laugh out loud, but this one sure did. I giggled my way through my lunch breaks while Matt & his friends pursued their elusive quarry. Calame does a great job capturing the boys’ voices – their thoughts, their words & their actions are refreshingly honest and true to life.

Swim the Fly gets a solid Put it on hold NOW! – especially for teenage boys, their parents or anyone working with them! The book is solid, hilarious & fun to read – especially for the summer.