Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy

Though more of a TWEEN than a teen, I purchased this for my daughter. Anything to help her avoid, or at least be prepared for, boys like I was when I was a teenager. She didnt want the book, even got embarrassed about it. Swears she isnt reading it. Yet, SOMEHOW, it keeps winding up on her bed where she leaves whatever book she is reading after school. She even started asking me about some of the subject in the book, for my input on the issue. NOT BECAUSE OF THE BOOK, just because she is curious. Its pretty funny. While your daughter may not like the idea of you buying her this book, trust me, she will read it. While it may be a little cheesy or goofy at times, remember, it was written for girls, not their parents. As long as they take even a small amount of useful information out of it, it is a success.

As an experienced wife and mother, I was interested to see what advice a current author would be offering America's youth. Had things changed since I'd read Seventeen (and Vampirella)? Human nature being what it, by definition, is -- no, things haven't changed much. Boys and girls are *both* clueless about each other .... but they are oh so interested! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the other reviews of this book. Many are thrilled with the book's friendly, sound advice and have received good feedback about it from girls, but a few are concerned that the advice is not cautious enough, or even that it encourages behavior that a girl may not be ready for. For those few I would say: definitely don't give this book to any girl who isn't ready for these issues. I'd also make the point that at some point all kids will become twitterpated. That, too, is human nature. And I'd say this book is a fine, readable conversation starter for parents and kids, or a pajama party giggle book. It's just the kind of stuff that fuels a thousand huddled discussions and notes and surveys and tweets. It's what girls want to talk about and, as an ex-girl, I thought the advice was sound, presented in a friendly way, and more appealing for its being peppered with celebrity quotes and anecdotes from the author and her acquaintances. Much more wholesome than some of the teen magazine articles I remember, too! Chapter 1, B-O-Y Basics, sets the tone and offers up some universal advice such as: boys don't like shopping, they "don't notice all the flaws you see in yourself", and are just as puzzled as you. Some of the advice throughout the book focuses on girls -- who you are and what you want in a guy; other advice looks more intently at the guys themselves -- what "breed" they are, so to speak, as discussed in the second chapter. I didn't think this was offensive, offering eight types that a television producer would recognize -- tortured artist, hip-hopper, tech-tilian, for example, with each described by a celebrity look-alike, his future career, favorite movie, etc. Girls love this stuff! Chapter 3 advises girls on how to act around guys. I wish I'd had a book like this! I think tween girls will find this very useful. Chapter 4 discusses dating: first dates, mix tapes, places to go (baking at home, volunteering, dinner & a movie, bowling -- all fine ideas), paying, kissing, things that can go wrong, group dates, e-friends. (Yes, the author says that after a few months of emailing, it might be time to talk on the phone. That sets every parent's hair ahackle, but denying the temptation to a girl won't make it go away. The author also says that the girl should get the guy's number, not give out her own, that her parents should be in on this relationship from the beginning, and that a parent should accompany her to a first meeting in a public place. I think that all makes sense.) Chapter 5, on love and relationships, talks about having a good relations

Think boys are a foreign species? Think again, with Boyology. In many ways, boys are just like girls, and in other ways, they're different. This quick read, punctuated with cartoons and dialogs with both boys and girls, will guide you to a greater understanding. Chapters include basics, head-over-heels, dating, relationships, setting boundaries, breaking up, getting back out there, and parents and other outside influences. This book is, however, definitely not for younger kids. In the chapter on setting personal boundaries, there is a good discussion on just saying no, and an intelligent discussion of rape. They're ricky subjects, but this is important information to know. Every teen girl about to start dating should read Boyology; it's fun and informative.

Just like the title says, BOYOLOGY is a "crash course," although it's more of a crash course in dating, rather than boys in general. For instance, if you want to know what a "safety" is in football so you can have a conversation with your brother on a Sunday afternoon, then this book is not what you're looking for. However, if you want to figure out whether your brother's friend is flirting with you while you're all watching Sunday afternoon football, then this is the book for you. Before we go any further, I must offer a clarification: Where I'm from, teenage males are not referred to as "boys." They are "guys." For me, the word "boy" conjures up images of dimpled 5-year-olds with gaps where their front teeth should be. The only people around here who call teenagers "boys" are school principals. This is doubtless just a regional difference, so if you're from Chicago like I am, just mentally substitute the word "guy" for "boy" when you're reading BOYOLOGY (i.e. GUYOLOGY). Please don't let that little objection turn you off from this book, because it has a lot of good advice to offer about boys or guys or whatever you call them. BOYOLOGY contains a great deal of useful information for teenage girls who are trying to find their way around the confusing world of crushes and dating. While much of the advice might be things you have heard before in one form or another, it's nice to have it reinforced by a neutral third-party (i.e. someone who's not your mom or your minister). For instance, the book tells girls to be themselves and establish their physical boundaries before things get hot and heavy. There are also plenty of things that you probably haven't heard before, including fun date ideas for couples or groups, step-by-step instructions on how to kiss, and a quiz to see if you're a good date or not. The book is optimistic, by which I mean that it spends relatively little time on the "What if he's not into you?" scenarios, and many more pages on successful flirting, dating, and becoming a couple. The author balances her approach by offering not only the fun side of dating, but also worthwhile safety information. She points out the importance of letting your parents know if you're "seeing" someone online, as well as how to avoid and, if necessary, deal with sexual assault. I recommend her tip on taking a minute to program a taxi service phone number into your cell phone so you can always get home safely. The book even has a chapter at the end about breaking up. You might never need tips on maintaining your dignity when running into the ex and his new girlfriend, but when you do need them, they're worth their weight in gold. The book doesn't just offer the author's perspective. It has words of wisdom from celebrities, like Daniel Radcliffe and Zac Efron, and it provides advice from actual teenagers (lots of them boys/guys) who have "been there, done that." Even the author's husband (who used to be a boy/guy) chimes in from time