Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.
This one is the most recent book from two popular authors of young adult literature. John Green is absolutely hilarious, and you can check out his vlogs and other fun stuff on his Nerdfighters website. I highly recommend the video about how to make a baby. Don't worry: it's not as creepy as it sounds. Green's works include Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns-- all funny/realistic portrayals of high school life for a certain brand of intelligent, indie-music-loving, and possibly-nerdy teenage boy and his friends.
David Levithan is well known for his skillful writing about teen relationships. He's published many great books covering the full gammut of like, love, and lust, and he doesn't shy away from GLBT themes. He co-wrote the novel Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I'll bet you saw on the big screen in 2008.
Together, these two have created a funny, heartfelt story of two Will Graysons, one gay and one straight, both of whom find themselves in the orbit of the very fabulous, very large, and very gay Tiny Cooper. Will Grayson, Will Grayson is on my shelf just waiting for me to finish this weekend, so I can't offer a full review of the book yet, but I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys humor and realistic fiction. Green's Will Grayson is very similar to the male protagonists featured in his previous novels: he's shy, he's witty and sarcastic, he's into music, and he just isn't sure how to approach Jane, the smart-cute girl he's trying hard not to like. This will Grayson is starting to learn that he really does enjoy having Tiny as a best friend, even though Tiny's a little brash and egocentric. I'm hoping that this Will manages to give up his determination to "shut up and not care" before I turn the final page. Levithan's Will Grayson starts out depressed, frightened, angry, and a litte unpleasant. Slightly more than halfway through the book, he's still fighting his depression, but he's a lot less angry and more entertaining once he meets and falls for Tiny Cooper. I'm disturbed by this Will's blatant disregard for capitalization, but it does help readers figure out which Will is narrating each chapter.
I'm really excited to learn how the rest of the story unfolds, and I am in love with all of the characters. Tiny is larger-than-life and fully lovable, both Will Graysons are complex and amusing, Jane is the girl I sort of wished I could be in high school, and all the supporting characters are interesting in their own right. Definitely put this one on your to-read list. You can request it here, and start earning some minutes for the Summer Reading Program while you're at it!
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