from Gay Activism in the Schools

The book was recently reviewed by Mary Ann Grossman with the Saint Paul Pioneer Press.

Absolutely, Positively Not tells the story of Steven who tries to convince himself he's not gay, but without success. When Steven finally comes out to his best friend, Rachel and her mother, they're not surprised. When he admits he's gay to his father, his dad recalls that gay males who served with him in the military service were some of the bravest he knew.

Steven tries unsuccessfully to follow the advice given in a book about male sexuality. He engages in male activities and dates girls, but eventually comes to the conclusion that he's gay and comes to terms with it. At one point in the book, Steven takes a golden retriever to the high school prom.

LaRochelle, has written or illustrated more than 25 children's books. One of his most successful is The Best Pet Of All about a dragon.

Absolutely, Positively Not was picked by Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic for publication. According to LaRochelle, "Arthur was the perfect editor. He's gay and very sensitive to issues in the book." Levine says, "I was drawn to the idea that a book featuring a gay teenager could be funny and light; that it would playfully acknowledge the challenges facing a gay kid but resolves those challenges happily." Levine is editor of the U.S. editions of the Harry Potter books and has his own imprint at Scholastic.