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

Reviewed by K. Osborn Sullivan for TeensReadToo.com

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 to time.

Read the full review at www.teensreadtoo.com!

15 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

To M&M

Im 13, and boys at my middle school are doing tht same stuff. Heres some advice: you dont hav to change for boys. You are beauitful, and those stuck-up popular girls are not. Dont assume that a boy doesnt like u and u have to change yourself to get him. If u be yourself, the right boy will come along and love you for who u are, not something your not. And if u do like a boy, tell him that. Its scary, it requires a lot of courage, but once you get it over with you'll feel a lot better even if he says he doesnt like u back. B who u are, and never change that.
-Rooster check out our youtube videos, just search "radfilms18"

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

To JUMP12 and anyone else

Hai! I have a crush on this really cute and sweet guy in my class(aka mr perfect) and i slow danced with him at the last dance and since then, my friends and i catch him lookin at me sometimes and he talks to me a lot more. Also, today my friends forced me to sit next to him while the class watched a movie and his knee touched my leg and he pressed my leg a bit harder and just left it there for the rest of the movie(i know, weird but cute). Do u think he likes me??

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

A 12 Year old Lover

This book is awesome and gives great advise that made me feel really happy about and because of a certain boy. I recommend this book to 12 year olds and all teens from13- around 15 or 16 :) Enjoy

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Should I buy this book

Is this a good book? I wanna kniw how to get a guys fone number. Im 12 and I think Im ready for my first kiss. Would this book help me?
Love,
Haily

2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Help lease! Help please!

My boyfriend and i are happy together, never fight, and he has the cutest accent. Just one problem: there is this guy todd and he is into me to and wants to get to talk together with me-advice anyone?:)

2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

PLEASE HELP

Ok so i REALLY like this guy named Josh and i cant tell if he likes me or not like sometimes he totally ignores me but when he dose talk to me he flirts with me he smiles blushes and he always sits by me so i liked this book cuz it told me that he probley likes me but he is shy and playing hard to get a little.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

From the11 year old girl, EVERYONE PLEASE READ

Yes, I am 11, but I almost have the boy and his tactics on flirting and dating all figured out. You can come to me with any boy problem and I will try to help you as best as I can. Don't worry, I have a boyfriend so you can ask me about that kind of stuff. Bye-Bye :-)
- Here To Help

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

I got a question about boys and i was hoping a boy could help me

U can call me kyla the y sounds like an i. I am in 8th and my boyfriend is 16. If u will help me here is my question my boyfriend i were planning on having sex befor school started but then a while after he keep making the dates for us to have sex a week away and then it would be the morning when he was spossed to come over so we could but he kep making exseses and when i would ask him if was scared hed say no but i would blam him if he was scared i meen i was not but he didnt know that and he went and told his mom it was al my idea which it was not it was both of ours and now im in trouble because they beleive him and not me. Im still dating him what should i do?

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

To to help

Thank you for ur advice and i hope your situatiin gets better best wishes :) ~Cynthia~

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YEAH BUDDY!!!

K

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Can someone tell me how to kiss?

I am Taylor swift.

Love y'all!!!! :) ;( :]:}

I need advice.

I went out w/ dis boii named Lawrence. Wen he askd mii out he was still goin out w/ mi friend Tanaya. He told mii he was goin 2 break up w/ her. I believed hym. So then mi friends start telln mii dat he neva broke up w/ her. I gav hym da silent treatment 4 da longest. He askd mii if it was ova nd I told hym yes. On da bus my best friend Damone told mii dat Lawrence did nt lyk Tanaya nd he lykd mii. I did nt even ask 4 his side. After I broke up w/ hym he started bein an ass hole 2 mii. I was dramatic nd told hym I neva will tlk 2 hym again. Then he apologized 2 mii nd I thought he meant it. I gav hym a 2nd chance. I felt lyk I was in luv w/ hym again. Then @ skool we had dis couple's contest 4 valentines day. Dis gurl Janiyah askd hym out nd he sayd yes. He told her we were nt goin out. I found out nd broke up w/ hym da day before valentines day. He was so angry @ mii. So da next day I told hym I was sorry 4 breakn up w/ hym da day b4 valentines day but I was nt gettn baqq 2gether w/ hym. He sayd he didn't know wat I was tlkn bout. In afterskool he gav mi present 2 da gurl. It even had mi name on it. So wen he saw dat a lot of dudes were givn mii presents he tried 2 flirt w/ mii. @ da end of da day he tried 2 giv me a hug.
A couple months after dat my "twin" Khadaja was goin out w/ hym. But I remember her sayn she wood neva go out w/ her our old boifriends. Now I can't get ova hym. Telk mii wat 2 do pls:)

TO KOOLAID

U said somethun bout advice?

To advice please

Ok so it sounds like u have a lot on ur plate. So i have expirience with this type of stuff and i will tell u wht to do. First u shud ask out the cute one with voice cracks cuz it sounds like hes shy and likes u. Then u shud be nice to tommy and jake becuz thn they wont ask u out becuz u have a bf but u shud still be nice. Finally be nice to the red faced one and occasianly flirt wit him becuz it will make him like u but he wont ask u out cuz u have a bf. If u fo all this stuff then every1 will be happy. Good luck!-sammy

Jada

Soo okay you guys, my friend had this boyfriend and she really liked him. She thought things were going really well because he told her that he loved her. But the next day she texted him in a great mood because duh he had said he loved her and he said that he has to break things off with her but they could still have fun. What does that even mean

This is Ziggy117 to advice plz

That i a tough one...to deal with tommy th annoying one,pull him aside(me sure there are people in the vicinity)and tell him"look you embaress me in feont of my feiends on perpose and its NOT funny.if you dont stop i will tell someone in charge,i dont mind being friends th you but thts all we are,friends"be sure to say this sterny but calmly.not quit sure how to deal with the other ones...let m know if you need more advice

To Ben

I thought u had a gf?