Lockhart, E. (2005). The Boyfriend List. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385902380
Plot Summary
In the past ten days Ruby Oliver, nicknamed Roo, has lost a boyfriend, is fighting with her friends, got caught by her mom drinking a beer, failed a math test, and that is only the beginning. When the panic attacks begin her parents question if she's suicidal, or maybe she has an eating disorder. She tells them it is neither so they decide she is troubled and send her to see a psychologist, Doctor Z. Roo begins to discuss some of the things she's going through most of them concerning boys so Doctor Z. convince Roo to make a "boyfriend list" and think about what each boy on the list means to her. Not only does Roo have to deal with the list, but also a home life where her parents are constantly fighting over her and a social life where she's been turned into the social outcast. To makes matters worse her list becomes public after she throws it in the trash. As Roo discusses her list with Doctor Z. she also begins to understand the pain she's feeling over lost friendships, self-acceptance, and what really matters in life.
Critical Evaluation
The Boyfriend List is a book that teenage girls will definitely love. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the boys Roo's list from Ben, who didn't even realize she considered him a boyfriend, to Angelo, who she only went on one date with. The book is full of teenage angst which most teenagers can relate to. How do you get over kissing a boy you like who no longer wants anything to do with you? How do you win back your friends after one of them thinks you stole her boyfriend? The book is a fun read, but does get distracting because Roo's character uses footnotes to elaborate on certain topics such as in chapter 8 when she talks about how annoying her mother is acting. There is three paragraph footnote describing what is annoying Roo. The footnotes take the reader away from the story and would be better placed within in the story itself.
Reader's Annotation
Fifteen year-old Ruby Oliver has been having panic attacks. The last ten days have been a nightmare. Does she have too many boyfriends?
About the Author
E. Lockhart is the author of three Ruby Oliver books: The Boyfriend List, The Boy Book, and The Treasure Map of Boys — plus a fourth, Real Live Boyfriends, that comes out December 28, 2010. Her other books include Fly on the Wall, Dramarama, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and How to Be Bad.
Lockhart grew up in Cambridge, MA and Seattle, WA. She went to college at Vassar and graduate school at Columbia. She has a doctorate in English literature.
Genre
Fiction, Chick-Lit, Romance
Curriculum Ties
None
Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss the relationship between Doctor Z. and Roo? Is the boyfriend list a good idea?
2) Discuss the reasons Roo's relationship with her friends fell apart.
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12+
Challenge Issues
None
Why Included in Titles Selected
Wanted to include a "chick-lit" title
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