Don't Tell Zoey

Making Out #13

by Katherine Applegate

Don't tell Zoey that gorgeous Kate has arrived on the island - and that she'll be living with Lucas. For it looks as if Zoey's about to get a taste of her own medicine. Is she going to lose Lucas just as she's finally realized how much she loves him?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, German Literature, Teen

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 1996

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.

Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).

She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alder (Feiwel & Friends). With Gennifer Choldenko, she co-authored DOGTOWN and MOUSE AND HIS DOG, illustrated by Wallace West (Feiwel & Friends).

Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends); THE ONE AND ONLY series, illustrated by Patricia Castelao, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY, and THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY (HarperCollins); the ENDLING trilogy (HarperCollins); CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends); WISHTREE (Feiwel & Friends); WILLODEEN (Feiwel & Friends); ODDER (Feiwel & Friends); and the forthcoming POCKET BEAR (Feiwel & Friends).

With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.)

Katherine’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, Best of the Year lists, and Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists.

Katherine lives in Nevada with her husband and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary and Mary Pender at WME.

Reviews

[Nicky (burialshroud) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My copy of this book is an ex-library copy, from the library I frequented as a child. As a result it’s the most messed up paperback in my collection. It’s covered in sticky-back plastic, pages are hanging out of it (there is even one page MISSING, but it’s an Aisha-handwriting page so whatevs), and for some reason about 3mm has been sliced off the top of the whole book so it’s shorter than the others. It is so legit and proof that I’m an OG Making Out fan.

This is the inaugural outing for busty-redhead cover-Zoey and her inappropriate Claire-smirk. Ugh. Zoey does not smirk. Especially not in this one because she is moody-teen extraordinaire throughout, doing her jealous baby bit.

This book also sees the arrival of real busty-redhead Kate Levin, who’s staying with Lucas’s family. His grandparents hid her grandparents from the Nazis in WWII, and their mothers were childhood friends. Kate dresses all in black, she’s a photographer, she likes Annie Hall and she seems super boring except it’s obvious she’s the Kate from Aaron’s love letter, especially at the end when Claire goes to a party to fetch Aaron so she can take him back to the Portland Ritz-Carlton and give him her flower, only to find him MAKING OUT (hence the title) with a pretty redhead.

Speaking of redheads, Nina dyes her hair red. Then Benjamin trashes his room, breaks his signature sunglasses, and dumps her. He’s annoyed about still being blind.

Aisha’s hitting the books pretty hard in order to win the Westeros Scholarship. It’s down to her and one other person, a guy who is just sooooo annoying you know they’re going to end up sweeping all the books and pencils off a library table in order to kiss on it.

Jake seems like he’s back on the straight and narrow. He’s going to AA meetings with Louise Kronenberger and resisting drink and Lara, who is super not interested in cleaning her act up.

I did not note any favourite bits in this book, or any continuity errors. Most disappointing.

[Saadia Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't tell Zoey what? Again doesn't relate... But anyway, this shows how different the male and female population can be! Lucas spends a lot of his time with Zoey saying how great Kate is and invites her everywhere they go and wonders why Zoey's suspicious? 🙄 because they have such a great track record when it comes to fidelity.

Claire is getting way to big for her boots. And now that she's on cloud nine her confidence level is through the roof i.e "Claire even had the sense that she could take Lucas away from Zoey if she wanted" 😂. Hold your horses Claire. She uses her looks to attract people but looks aren't everything. You think she'd realise that after how her and Jake's relationship ended.

[87lectures · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoey should undergo some therapy for her paranoid and lack of trust issues.
I don't like this novel because Benjamin is being a jerk (well, I totally understand because of the situation he experiences) to Nina and I strongly dislike anyone being a jerk to Nina.
Get a grip, Benjamin, we all understand you're sick and tired of being Benjamin, the Blind SuperBoy but get a f..... grip.

[Kate Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shut up, Zoey. You're becoming terrible.
Also, *get.Benjamin.in.therapy.*

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

* So, Ben is still pissed off about not being able to see. Nina does her best and tries to stay positive, but in the end, Benjamin dumps her 😭
* Kate comes to live with the Cabrals and Lucas tries to help her settle in, Zoey just thinks she's after Lucas though, and starts almost spying on him to see what is going on. Nothing is going on though, and Lucas even cooks her a nice meal for Valentine's day.
* Aisha gets told that she's in the running for a science scholarship so she starts studying harder. The other student in the running - Daniel, keeps telling her he's winning and trying to psych her out.
* No news from Christopher 🙄
* Claire has decided to be nice to everyone now that she has Aaron, and talks to Benjamin about being nicer to Nina (then he dumps her - thanks Claire). She's supposed to be meeting Aaron at a party in Portland for Valentine's day, she invites Nina and Benjamin to go, and then invites Zoey and Lucas as well so that she won't be responsible for driving Nina home again (she wants to stay in a hotel, and lose her virginity to Aaron). Unfortunately, when Claire arrives at the party she finds Aaron snogging Kate 🤦

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoe is having dramas with Lucas again, I think they should break up.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

diese Buchreihe hat mich während meiner Teeniezeit begleitet. ich habe sie so geliebt...

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeling nostalgic for the books of my youth, I revisited Katherine Applegate and her Islanders omnibus editions (first released as the Making Out series way back in 1993. Yes, I am that old...).

While I found them to be overly-dramatic and a little bit cheesy on second reading, I think they would be loved by teenagers today. YA has taken a much-welcome step in the sphere of fantasy, science fiction and Dystopia, largely, in recent years so for teenagers looking for the traditional romance novels filled with teen-angst and buried secrets, these are a good series to turn to. A little bit Dawson's Creek in it's setting and it's drama, The Islanders is the perfect teen soap opera.

[Katelynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually, Claire, Jake, and Lucas are the broody emo ones, but in this one they're the most well-adjusted while everyone else broods their faces off and I wanted to punch every one of them. I do love seeing happy, do-gooder Claire who loves her sister, and that was probably the most enjoyable part of this one, besides Jake who I just love in general, but by and large everyone was just really bratty. I didn't dig this one.

[C. B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember being obsessed with this series when I was 14! I made my mom buy me all 29 books (in Germany a 29th book was published, there is no English translation) after borrowing the first one from my then-best friend.
Looking back, the plots got wilder and wilder with time: A lost half-sister, Claire's stalker, Ben miraculously being able to see again etc. I don't think I would enjoy it as much now as I did ten years ago, but it will only have a special place in my heart.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teaches you to really stay with your close friends.

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0