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Swim the Fly
Three adolescent boys with a single goal: see a real live naked girl. The result? Razor-sharp, rapid-fire, and raunchy, of course. And beyond hilarious.
Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.
Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2009
155 people are currently reading
3288 people want to read
About the author
Don Calame
6 books167 followersDon Calame the author of SWIM THE FLY, BEAT THE BAND, CALL THE SHOTS and DAN VERSUS NATURE. He is also a professional screenwriter whose film projects include EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH and HOUNDED. Of his many prior occupations, he says his most satisfying was teaching elementary school for four years in Los Angeles, where he received the LAUSD District Intern Golden Apple Award and a Los Angeles Education Partnership Grant. He lives in British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 736 reviews
February 3, 2016
Four stars: A hilarious book that will have you laughing out loud.
Summer stretches out in all of its glory for Matt and his two best friends, Coop and Sean. For the last five years, the trio have set a summer goal. This summer's goal is to see a real-live naked girl. Aside from seeing a naked girl, the three friends also compete on the summer swim team, even though, none of them are great swimmers. The first day at the pool, Matt's stomach does a flip flop when he catches sight of Kelly, a girl who used to compete on a rival team, but now she is on their team. She certainly changed over the year, but she used to date Tony, the star butterfly swimmer. When their swim coach calls for volunteers to swim the fly, Matt steps up, hoping to impress Kelly. Unfortunately, Matt can't swim the fly. Will he somehow be able to swim a the fly, see a naked girl and win Kelly's heart?
What I Liked:
*Swim The Fly is a hilarious, laugh out read that I loved. If you enjoy books that feature adolescent boys, a bit of crude humor and zany antics, this is one you should read. This was the perfect light, funny read that I loved.
*The story centers around three friends, Matt, Coop and Sean. At fifteen, the boys are obsessed with sex and the thoughts of seeing a naked girl. In their quest to see an actual real-live naked girl, the trio gets themselves into some side splitting predicaments. My favorite being when they decide to masquerade as girls in order to get into the girl's locker room. You have to read it yourself. I laughed my butt off.
*Matt is the focus of the story, and I loved getting to know him and his family better. His relationship with his grandfather was terrific. His grandfather was always a scene stealer, and like Matt, the grandpa at eighty some years old, is obsessed with girls too, and he is determined to win the heart of the widow across the street. Also like Matt, Grandpa cooks up some hilarious schemes that had me giggling. I would recommend reading this one for the grandfather/ grandson relationship. It was fantastic.
*Even though this book is for the most part light and funny, it does delve into some deeper issues, and I especially enjoyed watch Matt grow. I liked when he stumbles into a life skills swimming class, and ends up pushing himself and transforming. By the end of the book, he isn't quite as shallow.
There is romance in this one, and it was surprising. I liked the way the romance developed. It is a bit unexpected, and it stems from a long time friendship that blossoms into something more. It was sweet, subtle and just right.
*The book ends on a high note, and there aren't any cliffhangers or nagging issues.
And The Not So Much:
*Matt doesn't have the best relationship with his older brother, and in fact, his brother is always threatening to beat him up. There is a confrontation toward the end between the brothers, and the older brother reveals some big feelings regarding their father. I wanted a better understanding of the relationship between the two boys and their father. It wasn't apparent as to whether or not the boys had any contact with their dad after their parent's divorce.
*Don't go into this one expecting a deep, thoughtful read. The three boys at fifteen are immature, and that means they thrive on crude humor, and they are sex obsessed. It is light and fun. If you don't appreciate teenage boy humor, you won't like this one.
Swim the Fly was a book that made me snort and giggle with laughter. This is the perfect book for when you want a mindless read. I enjoyed the characters, the hilarious escapades and the relationships. I had a lot of fun with this book, and I am eager to continue the series.
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Summer stretches out in all of its glory for Matt and his two best friends, Coop and Sean. For the last five years, the trio have set a summer goal. This summer's goal is to see a real-live naked girl. Aside from seeing a naked girl, the three friends also compete on the summer swim team, even though, none of them are great swimmers. The first day at the pool, Matt's stomach does a flip flop when he catches sight of Kelly, a girl who used to compete on a rival team, but now she is on their team. She certainly changed over the year, but she used to date Tony, the star butterfly swimmer. When their swim coach calls for volunteers to swim the fly, Matt steps up, hoping to impress Kelly. Unfortunately, Matt can't swim the fly. Will he somehow be able to swim a the fly, see a naked girl and win Kelly's heart?
What I Liked:
*Swim The Fly is a hilarious, laugh out read that I loved. If you enjoy books that feature adolescent boys, a bit of crude humor and zany antics, this is one you should read. This was the perfect light, funny read that I loved.
*The story centers around three friends, Matt, Coop and Sean. At fifteen, the boys are obsessed with sex and the thoughts of seeing a naked girl. In their quest to see an actual real-live naked girl, the trio gets themselves into some side splitting predicaments. My favorite being when they decide to masquerade as girls in order to get into the girl's locker room. You have to read it yourself. I laughed my butt off.
*Matt is the focus of the story, and I loved getting to know him and his family better. His relationship with his grandfather was terrific. His grandfather was always a scene stealer, and like Matt, the grandpa at eighty some years old, is obsessed with girls too, and he is determined to win the heart of the widow across the street. Also like Matt, Grandpa cooks up some hilarious schemes that had me giggling. I would recommend reading this one for the grandfather/ grandson relationship. It was fantastic.
*Even though this book is for the most part light and funny, it does delve into some deeper issues, and I especially enjoyed watch Matt grow. I liked when he stumbles into a life skills swimming class, and ends up pushing himself and transforming. By the end of the book, he isn't quite as shallow.
There is romance in this one, and it was surprising. I liked the way the romance developed. It is a bit unexpected, and it stems from a long time friendship that blossoms into something more. It was sweet, subtle and just right.
*The book ends on a high note, and there aren't any cliffhangers or nagging issues.
And The Not So Much:
*Matt doesn't have the best relationship with his older brother, and in fact, his brother is always threatening to beat him up. There is a confrontation toward the end between the brothers, and the older brother reveals some big feelings regarding their father. I wanted a better understanding of the relationship between the two boys and their father. It wasn't apparent as to whether or not the boys had any contact with their dad after their parent's divorce.
*Don't go into this one expecting a deep, thoughtful read. The three boys at fifteen are immature, and that means they thrive on crude humor, and they are sex obsessed. It is light and fun. If you don't appreciate teenage boy humor, you won't like this one.
Swim the Fly was a book that made me snort and giggle with laughter. This is the perfect book for when you want a mindless read. I enjoyed the characters, the hilarious escapades and the relationships. I had a lot of fun with this book, and I am eager to continue the series.
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
January 22, 2010
This book was so very funny. I read a passage of this book to a class of 10th graders, and one student started laughing so hard he almost had to leave the room. The class was so amused, I couldn't concentrate, and I started laughing. That has never happened to me before.
The premise is that three teenage boys have a dare each summer, and as the boys get older, the dares get more "mature" in nature. This summer, the dare is to see a naked girl, so the story focuses on their antics as they try to accomplish their goal. The main character is totally endearing, and his two best friends get him into as much trouble as they save him from. Calame also does a great job of creating very different types of female characters, all of them believable. His minor characters are fun, too, like Ulf the German swim coach.
Calame did a fantastic job of pushing the limits of appropriateness without crossing the line. There is only light profanity and talk of masterbation, so I feel that this books is appropriate for most high schoolers. With this novel, you can't help but visualize the story as if it's one of those hilarious teenage comedies that you love or loved, be it The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, or Superbad. Good times!
The premise is that three teenage boys have a dare each summer, and as the boys get older, the dares get more "mature" in nature. This summer, the dare is to see a naked girl, so the story focuses on their antics as they try to accomplish their goal. The main character is totally endearing, and his two best friends get him into as much trouble as they save him from. Calame also does a great job of creating very different types of female characters, all of them believable. His minor characters are fun, too, like Ulf the German swim coach.
Calame did a fantastic job of pushing the limits of appropriateness without crossing the line. There is only light profanity and talk of masterbation, so I feel that this books is appropriate for most high schoolers. With this novel, you can't help but visualize the story as if it's one of those hilarious teenage comedies that you love or loved, be it The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, or Superbad. Good times!
August 10, 2012
Ok...so I want to start of by saying this is not a usual read for me. I would never have thought to read this type of book except I saw the follow up one recommended by another GR friend.
I was in the desperate need of something funny, silly and laugh out loud, sure got that here!! And apparently the next book in line is even better so I say bring it on!!
This book sees the hilarious adventures of Matt and his best friends, Sean and Coop who have set a summer goal to see their first live girl naked...yeah that's right!! This with hilarious results!! Though I have to say Grandpa Arlo stole the show!!
This story is both heart-warming and funny - a great coming of age story that made me laugh till I had tears at times.
It completely appealed to the childish side of me!
"I find a spanky hanky works well, saves on paper and you can rinse it and hang it out to dry" - Grandpa Arlo
You're probably right. I'm sure Kelly finds the sight of a scrawny, pasty, white dude flopping around in the water like a spastic salmon very hot" - Coop
I was in the desperate need of something funny, silly and laugh out loud, sure got that here!! And apparently the next book in line is even better so I say bring it on!!
This book sees the hilarious adventures of Matt and his best friends, Sean and Coop who have set a summer goal to see their first live girl naked...yeah that's right!! This with hilarious results!! Though I have to say Grandpa Arlo stole the show!!
This story is both heart-warming and funny - a great coming of age story that made me laugh till I had tears at times.
It completely appealed to the childish side of me!
"I find a spanky hanky works well, saves on paper and you can rinse it and hang it out to dry" - Grandpa Arlo
You're probably right. I'm sure Kelly finds the sight of a scrawny, pasty, white dude flopping around in the water like a spastic salmon very hot" - Coop
March 15, 2021
Look I could waste your time and mine by saying how this book captures the essence of being 15 years old, driven by childhood friendships and hormones and embarrassment and poor judgment. I could talk about how Don Calame really nailed the atmosphere of summer holiday as a kid, right at the sweet age of being old enough to get into shenanigans and young enough to have no worries bigger than if your siblings going to rat you out to mom. These would all be true but to be perfectly goddamn honest here the only reason this book hits as hard as it does is because of the dookie jokes. Scat humour is in losers and I'm going shopping. I read this in highschool and cried laughing at the poop jokes, and I now I've read it at 24 years of age and I cried laughing at poop jokes. Get on my level or get out honestly
June 25, 2012
Holla if you like Judd Apatow movies. If you have a crass sense of humor and laughed hysterically at Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Anchorman, you will absolutely not want to miss Swim The Fly by Don Calame. Seriously, where has this book been all my crass, dirty-minded life?
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 6/28/12
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 6/28/12
October 5, 2010
VERY funny and entertaining story. I think this text would be of more interest to boys, particularly high school age, or mature 8th graders. I really enjoyed it, and laughed all the way through.
March 14, 2021
This book is a masterpiece, i love it and, love kinda of them being stupid
March 24, 2011
Swim the Fly follows three teenage boys who, every year, set themselves a goal for the summer. This year's goal is to see a real life naked girl. The book charts their attempts to complete this mission, with plenty of laughs along the way. It's told from the viewpoint of Matt, who has another challenge of his own - to swim the 100 yard butterfly in his swim-team's championship relay race in order to impress the new girl on the team.
It's an interesting peek into the mind of a teenage boy and, as expected, sometimes I really wished that I wasn't in the mind of a teenage boy! There were some parts that were a little disgusting but mostly it was entertaining. The points of view and general thoughts and conversations that take place between the three hormone-fuelled boys had me laughing out loud in parts. I even had sympathy for them in parts of the book - was cringing at some of the scrapes they got themselves into!!!
The plot and dialogue are fast-paced and the pages just kept turning. I finished it in a few sittings and I could have easily read more. I loved the adolescent humour and, considering most of the YA books I read have a female protagonist, it was nice to read things from the male perspective!
It's an interesting peek into the mind of a teenage boy and, as expected, sometimes I really wished that I wasn't in the mind of a teenage boy! There were some parts that were a little disgusting but mostly it was entertaining. The points of view and general thoughts and conversations that take place between the three hormone-fuelled boys had me laughing out loud in parts. I even had sympathy for them in parts of the book - was cringing at some of the scrapes they got themselves into!!!
The plot and dialogue are fast-paced and the pages just kept turning. I finished it in a few sittings and I could have easily read more. I loved the adolescent humour and, considering most of the YA books I read have a female protagonist, it was nice to read things from the male perspective!
July 9, 2025
I can see why this book and the series as a whole gripped me while I was in middle school. The antics and romances are charming if nonsensical. Sure the whole thing is pretty immature especially the dialogue, which is an absolute slog to get through at times, but I’d be lying if I said the budding romance between Matt and Valerie didn’t make me kick my feet a little.
April 5, 2013
Our Summer Goal: To See a Girl Naked
This book cracked me up!
Matt Gratton is fourteen. He has two buddies Sean and Coop, and a wry sense of humor -- blessings that more than make up for his lack of muscles. Every summer Matt, Sean, and Coop swim on a summer club team and set a goal like riding their bikes to a far-away lake and going skinny dipping. Given that they're girl-crazy, this summer's goal is to see a real-life naked girl. Matt's wondering if the cute new swim teammate Kelly might be the one they catch nude.
Will the boys succeed?
Matt not only worries about this goal, but he also gets himself in deep when he volunteers to swim the one-hundred butterfly in a desperate move to impress Kelly. If you don't know, butterfly is THE most difficult stroke. It requires superior upper body strength, flexibility, and timing -- of which Matt has none. These boys are nowhere near the fastest swimmers on the team. As Matt states, "In case you don't know, eighteen minutes is not a great time for a hundred yards of butterfly." Um, yeah. It's not such a great time.
The author's voice is fun and real. Here Matt attends a funeral for an elderly neighbor:
The first thing I do is scan the room for cute girls. You'd think that being in a room with a dead body might push those feelings down deep inside you. But no. It's like trying to force a kickboard to stay underwater; unless you give it your full, constant attention, it eventually explodes to the surface.
Matt's family is also realistically dysfunctional. His father left his mother long ago, and his single mother struggles to make a living by selling nutritional supplements (leading to an embarrassing mix-up between protein powder and laxative powder). His grandfather almost steals the show, enlisting Matt to help him woo the widowed neighbor.
Matt tries some extreme training methods to train for the fly, which leave him incredibly sore:
"Whatever." I try to wave Coop off, but since I can't lift my arm, I just look like a girlie T. rex.
I love the friendship among the three boys. Their humor may be juvenile but their caring for each other is genuine.
I pick a few shirts off my bedroom floor and give them the sniff test. The only one that seems relatively clean is my bright yellow BIG BONE LICK STATE PARK, KENTUCKY T-shirt that Cooper got me for my birthday last year. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
The swimming details lack authenticity but I enjoyed the story so much that I didn't care. And the romance is sweet, original, and unexpected. Maybe there's more to girls than stealing a peep at their naughty parts?
This book cracked me up!
Matt Gratton is fourteen. He has two buddies Sean and Coop, and a wry sense of humor -- blessings that more than make up for his lack of muscles. Every summer Matt, Sean, and Coop swim on a summer club team and set a goal like riding their bikes to a far-away lake and going skinny dipping. Given that they're girl-crazy, this summer's goal is to see a real-life naked girl. Matt's wondering if the cute new swim teammate Kelly might be the one they catch nude.
Will the boys succeed?
Matt not only worries about this goal, but he also gets himself in deep when he volunteers to swim the one-hundred butterfly in a desperate move to impress Kelly. If you don't know, butterfly is THE most difficult stroke. It requires superior upper body strength, flexibility, and timing -- of which Matt has none. These boys are nowhere near the fastest swimmers on the team. As Matt states, "In case you don't know, eighteen minutes is not a great time for a hundred yards of butterfly." Um, yeah. It's not such a great time.
The author's voice is fun and real. Here Matt attends a funeral for an elderly neighbor:
The first thing I do is scan the room for cute girls. You'd think that being in a room with a dead body might push those feelings down deep inside you. But no. It's like trying to force a kickboard to stay underwater; unless you give it your full, constant attention, it eventually explodes to the surface.
Matt's family is also realistically dysfunctional. His father left his mother long ago, and his single mother struggles to make a living by selling nutritional supplements (leading to an embarrassing mix-up between protein powder and laxative powder). His grandfather almost steals the show, enlisting Matt to help him woo the widowed neighbor.
Matt tries some extreme training methods to train for the fly, which leave him incredibly sore:
"Whatever." I try to wave Coop off, but since I can't lift my arm, I just look like a girlie T. rex.
I love the friendship among the three boys. Their humor may be juvenile but their caring for each other is genuine.
I pick a few shirts off my bedroom floor and give them the sniff test. The only one that seems relatively clean is my bright yellow BIG BONE LICK STATE PARK, KENTUCKY T-shirt that Cooper got me for my birthday last year. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
The swimming details lack authenticity but I enjoyed the story so much that I didn't care. And the romance is sweet, original, and unexpected. Maybe there's more to girls than stealing a peep at their naughty parts?
March 28, 2009
Every summer since they were little, Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, have set goals for themselves. This year, it’s to see a real live naked girl. Pictures don’t count. Porn doesn’t count. A real girl, alive and warm and luscious, counts.
Meanwhile, Matt is busying trying to figure out how he can win the attention of Kelly West, a beautiful fellow swimmer. He decides to volunteer to swim the 100 fly—the hardest race ever—in order to impress her, but quickly realizes that he is NOT equipped to swim the fly at all.
In between trying to accomplish their goal and trying to make sure he doesn’t end up making a fool of himself, Matt doesn’t realize that he also has time to open his eyes to some bigger and better things that are out there for him.
What can I say about SWIM THE FLY that will do it justice? This book absolutely blew me away. I found myself rolling on the ground in laughter and devouring the pages as I couldn’t stop flipping through them, eager to see what sort of scrapes Matt and his adorable friends get themselves into. Think There’s Something About Mary starring teenagers, and you can get a slight sense of the appeal that this book will have for both males and females.
Besides for being just an all-around terrific writer, Don’s strength seems to lie in drawing realistic yet unique characters. Matt, Cooper, and Sean had distinct personalities and ways of talking, which is a feat that is rarely accomplished in writing about a tight group of friends. If you ask me to pick a favorite character from SWIM THE FLY, I don’t think I can even give you a straight answer; all of the male characters are HILARIOUS. (See: Matt’s grandfather.)
SWIM THE FLY is just the right combination of gut-splitting humor, teen romance, and failed “missions” to win the hearts of any reader. I await Don’s future novels with great impatience now!
Meanwhile, Matt is busying trying to figure out how he can win the attention of Kelly West, a beautiful fellow swimmer. He decides to volunteer to swim the 100 fly—the hardest race ever—in order to impress her, but quickly realizes that he is NOT equipped to swim the fly at all.
In between trying to accomplish their goal and trying to make sure he doesn’t end up making a fool of himself, Matt doesn’t realize that he also has time to open his eyes to some bigger and better things that are out there for him.
What can I say about SWIM THE FLY that will do it justice? This book absolutely blew me away. I found myself rolling on the ground in laughter and devouring the pages as I couldn’t stop flipping through them, eager to see what sort of scrapes Matt and his adorable friends get themselves into. Think There’s Something About Mary starring teenagers, and you can get a slight sense of the appeal that this book will have for both males and females.
Besides for being just an all-around terrific writer, Don’s strength seems to lie in drawing realistic yet unique characters. Matt, Cooper, and Sean had distinct personalities and ways of talking, which is a feat that is rarely accomplished in writing about a tight group of friends. If you ask me to pick a favorite character from SWIM THE FLY, I don’t think I can even give you a straight answer; all of the male characters are HILARIOUS. (See: Matt’s grandfather.)
SWIM THE FLY is just the right combination of gut-splitting humor, teen romance, and failed “missions” to win the hearts of any reader. I await Don’s future novels with great impatience now!
September 25, 2009
Swim the Fly is, in a word, desperate. It's trying to capitalize on teenage boys penchant for gross-out humor and the success of recent raunchy comedies. And so we have a group of 15-year-old boys on a summer's long quest to see a "real, live girl naked." The portions of the book dealing with teenages boys hormonal obsessions with girls and nudity is spot on. But the dialogue feels false and out of touch. As do his mixture of made up pop culture references and outdated real ones. For instance, the beginning of the book had me picturing a kind of Porky's time period, but then a jarring Facebook reference told me it was taking place now. And then a kid had "The Real Slim Shady" as a ringtone. Eminem is certainly still popular and I am sure kids still like that song, but a 9 year old pop song is SUPER OUT OF DATE and it glares. And he references the Matrix and other inane things. It's too bad, because his made up reference are far more sly and funny than any of his real ones. The kids go to see Alien Vs. Predator Vs. Anaconda. HA!
And then there are the gut-wrenching gross out gags. One poops his pants and at another point they drink a combo Clamato/Chocolate Milk mixture . . . BARF.
Still a few work . . . like his friend showing extreme loyalty by gorging on junk food and throwing up in the pool to save main character Matt from embarassing himself at a swim meet.
And the fruition of their goal . . . seeing a girl naked is both hilarious and satisfying.
There is an underlying sweetness that saves the book from the garbage heap, ahem, cute little Valerie and bumbling grandpa Arlo.
I won't be recommending it to kids, but I bet a few boys would eat it up.
And then there are the gut-wrenching gross out gags. One poops his pants and at another point they drink a combo Clamato/Chocolate Milk mixture . . . BARF.
Still a few work . . . like his friend showing extreme loyalty by gorging on junk food and throwing up in the pool to save main character Matt from embarassing himself at a swim meet.
And the fruition of their goal . . . seeing a girl naked is both hilarious and satisfying.
There is an underlying sweetness that saves the book from the garbage heap, ahem, cute little Valerie and bumbling grandpa Arlo.
I won't be recommending it to kids, but I bet a few boys would eat it up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2010
Every summer, Matt and his friends Coop and Sean set a goal for themselves. This summer, it's to see a girl au natural. And not on the Internet or in Playboy, but a real live girl.
The trio also spend each summer on the local swim team. But this summer, something is different. Kelly West has moved onto their swim team and Matt would do anything to get Kelly's attention--even volunteering to swim the 100 m butterfly section of the relay. The only problem--Matt can't swim the butterfly and it's one of the hardest swim strokes to pull off for one lap, much less the four required for the 100 meter.
"Swim the Fly" relates the story of Matt's misadventures from the summer in question. In many ways, the book reminded me of the first two "American Pie" films with a center of hormonally imbalanced teenagers having misadventures on their quest for the ultimate goal. And just like the first two "Pie" installments, "Fly" has the same heart at the center. These aren't totally irredeemable horn dogs looking to see a bit of naked female flesh. These are real teenagers who funny and may be a bit recognizable.
The subject matter may be a PG-13 and, at times the book does have a PG-13 rating. But it's a fun, entertaining and authentic feeling story that will have you smiling, laughing and sympathizing with Matt at each and every turn.
One of the most enjoyable books I've read this year.
The trio also spend each summer on the local swim team. But this summer, something is different. Kelly West has moved onto their swim team and Matt would do anything to get Kelly's attention--even volunteering to swim the 100 m butterfly section of the relay. The only problem--Matt can't swim the butterfly and it's one of the hardest swim strokes to pull off for one lap, much less the four required for the 100 meter.
"Swim the Fly" relates the story of Matt's misadventures from the summer in question. In many ways, the book reminded me of the first two "American Pie" films with a center of hormonally imbalanced teenagers having misadventures on their quest for the ultimate goal. And just like the first two "Pie" installments, "Fly" has the same heart at the center. These aren't totally irredeemable horn dogs looking to see a bit of naked female flesh. These are real teenagers who funny and may be a bit recognizable.
The subject matter may be a PG-13 and, at times the book does have a PG-13 rating. But it's a fun, entertaining and authentic feeling story that will have you smiling, laughing and sympathizing with Matt at each and every turn.
One of the most enjoyable books I've read this year.
May 9, 2012
"Swim the Fly" by Don Calame is a great book. The whole story is about a group of friends who have one goal over the summer, see a real life naked girl. Along with this, Matt a teenage swimmer, must get ready to swim the 100 butterfly, one of the most challenging events ever. Matt and his friends make a goal every summer, and every summer they complete that goal, will the trend continue? In a wild urge to impress a pretty girl, Matt also volunteers to swim the fly, when their team’s butterflyer is injured in a bmx bike accident. He then embarks on a dual adventure, attempting to witness his first nude girl, and swim the 100 fly. This group of friends brought me many laughs, a great time, and I really felt like I had joined the group by the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent reading this book. A witty dialogue that is very fitting for a group of teenagers, and fantastical description makes this book greatly paced and extremely addicting. Personally everything about this book was awesome, the only flaw I saw was if it could have been longer, but that is addressed in the sequel. The ending was nice, with a little twist to look forward to.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent reading this book. A witty dialogue that is very fitting for a group of teenagers, and fantastical description makes this book greatly paced and extremely addicting. Personally everything about this book was awesome, the only flaw I saw was if it could have been longer, but that is addressed in the sequel. The ending was nice, with a little twist to look forward to.
May 8, 2011
Hysterically funny male adolescent humor which is just my speed. I may have said a book or two made me laugh out loud but I think it was actually laughing in my mind. This was seriously verbally laugh out loud. The story of three friends and their summer goal to see a naked woman. The plans they hatch and their foibles, along with their interpersonal relationships bring me back to my youth of that time with my friends. Good times. I only wish we set such lofty goals.
Guys will love it for that reason and women, if they can take the potty humor, will have real insight into being a young teenage male.
I've immediately started his second book with these characters and am equally impressed thus far. LOL, really. I'm not kidding, you butt-wipes :-)
Guys will love it for that reason and women, if they can take the potty humor, will have real insight into being a young teenage male.
I've immediately started his second book with these characters and am equally impressed thus far. LOL, really. I'm not kidding, you butt-wipes :-)
September 23, 2008
Hilarious, laugh out loud, book about three swimmer boys who will win your heart as they spend the summer trying to achieve their goal to see a live, naked girl. Matt's efforts to get in shape enough to just finish the 100 yard butterfly for his team will have your sides hurting as much as his--but yours will be from laughing.
Gramps is a gem, him and his cloth spanky hanky. Oh my.
Gramps is a gem, him and his cloth spanky hanky. Oh my.
June 23, 2010
Swim The Fly was a great book. It had everything a book needs - subplots, memorable characters, humor, and action. If I could change one thing about this book, it would be developing the personalities of Matt's friends more, but other than that, I can't really find anything bad to say about the book. 5/5
January 2, 2013
I liked it! Laugh out loud funny at times and gross too. Definitely a boy book!
April 11, 2015
Really fun and light (plus clean) middle grade read with good messages about friendship and being true to yourself. I listened to this on audiobook and as usual Nick Podehl did a fantastic job!
Read
January 3, 2019I did not really have any specific reason for choosing to read this book. I just thought that it looked like a funny book, and luckily I was right. I usually do not ready funny books when I read. I am use to sticking to either horror or mystery books. Branching off though and choosing a new type of book was very interesting. It showed me how there are many good books out there, and they can be in any genre.
Swim the Fly is a book about three kids who are best friends. Their names are Matt, Sean, and Cooper. These three best friends made one goal for their summer vacation, seeing a women naked in real life. The book starts off with them trying to plan out how they are going to do this, but things get a lot harder when Matt decides to do the butterfly stroke race to impress his crush Kelly. Luckily for him though, throughout the book his friends Sean and Cooper are by his side helping him prepare for this. There are many funny parts throughout the book where his friends are trying to train him, and it really is just hilarious at some points. When the butterfly stroke race does finally come though Kelly does notice him, and she is actually kind of impressed. Matt is a very kind kid and throughout the book he shows respect for everybody. This is one of the things that separated him from his two best friends. In the end, he did end up getting much closer to his goal, since he was starting to get close with Kelly, but he did not quite reach it fully.
There were many things that I liked about this book, and the main thing is how it was very funny. Usually when I am reading a book it doesn't ever make me laugh, but at some points while reading this I was. It was a very funny book, and I liked how it was about kids around my age because that just made it easier for me to get everything. I loved the main character Matt though, he was different from all of the other boys, and I thought that was a great thing to add to the story. He was not like your average teenage boy, he was almost always kind and nice to everyone, and he respected women. Some of the other boys in the book did not at all, but I just liked how the main character was different.
Although this book did have me laughing at a lot of points throughout it. It sometimes was very boring to read. The book was either very funny, or not funny at all. I feel like the author tried to stretch out certain things in the book, and even though he was just trying to make it better, I just feel it made it worse. He tried to add more detail then needed, and that just made the book less funny. Besides that though, I thought the book was very good, and I hope to find more books like it.
Swim the Fly is a book about three kids who are best friends. Their names are Matt, Sean, and Cooper. These three best friends made one goal for their summer vacation, seeing a women naked in real life. The book starts off with them trying to plan out how they are going to do this, but things get a lot harder when Matt decides to do the butterfly stroke race to impress his crush Kelly. Luckily for him though, throughout the book his friends Sean and Cooper are by his side helping him prepare for this. There are many funny parts throughout the book where his friends are trying to train him, and it really is just hilarious at some points. When the butterfly stroke race does finally come though Kelly does notice him, and she is actually kind of impressed. Matt is a very kind kid and throughout the book he shows respect for everybody. This is one of the things that separated him from his two best friends. In the end, he did end up getting much closer to his goal, since he was starting to get close with Kelly, but he did not quite reach it fully.
There were many things that I liked about this book, and the main thing is how it was very funny. Usually when I am reading a book it doesn't ever make me laugh, but at some points while reading this I was. It was a very funny book, and I liked how it was about kids around my age because that just made it easier for me to get everything. I loved the main character Matt though, he was different from all of the other boys, and I thought that was a great thing to add to the story. He was not like your average teenage boy, he was almost always kind and nice to everyone, and he respected women. Some of the other boys in the book did not at all, but I just liked how the main character was different.
Although this book did have me laughing at a lot of points throughout it. It sometimes was very boring to read. The book was either very funny, or not funny at all. I feel like the author tried to stretch out certain things in the book, and even though he was just trying to make it better, I just feel it made it worse. He tried to add more detail then needed, and that just made the book less funny. Besides that though, I thought the book was very good, and I hope to find more books like it.
August 19, 2017
I try to avoid prescribing gender to books, but Don Calame dumped a young teen boy's mind into a book and made it so great! This book follows three friends through a summer. Their goal, set at summer's start, was to see a girl naked. This leads them down every ridiculous path girl-craziness possibly can for a sometimes revealing, occasionally heart-warming, one time really smelly, always funny read.
Read
March 1, 2018best book I have read so far filled with non stop joyful reading.
April 18, 2022
I read this for a school project and I absolutely hated it. this book is sexual and misogynistic. it was so bad I want to give it a zero but I can’t so I give it a one. those poor trees that were murdered to make this book.
April 19, 2015
Hilarious audiobook! The narrator did a great job. I giggled my way to work many days!
The narrator, Nick Podehl, did a brilliant job on this audiobook. I think a big reason why I loved this was that he had me giggling on my way to and from work. This book was hilarious and his voices made it all the better. Matt, Sean, and Coop make a goal every summer and this summer they decide to make a goal that many 15 year old boys have, to see a real live girl naked. LOL Also Matt wants to impress Kelly so he volunteers to swim the butterfly for their swimming team. Problem is that Matt can't even swim the fly for one lap. Thus ensues lots of disastrous yet hilarious plans and workouts.
I don't read many books from male authors with a male POV so this was a nice change. Getting a look inside a guys head. Matt and his friends were always up to some nefarious plan that ended in a disaster. I could kind of relate since usually when my friends and I had crazy plans at that age they usually did blow up in our faces. The guys attempt dressing up like girls to get into the girls locker room, they try to get into a party with non alcoholic O'Doul's, they try to hide in a closet to see a naked girl, Matt tries to get out of swimming the fly by faking an appendicitis, and it goes on and on. Matt also way over does his workouts and tries to drink a ton of protein powder. He becomes so sore he can't lift his arms. LMAO Like me after my kickboxing class...
So Matt and his friends are rather immature and make a lot of very bad choices but they do slowly grow throughout the book. Matt wants to impress Kelly but it is her friend Valerie that befriends him. He grows a conscience and wants to protect her and doesn't let his friends sneak a peak at her. It was a sweet and unexpected romance. Matt learns to be less shallow. He also works out and trains with a new coach to learn to swim butterfly. He puts in a lot of hard work when he could give up and get out of it. There are some great moments with his brother and family as well. You can see where Matt gets his ways from his grandfather who is also always coming up with ridiculous plans. Even though the three boys fight sometimes you can really see they care about each other. I had so much fun listening to this one I already got my hands on the next two books in the series that are narrated by the same guy. Each book will be from a different guys POV so I'm looking forward to seeing what Sean and Coop get up to in the next two books. I also got the audio of Will Grayson, Will Grayson since one of the narrators is the same as this book.
"...The things we do not want to speak about are the very things we need to speak about most"
"Excuses are like male nipples. They're completely useless."
"Oh, by the way," Coop announces as he weaves his DeathBot ship through a barrage of space debris on his laptop screen. "In case you didn't know. It's national 'That's What She Said' Day."
I give him a thumbs-up. "I like it."
Sean enters the tent carrying his Xbox. "I don't think there are enough sockets for all of these."
I waggle my eyebrows at Coop. "That's what she said."
Coop busts up. Sean stands there, looking confused. "I don't get it."
"That's what she says," Coop says, sending him and me into hysterics. Sean sighs and puts the Xbox down. "I can see this is going to be a long night."
"That's what she said," me and Coop howl in chorus.
The narrator, Nick Podehl, did a brilliant job on this audiobook. I think a big reason why I loved this was that he had me giggling on my way to and from work. This book was hilarious and his voices made it all the better. Matt, Sean, and Coop make a goal every summer and this summer they decide to make a goal that many 15 year old boys have, to see a real live girl naked. LOL Also Matt wants to impress Kelly so he volunteers to swim the butterfly for their swimming team. Problem is that Matt can't even swim the fly for one lap. Thus ensues lots of disastrous yet hilarious plans and workouts.
I don't read many books from male authors with a male POV so this was a nice change. Getting a look inside a guys head. Matt and his friends were always up to some nefarious plan that ended in a disaster. I could kind of relate since usually when my friends and I had crazy plans at that age they usually did blow up in our faces. The guys attempt dressing up like girls to get into the girls locker room, they try to get into a party with non alcoholic O'Doul's, they try to hide in a closet to see a naked girl, Matt tries to get out of swimming the fly by faking an appendicitis, and it goes on and on. Matt also way over does his workouts and tries to drink a ton of protein powder. He becomes so sore he can't lift his arms. LMAO Like me after my kickboxing class...
So Matt and his friends are rather immature and make a lot of very bad choices but they do slowly grow throughout the book. Matt wants to impress Kelly but it is her friend Valerie that befriends him. He grows a conscience and wants to protect her and doesn't let his friends sneak a peak at her. It was a sweet and unexpected romance. Matt learns to be less shallow. He also works out and trains with a new coach to learn to swim butterfly. He puts in a lot of hard work when he could give up and get out of it. There are some great moments with his brother and family as well. You can see where Matt gets his ways from his grandfather who is also always coming up with ridiculous plans. Even though the three boys fight sometimes you can really see they care about each other. I had so much fun listening to this one I already got my hands on the next two books in the series that are narrated by the same guy. Each book will be from a different guys POV so I'm looking forward to seeing what Sean and Coop get up to in the next two books. I also got the audio of Will Grayson, Will Grayson since one of the narrators is the same as this book.
"...The things we do not want to speak about are the very things we need to speak about most"
"Excuses are like male nipples. They're completely useless."
"Oh, by the way," Coop announces as he weaves his DeathBot ship through a barrage of space debris on his laptop screen. "In case you didn't know. It's national 'That's What She Said' Day."
I give him a thumbs-up. "I like it."
Sean enters the tent carrying his Xbox. "I don't think there are enough sockets for all of these."
I waggle my eyebrows at Coop. "That's what she said."
Coop busts up. Sean stands there, looking confused. "I don't get it."
"That's what she says," Coop says, sending him and me into hysterics. Sean sighs and puts the Xbox down. "I can see this is going to be a long night."
"That's what she said," me and Coop howl in chorus.
June 30, 2011
I warn you, do not read this book on public transport unless you don’t mind people staring at you tittering away in the corner. Many books are funny but very few force eruptions of laughter from you when you least expect it, and Swim the Fly by Don Calame falls very comfortably into that category. This book is packed with all the cringey, awkward and embarrassing moments that plague the average teen boy’s life as the trio of 15-year-old boys try to fulfil their summertime goal – to see a naked girl. Cue one badly laid plan after the other, all ending in catastrophe. Each chapter is like one episode after another of a coming-of-age sitcom, only without the unfunny bits like drugs and underage pregnancy. It’s pure slapstick with enjoyable tributes to the edgy.
Don’s experience as a screenwriter shines through in this story as it reads like a film, going at a really good pace and employing realistic dialogue. Perhaps the greatest skill in the writing lies in the way he weaves the relationships between each character and gives even the minor characters a really well-developed personality. I think my favourite bit part character is Grandpa Arlo with his shameless pursuit of the recently widowed Mrs Hoogenboom. I would probably die of embarrassment if my grandfather said some of the things Grandpa Arlo does and even he is a victim of the bad plan epidemic. However, despite the cringeathon, there are some really sweet moments in this book, especially the relationship between the three boys, Matt, Coop and Sean. Their interactions are so convincing that you think you’ve been reading about them for years but you’ve only known them for a few pages. Their friendship is so strong and despite their constant larking about, it’s clear they would do anything for each other and this is evident in the one decent plan Coop and Sean make at the end to help Matt out in his race. I won’t spoil it!
There’s also a serious side to Swim the Fly – if you can believe it – and it’s a side that really shows up the beauty and subtlety of the writing. From start to finish there’s a tremendous sense of Matt’s journey from boy to man. I know it’s an age old cliché but it’s woven so subtly that you don’t really realise what’s happened until you start thinking about it. Matt starts off as a pretty superficial guy, desperate to fit in and ogling the hottest girl on the swim team, but as the story goes on he gradually finds his humanity, realising what kind of girlfriend he actually wants, what really matters in life and what his friends mean to him. This is the beauty of the story: couching a heart-warming journey within hilarious episodes, keeping the story light but maintaining a significance and a reason to actually read it. It’s not a throw away comedy, it’s a beautiful and funny story, a really clever plot that will have you thinking fondly of it, like an old friend, for many months afterwards.
And don’t think this is a story strictly for teen boys. Girls, Don has an amazing ability to get inside the mind of a teen boy so don’t miss out on this rare insight. Adults, this one will have you indulging that secret immature side of yourself – the one that laughs internally at rude jokes and still marvels at new ways to refer to secret parts. You know it’s there – do not resist!
Lyrical Reviews
Don’s experience as a screenwriter shines through in this story as it reads like a film, going at a really good pace and employing realistic dialogue. Perhaps the greatest skill in the writing lies in the way he weaves the relationships between each character and gives even the minor characters a really well-developed personality. I think my favourite bit part character is Grandpa Arlo with his shameless pursuit of the recently widowed Mrs Hoogenboom. I would probably die of embarrassment if my grandfather said some of the things Grandpa Arlo does and even he is a victim of the bad plan epidemic. However, despite the cringeathon, there are some really sweet moments in this book, especially the relationship between the three boys, Matt, Coop and Sean. Their interactions are so convincing that you think you’ve been reading about them for years but you’ve only known them for a few pages. Their friendship is so strong and despite their constant larking about, it’s clear they would do anything for each other and this is evident in the one decent plan Coop and Sean make at the end to help Matt out in his race. I won’t spoil it!
There’s also a serious side to Swim the Fly – if you can believe it – and it’s a side that really shows up the beauty and subtlety of the writing. From start to finish there’s a tremendous sense of Matt’s journey from boy to man. I know it’s an age old cliché but it’s woven so subtly that you don’t really realise what’s happened until you start thinking about it. Matt starts off as a pretty superficial guy, desperate to fit in and ogling the hottest girl on the swim team, but as the story goes on he gradually finds his humanity, realising what kind of girlfriend he actually wants, what really matters in life and what his friends mean to him. This is the beauty of the story: couching a heart-warming journey within hilarious episodes, keeping the story light but maintaining a significance and a reason to actually read it. It’s not a throw away comedy, it’s a beautiful and funny story, a really clever plot that will have you thinking fondly of it, like an old friend, for many months afterwards.
And don’t think this is a story strictly for teen boys. Girls, Don has an amazing ability to get inside the mind of a teen boy so don’t miss out on this rare insight. Adults, this one will have you indulging that secret immature side of yourself – the one that laughs internally at rude jokes and still marvels at new ways to refer to secret parts. You know it’s there – do not resist!
Lyrical Reviews
March 18, 2014
Review by Alex - Year 9
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it perfectly fitted the teenage genre and not a single supernatural being in sight! It had an interesting plot, that had me guessing time and time again what funny incident was going to happen next. I was beaten every time. Something would happen, and I could never, not a single time, predict what it was. Quite, simply; no crudity, just nudity instead. :)
Matthew Gratton, approaching his sweet sixteenth, narrates the story in the first person. His two best buddies from the swim team, Sean and Coop(er) accompany him on their one summertime goal: To see a real-live naked girl. Their summertime goal is their tradition, it’s their bread and butter of enjoying the summer. They’ve been doing it since forever and haven’t failed yet, and don’t intend to start. So be prepared for cross-dresses and big messes. But Matt has another goal in mind as well, to win over “smokin’ hot” Kelly Brookes by swimming the 100-yard Butterfly, the hardest stroke ever. Ever. As Matt strives to go from zero to hero on the swim team, his efforts are torn as he must also manage to see a girl fully naked, when he hasn’t even had a girlfriend. Too much work for Matt? Not when Kelly’s the top prize.
As stated above, this book made me laugh a lot. Any scene that doesn't have comedy in it is merely building up to one. Each funny scene only urged me to see to turn the next page again and again. The characters, I thought, were well developed throughout the story. Each one felt like I knew someone like them. My favourite character in this book had to be Coop. His daring plans kept the plot interesting; often not going as intended. The witty comments kept the humour new and varied. There must be one comedian in these types of books, and Coop fitted that description perfectly; He completed the gang of teenage boys topped up on testosterone. For me, I think a lot of the “disaster” scenes were well written, with each calamity flowing into the next.
Personally, I found it quite difficult to care about Kelly, despite her importance to the main character, Matt. I just didn’t find her character that interesting and I didn’t feel like she had enough to do with the main plot; most of the plot is dominated by achieving the summertime goal. All in all though, this is my only complaint.
In summary, I would definitely recommend this book to any teenage boy, unless you’re particularly faint of heart or would prefer to avoid some “vulgar” scenes. as Publisher’s Weekly said; “...will spread like Athlete’s foot in a locker room” And I couldn’t agree more. 4/5 for me and this boisterously-good book is a great read for any teenage boy. It’s just completely set apart from the rest.
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it perfectly fitted the teenage genre and not a single supernatural being in sight! It had an interesting plot, that had me guessing time and time again what funny incident was going to happen next. I was beaten every time. Something would happen, and I could never, not a single time, predict what it was. Quite, simply; no crudity, just nudity instead. :)
Matthew Gratton, approaching his sweet sixteenth, narrates the story in the first person. His two best buddies from the swim team, Sean and Coop(er) accompany him on their one summertime goal: To see a real-live naked girl. Their summertime goal is their tradition, it’s their bread and butter of enjoying the summer. They’ve been doing it since forever and haven’t failed yet, and don’t intend to start. So be prepared for cross-dresses and big messes. But Matt has another goal in mind as well, to win over “smokin’ hot” Kelly Brookes by swimming the 100-yard Butterfly, the hardest stroke ever. Ever. As Matt strives to go from zero to hero on the swim team, his efforts are torn as he must also manage to see a girl fully naked, when he hasn’t even had a girlfriend. Too much work for Matt? Not when Kelly’s the top prize.
As stated above, this book made me laugh a lot. Any scene that doesn't have comedy in it is merely building up to one. Each funny scene only urged me to see to turn the next page again and again. The characters, I thought, were well developed throughout the story. Each one felt like I knew someone like them. My favourite character in this book had to be Coop. His daring plans kept the plot interesting; often not going as intended. The witty comments kept the humour new and varied. There must be one comedian in these types of books, and Coop fitted that description perfectly; He completed the gang of teenage boys topped up on testosterone. For me, I think a lot of the “disaster” scenes were well written, with each calamity flowing into the next.
Personally, I found it quite difficult to care about Kelly, despite her importance to the main character, Matt. I just didn’t find her character that interesting and I didn’t feel like she had enough to do with the main plot; most of the plot is dominated by achieving the summertime goal. All in all though, this is my only complaint.
In summary, I would definitely recommend this book to any teenage boy, unless you’re particularly faint of heart or would prefer to avoid some “vulgar” scenes. as Publisher’s Weekly said; “...will spread like Athlete’s foot in a locker room” And I couldn’t agree more. 4/5 for me and this boisterously-good book is a great read for any teenage boy. It’s just completely set apart from the rest.
January 12, 2010
Matt, Coop, and Sean are best friends. In fact, they have been hanging out since they were in the third grade. Summer is kicking off and with it starts the swim season. They have been members of a community swim team for for a number of years. They enjoy it, but they are not necessarily all that good. That doesn't stop Matt from taking a surprising challenge when their butterfly swimmer has to drop out due to injury. He volunteers to fill the open slot, an major challenge since the opposing swim team has a superstar in that role, in order to impress Kelly, the girl he has a crush on.
While Matt is overwhelmed by what he is going to have to do to even finish the four laps required for the race at the championships, he and his friends have another challenge. Every year they set themselves a goal. This year, our 15-year-old heroes are hoping to see a girl naked. The problem is none of them have a girlfriend, and the likelihood of that changing is not really all that good. This leads to a series of unfortunate, and humorously unsuccessful, plans to reach that goal.
Calame has done a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the mindset of a high school guy. They are an odd mixture of sex-obsessed hormones and generally good intentions. The fact that they are torn in multiple directions by these dual personalities, leads to troubles, and the adventures of Matt, Coop and Sean really capture how much fun that can be. The book is full of a number of laugh-out-loud moments, though they are often more of the potty humor/raunchy type.
All of the characters come across as real poeple, including a tremendously funny grandfather with a crush on the new widow next door, a truly endearing mother, and a Zen-ish, Yoda-like German swimming trainer.
This is a fun read that will probably appeal to both guys and gals as it has a nice mix of humor, romance, and real life dilemmas that so many average high schoolers face.
While Matt is overwhelmed by what he is going to have to do to even finish the four laps required for the race at the championships, he and his friends have another challenge. Every year they set themselves a goal. This year, our 15-year-old heroes are hoping to see a girl naked. The problem is none of them have a girlfriend, and the likelihood of that changing is not really all that good. This leads to a series of unfortunate, and humorously unsuccessful, plans to reach that goal.
Calame has done a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the mindset of a high school guy. They are an odd mixture of sex-obsessed hormones and generally good intentions. The fact that they are torn in multiple directions by these dual personalities, leads to troubles, and the adventures of Matt, Coop and Sean really capture how much fun that can be. The book is full of a number of laugh-out-loud moments, though they are often more of the potty humor/raunchy type.
All of the characters come across as real poeple, including a tremendously funny grandfather with a crush on the new widow next door, a truly endearing mother, and a Zen-ish, Yoda-like German swimming trainer.
This is a fun read that will probably appeal to both guys and gals as it has a nice mix of humor, romance, and real life dilemmas that so many average high schoolers face.
May 13, 2012
Matt, Coop, and Sean are best friends. In fact, they have been hanging out since they were in the third grade. Summer is kicking off and with it starts the swim season. They have been members of a community swim team for for a number of years. They enjoy it, but they are not necessarily all that good. That doesn't stop Matt from taking a surprising challenge when their butterfly swimmer has to drop out due to injury. He volunteers to fill the open slot, an major challenge since the opposing swim team has a superstar in that role, in order to impress Kelly, the girl he has a crush on.
While Matt is overwhelmed by what he is going to have to do to even finish the four laps required for the race at the championships, he and his friends have another challenge. Every year they set themselves a goal. This year, our 15-year-old heroes are hoping to see a girl naked. The problem is none of them have a girlfriend, and the likelihood of that changing is not really all that good. This leads to a series of unfortunate, and humorously unsuccessful, plans to reach that goal.
Calame has done a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the mindset of a high school guy. They are an odd mixture of sex-obsessed hormones and generally good intentions. The fact that they are torn in multiple directions by these dual personalities, leads to troubles, and the adventures of Matt, Coop and Sean really capture how much fun that can be. The book is full of a number of laugh-out-loud moments, though they are often more of the potty humor/raunchy type.
All of the characters come across as real poeple, including a tremendously funny grandfather with a crush on the new widow next door, a truly endearing mother, and a Zen-ish, Yoda-like German swimming trainer.
This is a fun read that will probably appeal to both guys and gals as it has a nice mix of humor, romance, and real life dilemmas that so many average high schoolers face.
While Matt is overwhelmed by what he is going to have to do to even finish the four laps required for the race at the championships, he and his friends have another challenge. Every year they set themselves a goal. This year, our 15-year-old heroes are hoping to see a girl naked. The problem is none of them have a girlfriend, and the likelihood of that changing is not really all that good. This leads to a series of unfortunate, and humorously unsuccessful, plans to reach that goal.
Calame has done a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the mindset of a high school guy. They are an odd mixture of sex-obsessed hormones and generally good intentions. The fact that they are torn in multiple directions by these dual personalities, leads to troubles, and the adventures of Matt, Coop and Sean really capture how much fun that can be. The book is full of a number of laugh-out-loud moments, though they are often more of the potty humor/raunchy type.
All of the characters come across as real poeple, including a tremendously funny grandfather with a crush on the new widow next door, a truly endearing mother, and a Zen-ish, Yoda-like German swimming trainer.
This is a fun read that will probably appeal to both guys and gals as it has a nice mix of humor, romance, and real life dilemmas that so many average high schoolers face.
May 25, 2010
My thoughts:
This story is laugh out loud funny! I don't remember laughing this much since I read Spud by John van de Ruit. This is the tale of three teenage boy's quest-to see a real-live naked girl. But Matt has a bigger problem than just the summer time challenge. In a moment of blind love he volunteers to swim the butterfly for his swim team to impress his crush. Although he's been on the swim team for a few years he's a mediocre swimmer at best. To say that he's in over his head is a huge understatement.
Luckily his friends have his back on both counts. These three best friends dream up schemes galore in an attempt to reach their summer goal. Of course things will go wrong at every turn because they are awkward, dumb boys that do before they think. We are just lucky enough to be along for the ride.
I loved the relationship between the three friends. And found myself not wanting the story to end. I wanted to hang out with these guys just a little longer and laugh a little more.
Yahoo!! The adventure continues with Coop. Don Calame has another book coming out in the Fall of 2010 called Beat the Band. I can't wait to pick it up where we left off and find out what trouble Coop will undoubtedly be getting himself in to.
I recommend this book for readers ages 14 and up.
Thanks to the nice folks at Candlewick Press who gave me the opportunity to read and review this book. I will be saving it to give away as a prize to one lucky winner at my summer reading program at the Salmon Public Library.
This story is laugh out loud funny! I don't remember laughing this much since I read Spud by John van de Ruit. This is the tale of three teenage boy's quest-to see a real-live naked girl. But Matt has a bigger problem than just the summer time challenge. In a moment of blind love he volunteers to swim the butterfly for his swim team to impress his crush. Although he's been on the swim team for a few years he's a mediocre swimmer at best. To say that he's in over his head is a huge understatement.
Luckily his friends have his back on both counts. These three best friends dream up schemes galore in an attempt to reach their summer goal. Of course things will go wrong at every turn because they are awkward, dumb boys that do before they think. We are just lucky enough to be along for the ride.
I loved the relationship between the three friends. And found myself not wanting the story to end. I wanted to hang out with these guys just a little longer and laugh a little more.
Yahoo!! The adventure continues with Coop. Don Calame has another book coming out in the Fall of 2010 called Beat the Band. I can't wait to pick it up where we left off and find out what trouble Coop will undoubtedly be getting himself in to.
I recommend this book for readers ages 14 and up.
Thanks to the nice folks at Candlewick Press who gave me the opportunity to read and review this book. I will be saving it to give away as a prize to one lucky winner at my summer reading program at the Salmon Public Library.
February 20, 2012
A good, enjoyable read. Matt and his two friends, Coop and Sean, have spent every summer since they were practically babies at the pool with the swim team. They've always been the slowest swimmers, behind even the little kids, but it's never bothered them. It's what they do in the summer. And each year, they set some new challenge for themselves as a rite of passage.
This year, Matt has found a girl to impress, and that changes things. To get her attention, he volunteers to swim the butterfly stroke in the three meets their swim team participates in each summer. So, half his time is spent trying to avoid showing everybody that he can't even swim the fly for one whole lap.
The challenge the boys have set for this summer is actually seeing a live, naked girl. So, you can imagine the problems involved in trying to achieve this goal.
Light-weight and easy, with no preaching or moralism, this story easily shows the perils of lying and deceit, from Matt's Grandfather's lies to the widow lady across the street, to Matt's own troubles. You'll laugh and cheer at the ways the boys finally manage to acheive their goals.
Maybe I should have given this one more stars. First time I had a chance to buy the book, I did. Ok, I upped the rating. Any book you still contemplate days after you've finished it deserves more stars.
This year, Matt has found a girl to impress, and that changes things. To get her attention, he volunteers to swim the butterfly stroke in the three meets their swim team participates in each summer. So, half his time is spent trying to avoid showing everybody that he can't even swim the fly for one whole lap.
The challenge the boys have set for this summer is actually seeing a live, naked girl. So, you can imagine the problems involved in trying to achieve this goal.
Light-weight and easy, with no preaching or moralism, this story easily shows the perils of lying and deceit, from Matt's Grandfather's lies to the widow lady across the street, to Matt's own troubles. You'll laugh and cheer at the ways the boys finally manage to acheive their goals.
Maybe I should have given this one more stars. First time I had a chance to buy the book, I did. Ok, I upped the rating. Any book you still contemplate days after you've finished it deserves more stars.
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