What do you think?
Rate this book
Crossing Lines
Adonis is a jock. He's on the football team and he's dating one of the prettiest girls in school. Alan is the new kid. He wears lipstick and joins the Fashion Club. Soon enough the football team is out to get him. Adonis is glad to go along with his teammates . . . until they come up with a dangerous plan to humiliate Alan. Now Adonis must decide whether he wants to be a guy who follows the herd or a man who does what's right.
From critically acclaimed author Paul Volponi comes this discussable and finely wrought story of bullies, victims, and the bystanders caught in between.
From critically acclaimed author Paul Volponi comes this discussable and finely wrought story of bullies, victims, and the bystanders caught in between.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2011
26 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
Read
February 9, 2011Crossing Lines will make some people uncomfortable, and that's a great thing! This new YA novel by the King of Urban Fiction addressed a very difficult, painful issue "forced" on students by Alan/Alana who is gay and a crossdresser. The story's point-of-view is presented by Adonis, a football star who doesn't feel comfortable with Alan/Alana's overt sexuality and could even be considered "homophobic." Alan/Alana divides the kids at the school. He's supported by the members of The Fashion Club (Alan is president) and bullied by football players and others who want him gone. Adonis struggles as his sister and mother are open and welcoming to Alan/Alana while he and his father are uncomfortable around him. When Adonis is with the girl he likes (Melody) he pretends to be okay with Alan/Alana, when he is with other football players and his family he shows his true colors. This creates an inner struggle, which culminates in a "choice" at the end of the book.
Volponi took on some huge issues for this YA novel. I asked him where the idea came from and he said, "I saw a story in a national mag about a male high school teen who went to school in a dress and lipstick. He lasted only a few days before he was brutally assaulted by someone who couldn't take the sight of him. I was moved by the article, but didn't think I was qualified to tell the victim's story. So I told Adonis's story instead."
I read CROSSING LINES twice, about four weeks apart, to give myself time to think about this YA novel. The characters were fairly black and white - for or against Alan/Alana. Adonis was the most authentic for me, which makes sense since he is the MC. In my opinion Crossing Lines is groundbreaking and perfect for creating dialogue between YA. Gay/Straight Alliance groups in high schools should do everything they can to bring this book to the attention of members and their student body.
Volponi took on some huge issues for this YA novel. I asked him where the idea came from and he said, "I saw a story in a national mag about a male high school teen who went to school in a dress and lipstick. He lasted only a few days before he was brutally assaulted by someone who couldn't take the sight of him. I was moved by the article, but didn't think I was qualified to tell the victim's story. So I told Adonis's story instead."
I read CROSSING LINES twice, about four weeks apart, to give myself time to think about this YA novel. The characters were fairly black and white - for or against Alan/Alana. Adonis was the most authentic for me, which makes sense since he is the MC. In my opinion Crossing Lines is groundbreaking and perfect for creating dialogue between YA. Gay/Straight Alliance groups in high schools should do everything they can to bring this book to the attention of members and their student body.
October 10, 2018
Adonis is your typical teenage boy. Plays football, goes to school, and is dating the prettiest girl in school. Adonis thought his junior year was going to be great, until a new kid comes to school. Now, Alan is not your ordinary teenage boy. Alan wears lipstick and is the president of the Fashion Club. This begins to be a problem when Adonis's sister befriends Alan. Adonis has no intention to even relatively be in the same vicinity as Alan, considering his teammates are sickened by Alan. This takes a devastating turn for the worse when the football team decides to perform a "prank" on Alan. At the end of the day, Adonis is forced to choose a side, whether it's going to be his pride for the team, or standing up for what's right.
Paul Volponi creates a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story, discussing issues that happen daily for teenagers all around the world. Telling kids every where, you can either be a bully, a victim, or a bystander stuck in between it all.
Paul Volponi creates a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story, discussing issues that happen daily for teenagers all around the world. Telling kids every where, you can either be a bully, a victim, or a bystander stuck in between it all.
September 23, 2011
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Adonis is a popular football player with an attractive girlfriend. That's what he considers normal - until he meets Alan. Alan is the new kid, and it is obvious from the start that he is different.
It turns out that Alan is popular with the girls but in a different way. He has a keen interest in fashion and all things feminine. When Adonis's sister and all of her friends create an official high school Fashion Club, Alan becomes a loyal member. The girls accept him with open arms, and with their encouragement, Alan feels comfortable enough to reveal his true self.
Alan has been the victim of taunts and teasing since the day he arrived, but the harassment escalates when he shows up one morning wearing bright, red lipstick. Adonis is shocked and confused that Alan would be so bold. He observes from a distance as his fellow football players make life miserable for Alan. Life becomes a delicate balancing act for Adonis as he tries to let his guy friends think he despises Alan as much as they do, while at the same time attempting to please his girlfriend and his sister, who are staunch defenders of Alan's right to display his transgender lifestyle.
The day Alan appears at school wearing a dress, the administration makes contact with his father. Finding no support at home, Alan moves out and the girls step up to offer him a place to stay along with their continued support. Although Adonis tries to remain on neutral ground about the whole situation, he finds his feelings changing. When he learns about a plan to humiliate Alan, Adonis fears he will need to take a stand on one side or the other.
Paul Volponi's novels are always a success with my students, and CROSSING LINES is sure to be popular, too. Bullying, especially when it involves gay and transgender topics, is an increasing problem with teens today. CROSSING LINES will help those struggling with their own sexual identity and how it frequently changes relationships. The story will also help teens struggling with how to interact with fellow students whose lifestyles differ from their own. I'm very excited to have this one in my classroom collection.
Adonis is a popular football player with an attractive girlfriend. That's what he considers normal - until he meets Alan. Alan is the new kid, and it is obvious from the start that he is different.
It turns out that Alan is popular with the girls but in a different way. He has a keen interest in fashion and all things feminine. When Adonis's sister and all of her friends create an official high school Fashion Club, Alan becomes a loyal member. The girls accept him with open arms, and with their encouragement, Alan feels comfortable enough to reveal his true self.
Alan has been the victim of taunts and teasing since the day he arrived, but the harassment escalates when he shows up one morning wearing bright, red lipstick. Adonis is shocked and confused that Alan would be so bold. He observes from a distance as his fellow football players make life miserable for Alan. Life becomes a delicate balancing act for Adonis as he tries to let his guy friends think he despises Alan as much as they do, while at the same time attempting to please his girlfriend and his sister, who are staunch defenders of Alan's right to display his transgender lifestyle.
The day Alan appears at school wearing a dress, the administration makes contact with his father. Finding no support at home, Alan moves out and the girls step up to offer him a place to stay along with their continued support. Although Adonis tries to remain on neutral ground about the whole situation, he finds his feelings changing. When he learns about a plan to humiliate Alan, Adonis fears he will need to take a stand on one side or the other.
Paul Volponi's novels are always a success with my students, and CROSSING LINES is sure to be popular, too. Bullying, especially when it involves gay and transgender topics, is an increasing problem with teens today. CROSSING LINES will help those struggling with their own sexual identity and how it frequently changes relationships. The story will also help teens struggling with how to interact with fellow students whose lifestyles differ from their own. I'm very excited to have this one in my classroom collection.
June 8, 2011
I had a chance to read an ARC of Crossing Lines in November of 2010, and as soon as I turned the final page, I knew that this would be one of my most powerful books of the year. I read the entirety of Crossing Lines in one day, which is rare feat for me, even in the case of short books. I honestly could not put this book down.
Crossing Lines centers around Adonis, a high school student hoping to prove his worth to others around him. His life is pretty okay until his sister, Jeannie, starts hanging out with the president of the fashion club. Alan.
Adonis is definitely not a likable character at first. He struggles to fit a very specific stereotype of masculinity, pumping iron with his teammates and scoring one of the hottest chicks in school. The story is told from his point of view, so we see everything that happens as his friends and sister pressure him to do opposite things. His character is one that readers will remember long after turning the final page of Crossing Lines. Everyone has felt the way that Adonis does at the end of this novel. I can see where some people might ultimately feel exasperated with his character, but Volponi represented his inner conflict so poignantly that it felt incredibly realistic to me.
As incredible as Adonis’s journey was, there were also a lot of little things that made this book a fantastic read for me. I love that Volponi used Adonis and all of his other characters to confront gender stereotypes head on. Furthermore, I also loved the reference to mythology with the name Adonis and the incorporation of Walt Whitman’s poetry into the themes of the novel. I will say that at times the writing erred on the side of being over expository, but I loved the rest of the story too much to care about it.
Crossing Lines deals with the timeless problem of intolerance, and does in a way that teenagers can relate to. It’s great to see a young adult novel that deals with bullying. I am eager to see the types of discussions that this book opens up among educators, parents, and readers of all ages and sexuality.
January 10, 2011
Writing a review for this has not been easy. I wanted to wait, let the book sit with me for a bit. I liked the premise: what does bullying look like from the POV of a reluctant bully? Adonis is on the football team, likes the cute and popular girl, and travels with a group of "typical" high school jocks. Enter Alan: new in school and gay -- double whammy. Adonis struggles with wanting to fit in with his friends, but also realizes that to get the girl -- and maybe, it's the right thing to do anyway -- bullying Alan won't do.
I struggled with the validity here. Granted, I am neither (nor was I ever) a high school football jock or gay, cross-dressing transfer student, but the stereotyping jumped off the page. The slurs felt forced, added for shock value rather than coming across as something someone might say in a certain situation. The characters seemed shallow to me -- not well-developed, their motives written on their sleeves rather than hidden. As I think more about this, the biggest issue I had was the lack of complexity.
Would I recommend this? Probably not to adults, but yes to teens. I think it provides an adequate introduction to discussion. However, I would then recommend -- nay, insist -- that they follow it with The Vast Fields of Ordinary, where a similar story is told, with less force and more intuition, less shock and more emotion.
I struggled with the validity here. Granted, I am neither (nor was I ever) a high school football jock or gay, cross-dressing transfer student, but the stereotyping jumped off the page. The slurs felt forced, added for shock value rather than coming across as something someone might say in a certain situation. The characters seemed shallow to me -- not well-developed, their motives written on their sleeves rather than hidden. As I think more about this, the biggest issue I had was the lack of complexity.
Would I recommend this? Probably not to adults, but yes to teens. I think it provides an adequate introduction to discussion. However, I would then recommend -- nay, insist -- that they follow it with The Vast Fields of Ordinary, where a similar story is told, with less force and more intuition, less shock and more emotion.
July 26, 2011
"Crossing Lines" by Paul Volponi is about accepting people for who they are and taking a stand against your friends if they are hurting someone. Alan, president of the fashion club, wore lipstick and dresses to school. No wonder the other boys teased him! The girls, however, helped dress him up and gave him perfume. Adonis found himself embarrassed that his sister hung around with Alan and even had him come over to his house. Adonis was on the football team and his teammates were his friends. Adonis struggled with who he really was. Should he go along with his friends who teased Alan even though it was wrong or accept Alan for who is is and impress the girl he liked who was in the fashion club with his sister and Alan?
Live and let live is pretty much the message in this book. This is a thought-provoking teen book. I did not like Alan. I liked Adonis and thought he handled things fairly well. I recommend this for teens.
Live and let live is pretty much the message in this book. This is a thought-provoking teen book. I did not like Alan. I liked Adonis and thought he handled things fairly well. I recommend this for teens.
May 18, 2018
Are you an athlete. If so, “Crossing Lines” is the perfect book for you? This book has all from jocks to gay’s. This book is for kids in junior high/ in high school. That is so because people can read this book and learn how to deal with everyone they deal with. Also, for that group because it has some language. There are some parts of the book I don’t agree with. With all decisions, comes discipline.
The author of my amazing book is Paul Volponi. He is an award winning author who lives in Queens, New York. His biggest genre that he writes is Realistic Fiction. His biggest topic is something to do with sports. Other books he has wrote is The Final Four, Ricker’s High, Game Seven, and my book, Crossing Lines. I have not read other books from, but I plan on reading more. If I would have to pick a favorite book from Paul, I would have to choose Final Four. I would say that because it’s basketball and basketball is a cool sport.
If you enjoy book’s that involve sports, then this the book for you to read. When we were doing a reading log, I chose this book because the cover caught my eye. It caught my eye because it had a football field on the front. So I got it and read it thinking that it would be about football, and I was right. This football team doesn’t really like new people at their school. The binding, page cut, or typescript contribute doesn’t take away from the work.
Once I started reading this book, the main character was a big jerk. He bullied this kid for being himself, (gay). Even his friends from the team join him and bully him with their friends. They all call him gay boy and a girl from the back. I don’t agree with that. That’s just not right. It doesn’t matter what's wrong with them, don’t bully them for being the way they are. They can’t be born and control the way they come out. If that was, we would all be perfect. If we all were perfect, then everyone would be saved and all of us would go to heaven. Then all of us would now Jesus Christ.
I think the point of this book is just be yourself. It doesn’t matter who you are, just act/be yourself. It doesn’t matter if your a different color, or in this case, gay. Just be yourself. If people bully you for just being you, they aren’t being herself. That or they have something wrong with them. It doesn't matter if you are in drama club or the sports club. That doesn’t give you full permission to bully someone else.
In conclusion, I will totally read more books from Paul Volponi. The only book I have read from him is Crossing Lines, but he has wrote much more. Towards the middle, Adonis (the main character) has to make the biggest decision of his life. You have to read the book to figure out how it ends.
The author of my amazing book is Paul Volponi. He is an award winning author who lives in Queens, New York. His biggest genre that he writes is Realistic Fiction. His biggest topic is something to do with sports. Other books he has wrote is The Final Four, Ricker’s High, Game Seven, and my book, Crossing Lines. I have not read other books from, but I plan on reading more. If I would have to pick a favorite book from Paul, I would have to choose Final Four. I would say that because it’s basketball and basketball is a cool sport.
If you enjoy book’s that involve sports, then this the book for you to read. When we were doing a reading log, I chose this book because the cover caught my eye. It caught my eye because it had a football field on the front. So I got it and read it thinking that it would be about football, and I was right. This football team doesn’t really like new people at their school. The binding, page cut, or typescript contribute doesn’t take away from the work.
Once I started reading this book, the main character was a big jerk. He bullied this kid for being himself, (gay). Even his friends from the team join him and bully him with their friends. They all call him gay boy and a girl from the back. I don’t agree with that. That’s just not right. It doesn’t matter what's wrong with them, don’t bully them for being the way they are. They can’t be born and control the way they come out. If that was, we would all be perfect. If we all were perfect, then everyone would be saved and all of us would go to heaven. Then all of us would now Jesus Christ.
I think the point of this book is just be yourself. It doesn’t matter who you are, just act/be yourself. It doesn’t matter if your a different color, or in this case, gay. Just be yourself. If people bully you for just being you, they aren’t being herself. That or they have something wrong with them. It doesn't matter if you are in drama club or the sports club. That doesn’t give you full permission to bully someone else.
In conclusion, I will totally read more books from Paul Volponi. The only book I have read from him is Crossing Lines, but he has wrote much more. Towards the middle, Adonis (the main character) has to make the biggest decision of his life. You have to read the book to figure out how it ends.
July 23, 2025
I read this book in either high school or late middle school. Reread it today, as I'm revisiting the handful of LGBT+ books I able to read during this time period.
Trigger warning for homophobia and transphobia.
With that being said, I do want to stress this book was written for a cis and/or straight audience. I don't mean that as a criticism, but as an explanation of the book's purpose to educate.
Thus, many of the side characters are two dimensional as they're supposed to represent archetypes or attitudes. So allies, bullies, progressive humanities teacher, hyper masculine fathers.
Crossing Lines is a coming of age story but it's not Alana's, though we do get some insights into her. It's Adonis who has to grow and change.
One of things I liked about the novel is a good job exploring the external factors influencing Adonis - his father, military recruiters, the toxic culture of his team. He also used to be bullied by people he's now friends with, and does not want to repeat that experience.
The writing style didn't appeal to me, but I did like the inclusion of the Whitman poems. Some of the dialogue is pretty stilted.
one very frustrating aspects in terms of representation:
Trigger warning for homophobia and transphobia.
With that being said, I do want to stress this book was written for a cis and/or straight audience. I don't mean that as a criticism, but as an explanation of the book's purpose to educate.
Thus, many of the side characters are two dimensional as they're supposed to represent archetypes or attitudes. So allies, bullies, progressive humanities teacher, hyper masculine fathers.
Crossing Lines is a coming of age story but it's not Alana's, though we do get some insights into her. It's Adonis who has to grow and change.
One of things I liked about the novel is a good job exploring the external factors influencing Adonis - his father, military recruiters, the toxic culture of his team. He also used to be bullied by people he's now friends with, and does not want to repeat that experience.
The writing style didn't appeal to me, but I did like the inclusion of the Whitman poems. Some of the dialogue is pretty stilted.
one very frustrating aspects in terms of representation:
July 16, 2017
Wow, this book was short! I just sat down to read it an hour ago and now I'm done. Where did the time go?
So sports books aren't really my thing. Fortunately, this wasn't one. I love the internal conflict within Adonis, about what he should do vs. what everyone else expects him to do. It's not an easy decision for him and while I kept thinking about what I would do, I knew Adonis had a choice he had to make for himself. Alan, or rather Alana (as she is known by the end of the book), reminds me of an old friend of mine. The old friend of mine who experienced some of the things Alana did. We were both young but I didn't really know much of what was happening but I still remember the taunts of bullies and the hurtful things they said.
I thought this book was great. I liked the perspective it was told from because it's from a character outside looking in. Adonis isn't directly involved. He's like the audience, one of the people passing judgement. Initially, I had thought the book would split perspectives and I was really interested in that but it wasn't disappointing to have the story told through Adonis's point of view. I do feel, though, that it would have been much more enriched if Alana's perspective was addressed.
So sports books aren't really my thing. Fortunately, this wasn't one. I love the internal conflict within Adonis, about what he should do vs. what everyone else expects him to do. It's not an easy decision for him and while I kept thinking about what I would do, I knew Adonis had a choice he had to make for himself. Alan, or rather Alana (as she is known by the end of the book), reminds me of an old friend of mine. The old friend of mine who experienced some of the things Alana did. We were both young but I didn't really know much of what was happening but I still remember the taunts of bullies and the hurtful things they said.
I thought this book was great. I liked the perspective it was told from because it's from a character outside looking in. Adonis isn't directly involved. He's like the audience, one of the people passing judgement. Initially, I had thought the book would split perspectives and I was really interested in that but it wasn't disappointing to have the story told through Adonis's point of view. I do feel, though, that it would have been much more enriched if Alana's perspective was addressed.
September 15, 2017
Crossing Lines is a great book for any high school student to read. In this novel it teaches young students about bullying and about what is right and wrong. In the book it shows a situation about a student who gets bullied everyday for being who he wants to be. Students try to get him kicked out of the school. And one day he gets ganged up and you won’t believe who helps save him during this time. In 2017 with people still trying to deal with same sex marriage and those right dealing with that situation it will be a great story to read and learn about.
Crossing Lines will teach students about discipline and what to do in these types of situations. With high school students getting bullied in high school it is a great book to read, it can help students get through hard times and it might even put a smile on their face. Adonis and his sister fight a lot about little things they can’t agree on. The main character gets one of the hottest girls in the school and she doesn't know his darkside. She thinks he is a sweet boy but he is really a jock that helps bully the other student.
Crossing Lines will teach students about discipline and what to do in these types of situations. With high school students getting bullied in high school it is a great book to read, it can help students get through hard times and it might even put a smile on their face. Adonis and his sister fight a lot about little things they can’t agree on. The main character gets one of the hottest girls in the school and she doesn't know his darkside. She thinks he is a sweet boy but he is really a jock that helps bully the other student.
September 19, 2018
It was interesting to read a book about bullying from the perspective of the kid on the fence. Adonis knows deep down that what his football team friends are doing to Alan is wrong, but he is torn between his loyalty to the team, his own discomfort at Alan's newly revealed transgender reality, and what he knows is right when it comes to respecting others. (This book contains a lot of uncomfortable language.)
January 3, 2020
More like 3.5?
Really on the nose with conflicts and inner thoughts, but overall pretty good depiction of high school. The bullying didn’t feel wildly out there which Can sometimes happen in high school books, and I liked the minor characters like Melody and Jeanne.
The ending felt very abrupt however, and I would’ve liked more than that. The actual big plan took up a very small percentage of the book despite being sold as the main conflict.
Really on the nose with conflicts and inner thoughts, but overall pretty good depiction of high school. The bullying didn’t feel wildly out there which Can sometimes happen in high school books, and I liked the minor characters like Melody and Jeanne.
The ending felt very abrupt however, and I would’ve liked more than that. The actual big plan took up a very small percentage of the book despite being sold as the main conflict.
May 3, 2019
This book shows how hard it can be to balance life in high school. Would you rather be kind to everyone and have your girlfriend like you for who you are or would you rather be the cool kid and make the football team laugh by joking the unfortunate kid? These are just some of the issues faced in this novel.
November 5, 2011
24 November 2010 CROSSING LINES by Paul Volponi, Viking, June 2011, 256p., ISBN: 978-0-670-01214-5
"He mentioned the steamboats, soldiers, and soap, and called the baseball team the 'Red Stockings-slash-Reds.
'"Then Alan said, 'Cincinnati is also called the Queen City.
'"I almost fell out of my seat when he said it.
"Toby and a couple of other guys laughed out loud, and I swore I heard Marshall say 'ho-mo' inside of clearing his throat.
"'Quiet! Quiet down! shouted D'Antoni, nearly losing his hippie temper.
"'May I continue?' Alan asked. D'Antoni nodded to him. 'It was called the Queen City because it had so much growth and prosperity. People were proud of it.
'"When Alan took a long pause, I thought he was finished. But he stood up, turned to look at Marshall, and said, 'Now if you only had some growth, I mean more than just the hair on your upper lip, somebody might complement you sometime.
'"Marshall shot to his feet. He almost had to. He couldn't let a fag like Alan disrespect him that way in public.
"'You got something to say to me?' he challenged Alan with maybe ten feet separating them.
"Me and Toby jumped up out of our chairs and got in front of Marshall.
"'He's not worth it,' Toby whispered to him. 'Don't get kicked off the team over that mistake of nature.'"
Another day, another great read about unenlightened adolescents who just cannot deal with being in the same schoolyard as someone who is different. You just know from the get-go that things will sooner or later be coming to a head.
Paul Volponi has established himself as an author of straight-ahead, contemporary teen novels that are so easy to get caught up in. CROSSINGLINES is one more reason why I am a guy who really likes this guy.
In CROSSINGLINES, the main character -- high school senior and offensive lineman, Adonis -- has a mother, a younger sister, and a girlfriend who all are enlightened and accepting of those who walk to the beat of a different drummer, and a father who walks the fine line between tolerance and ignorance. And so it will be up to Adonis to decide for himself how to act in the face of his football team leader's planned attack on Alan, who begins getting called "Alana" when he comes to school wearing lipstick and, then, begins wearing dresses.
"I wonder whyI feel like lettingMy freak flag fly"-- David Crosby, "Almost Cut My Hair"
I still remember so well, four decades ago, wondering why my growing my hair long would cause some to become offended and offensive. I'd think, how does my hair have anything to do with them? Of course, it was a blessing for me: being a recipient of such ignorance causes one to subsequently recognize similarly ridiculous attacks on others for what they are. They'll pick on someone because they are Black or Hispanic. Pick on someone because they have braces. Pick on someone because they are Islamic. Pick on someone for just about anything.
Now it's up to Adonis to learn what I did.
"'I'm just a blocker, for whoever's carrying the pigskin. That's what I do best. I know it's not glamorous or anything. It's more like grunt work. But it's really important. Without good blocking, the ball carrier would get creamed on every play...
'"I figure if I was meant to be a hero, I would be,' I said. 'I have this dream, though, that Ethan or one of the other guys fumbles. I pick up the ball and dodge tackler after tackler, running it in for a touchdown.'"
Blink twice, and we'll be up to the tenth anniversary of 9/11. What I found myself realizing back then, in 2001, was that I cannot begin to explain geopolitics to adolescents. I can barely fathom it all myself. But what I can hope for is that if teens can learn to accept differences at school, then they might eventually realize that the world is like one big schoolyard: a place where you can choose to be a follower of ignorant asses or a place to choose to stand up and make a difference.
It is up to Adonis -- and readers -- to be making such decisions.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"He mentioned the steamboats, soldiers, and soap, and called the baseball team the 'Red Stockings-slash-Reds.
'"Then Alan said, 'Cincinnati is also called the Queen City.
'"I almost fell out of my seat when he said it.
"Toby and a couple of other guys laughed out loud, and I swore I heard Marshall say 'ho-mo' inside of clearing his throat.
"'Quiet! Quiet down! shouted D'Antoni, nearly losing his hippie temper.
"'May I continue?' Alan asked. D'Antoni nodded to him. 'It was called the Queen City because it had so much growth and prosperity. People were proud of it.
'"When Alan took a long pause, I thought he was finished. But he stood up, turned to look at Marshall, and said, 'Now if you only had some growth, I mean more than just the hair on your upper lip, somebody might complement you sometime.
'"Marshall shot to his feet. He almost had to. He couldn't let a fag like Alan disrespect him that way in public.
"'You got something to say to me?' he challenged Alan with maybe ten feet separating them.
"Me and Toby jumped up out of our chairs and got in front of Marshall.
"'He's not worth it,' Toby whispered to him. 'Don't get kicked off the team over that mistake of nature.'"
Another day, another great read about unenlightened adolescents who just cannot deal with being in the same schoolyard as someone who is different. You just know from the get-go that things will sooner or later be coming to a head.
Paul Volponi has established himself as an author of straight-ahead, contemporary teen novels that are so easy to get caught up in. CROSSINGLINES is one more reason why I am a guy who really likes this guy.
In CROSSINGLINES, the main character -- high school senior and offensive lineman, Adonis -- has a mother, a younger sister, and a girlfriend who all are enlightened and accepting of those who walk to the beat of a different drummer, and a father who walks the fine line between tolerance and ignorance. And so it will be up to Adonis to decide for himself how to act in the face of his football team leader's planned attack on Alan, who begins getting called "Alana" when he comes to school wearing lipstick and, then, begins wearing dresses.
"I wonder whyI feel like lettingMy freak flag fly"-- David Crosby, "Almost Cut My Hair"
I still remember so well, four decades ago, wondering why my growing my hair long would cause some to become offended and offensive. I'd think, how does my hair have anything to do with them? Of course, it was a blessing for me: being a recipient of such ignorance causes one to subsequently recognize similarly ridiculous attacks on others for what they are. They'll pick on someone because they are Black or Hispanic. Pick on someone because they have braces. Pick on someone because they are Islamic. Pick on someone for just about anything.
Now it's up to Adonis to learn what I did.
"'I'm just a blocker, for whoever's carrying the pigskin. That's what I do best. I know it's not glamorous or anything. It's more like grunt work. But it's really important. Without good blocking, the ball carrier would get creamed on every play...
'"I figure if I was meant to be a hero, I would be,' I said. 'I have this dream, though, that Ethan or one of the other guys fumbles. I pick up the ball and dodge tackler after tackler, running it in for a touchdown.'"
Blink twice, and we'll be up to the tenth anniversary of 9/11. What I found myself realizing back then, in 2001, was that I cannot begin to explain geopolitics to adolescents. I can barely fathom it all myself. But what I can hope for is that if teens can learn to accept differences at school, then they might eventually realize that the world is like one big schoolyard: a place where you can choose to be a follower of ignorant asses or a place to choose to stand up and make a difference.
It is up to Adonis -- and readers -- to be making such decisions.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
December 31, 2015
This was certainly an interesting read – about a reluctant bully when faced with a gay/crossdresser classmate and was peer pressured into bullying him from his football “friends”. I’m putting the word “friends” in quotation marks because, honestly, they were far from friends. I found them vile, disgusting and very low-class. Okay, I understand that some guys are homophobes but I think this was going too far. Then again I never faced this type of problem during my high school years and by the time I met my first gay friends, I was in college and it was widely accepted. Maybe not accepted but at least tolerated and definitely not bullied.
I have mixed feelings about Adonis, the main character. Part of me is turned off by his inability to decide things. He treated his friends one way, his family another, the girl he likes another, and everyone else another. It was as if no one really knew the way he really thought about the situation except from the monologue going on in his brain. That was the part I really disliked but the part I did like was the part he kept hidden from everyone. While he was turned off by the fact that Alan or “Alana” was wearing red lipstick or dressing like a girl, he got over it easily. He obviously didn’t feel comfortable about the situation but he didn’t find it necessary like his football friends to needlessly taunt him about it nor physically attack him for it. So I was glad when that was the part that won when it really counted.
The other main character, Alan or Alana, was another person I had mixed feelings for. One part of me thought he was extremely brave for acting the way he did with his crossdressing and being very open about it. Another part of me found him incredibly foolish. I mean, people were already treating him terribly because they thought he was gay and then he wanted to wear red lipstick on top of that? And then when they treated him terribly, he thought it was a good idea to cross dress as well? I mean, yes I applaud his bravery but is it really bravery or stupidity? And honestly, a part of me believes he was asking for it. But regardless, I’m not familiar with any gay crossdresser so who knows what they go through to be accepted but I do know that from my experience, coming out of the closet during college is probably a much better idea. High school boys are so stupid sometimes.
I really enjoyed the writing style – I felt that it flowed really well. The one thing I didn’t like was the vagueness of what the football players were going to do to Alan/Alana. I feel like it was brushed upon but not really described so when it actually happened, I was kind of like “ohhh, so this was what they were planning. Okay now.”
Anyways, despite everything, I found the book to be short and informative about the mind of a reluctant bully and the problems that gay/crossdressers go through to be themselves. Definitely an enlightening read but I am glad it was short.
I have mixed feelings about Adonis, the main character. Part of me is turned off by his inability to decide things. He treated his friends one way, his family another, the girl he likes another, and everyone else another. It was as if no one really knew the way he really thought about the situation except from the monologue going on in his brain. That was the part I really disliked but the part I did like was the part he kept hidden from everyone. While he was turned off by the fact that Alan or “Alana” was wearing red lipstick or dressing like a girl, he got over it easily. He obviously didn’t feel comfortable about the situation but he didn’t find it necessary like his football friends to needlessly taunt him about it nor physically attack him for it. So I was glad when that was the part that won when it really counted.
The other main character, Alan or Alana, was another person I had mixed feelings for. One part of me thought he was extremely brave for acting the way he did with his crossdressing and being very open about it. Another part of me found him incredibly foolish. I mean, people were already treating him terribly because they thought he was gay and then he wanted to wear red lipstick on top of that? And then when they treated him terribly, he thought it was a good idea to cross dress as well? I mean, yes I applaud his bravery but is it really bravery or stupidity? And honestly, a part of me believes he was asking for it. But regardless, I’m not familiar with any gay crossdresser so who knows what they go through to be accepted but I do know that from my experience, coming out of the closet during college is probably a much better idea. High school boys are so stupid sometimes.
I really enjoyed the writing style – I felt that it flowed really well. The one thing I didn’t like was the vagueness of what the football players were going to do to Alan/Alana. I feel like it was brushed upon but not really described so when it actually happened, I was kind of like “ohhh, so this was what they were planning. Okay now.”
Anyways, despite everything, I found the book to be short and informative about the mind of a reluctant bully and the problems that gay/crossdressers go through to be themselves. Definitely an enlightening read but I am glad it was short.
October 16, 2015
I decided to finally order this book from the library since it had been on my to-read shelf for an incredibly long time, and was one of the first added books to it. I wanted to finally check it off. If it wasn't so short, I probably would not have finished it.
Firstly, the sypnosis makes it sound as if this is a story entirely about a transgender girl potentially having a friendship with a football player, the narrator, Adonis. It says that she wants to be called Alana instead of Alan. However, "Alana" doesn't come into the book until other football players are mocking her with that name, then she decides to use it. This doesn't happen until at least halfway through the book. Even despite that, for the vast majority of the entire book, everyone keeps calling her Alan and "he" anyway, whether they're supportive of her or not.
I understand that this is a book about a character overcoming his prejudice and judgement, which is good to see, but this book wasn't good about it. I didn't feel like there was any character development with Adonis, and I found him incredibly annoying and self centered, as if anything and everything that happens around him will affect HIM, how bad HE has it. He's all worried about what other kids will think of him just for doing a class project with Alan/a. Grow up!
This book also didn't do or say much about the transgender experience. This I can also understand to a point, since the main character isn't transgender, but it bothered me that literally all that Alan/a's character and identity were based on her clothing and makeup choices. There was nothing else about her, just the fact that she dresses feminine. Any other experiences she likely has or feels aren't mentioned. The majority of the book, it's the boys in school calling her gay slurs, and the girls in school that support her are still referring to her as male, even when it's stated by a character that she "was supposed to be born in a female body".
While books about acceptance are important, this book didn't do a very good job of it at all. I appreciate that the author was trying to help make an overall positive statement with this, but more thought and research about the subject would have been helpful. In the end, in many people's eyes, Alan/a is still portrayed as having a feminine phase. She doesn't seem validated. I don't feel like Crossing Lines showed the subject of being transgender in a positive light.
June 1, 2011
Adonis plays on his high school football team and all of his best friends are football jocks. He has just started dating Melody, one of the hottest girls at school. Alan is the new person at school. He is the only boy in the Fashion Club and a kid who refuses to conform. Alan is openly mocked and ridiculed by Adonis’ friends. Things take a turn for the worse when Alan begins openly wearing lipstick and dresses at school. He even embraces the name the jocks have been calling him, Alana. Adonis finds himself pressured by Melody and his younger sister to befriend Alan while all of his friends at school assume that Adonis detests Alan just as much as they do. Adonis is trapped in the middle, never telling anyone exactly how he feels and where he stands. But then a plan to bully Alan goes wrong and Adonis is forced to choose sides.
I have mixed feelings about this novel. Part of me wishes that the subject matter had been handled more subtly. At the same time, I understand the value in a very accessible book that teens who may feel mixed feelings about GLBTQ issues can relate to. Volponi writes in a very concrete way here. His prose is tight and very reality based.
Adonis is a character who will also be easily understood. His own homophobic-at-worst and mixed-at-best attitudes are clear. Readers will see themselves in him because we all hesitate at times to speak up, go against our peers, and side with the loner or different. And here is where I wish that the book had been written with more internal dialogue and less concrete depictions. Adonis does not ever reflect on why he is homophobic, why he reacts to Alan in the way he does, why he doesn’t leap to defend. Instead the book stays above those questions, which does not add to its depth.
This lack of self-exploration also hurts the character development of the secondary characters in particular. Alan is a very interesting character who offers glimpses of his strength but never really comes alive for the reader. Unfortunately, he never becomes more than a stereotype.
Volponi has again written a book that teens will relate to easily. It is a book that asks for discussion, one that will have teens questioning what their reaction would have been in the same situation. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
I have mixed feelings about this novel. Part of me wishes that the subject matter had been handled more subtly. At the same time, I understand the value in a very accessible book that teens who may feel mixed feelings about GLBTQ issues can relate to. Volponi writes in a very concrete way here. His prose is tight and very reality based.
Adonis is a character who will also be easily understood. His own homophobic-at-worst and mixed-at-best attitudes are clear. Readers will see themselves in him because we all hesitate at times to speak up, go against our peers, and side with the loner or different. And here is where I wish that the book had been written with more internal dialogue and less concrete depictions. Adonis does not ever reflect on why he is homophobic, why he reacts to Alan in the way he does, why he doesn’t leap to defend. Instead the book stays above those questions, which does not add to its depth.
This lack of self-exploration also hurts the character development of the secondary characters in particular. Alan is a very interesting character who offers glimpses of his strength but never really comes alive for the reader. Unfortunately, he never becomes more than a stereotype.
Volponi has again written a book that teens will relate to easily. It is a book that asks for discussion, one that will have teens questioning what their reaction would have been in the same situation. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
January 12, 2012
Crossing Lines
By: Paul Volponi
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Date Published: 2011
Crossing Lines is basically about this boy named Alan (later Alana) who transfers to Central High and the troubles he goes through. Alan gets made fun of a lot, especially by the football team because he looks and sort of acts like a girl, and he joins the fashion club which is all composed of girls (other than him). One kid on the team, Adonis, feels that what they are doing and saying to Alan is wrong although he goes along with it. When the kids on the football team come up with a way to horrifically embarrass Alan, Adonis has to decide whether he should go against his teammates, or jump on the bandwagon.
I believe the theme of this story is to always do the right thing, no matter what people will think of you. This is because, in the end, Adonis decided to stop the kids from the football team and if he hadn’t, he would have gone to prison with the rest of them. Also, after the incident, he went to the hospital and apologized to Alan because he knew he could have acted faster although his reputation would get hurt. Finally, he had always thought what the boys were saying to Alan was wrong although he knew if he said anything to his teammates; they wouldn’t like him so much anymore.
Crossing Lines was such a great book, I would recommend it to almost anyone. Especially kids who like sports and anyone who would want to see how bullying plays out. Although, if I were to compare it to a movie, I would rate it PG-13 for vulgar language so I would recommend it to anyone over thirteen years of age.
“I made sure to sit on the other side of the room from him in English. And in gym, I was safe because I changed my clothes in the section of lockers reserved for varsity athletes, where I’d been changing for two years already, and where Alan was nowhere in sight.”
-Crossing Lines page 7 (Adonis narrating)
This was really a great book. The author did a really good job depicting how and why bullying plays out especially since this a fiction book. It has really affected me and I will try much harder to not do anything that the football team as well as other kids did throughout the plot. Finally, since this was such a good book, anyone who wants to read a book for leisure or for a report will hear something from me.
By: Paul Volponi
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Date Published: 2011
Crossing Lines is basically about this boy named Alan (later Alana) who transfers to Central High and the troubles he goes through. Alan gets made fun of a lot, especially by the football team because he looks and sort of acts like a girl, and he joins the fashion club which is all composed of girls (other than him). One kid on the team, Adonis, feels that what they are doing and saying to Alan is wrong although he goes along with it. When the kids on the football team come up with a way to horrifically embarrass Alan, Adonis has to decide whether he should go against his teammates, or jump on the bandwagon.
I believe the theme of this story is to always do the right thing, no matter what people will think of you. This is because, in the end, Adonis decided to stop the kids from the football team and if he hadn’t, he would have gone to prison with the rest of them. Also, after the incident, he went to the hospital and apologized to Alan because he knew he could have acted faster although his reputation would get hurt. Finally, he had always thought what the boys were saying to Alan was wrong although he knew if he said anything to his teammates; they wouldn’t like him so much anymore.
Crossing Lines was such a great book, I would recommend it to almost anyone. Especially kids who like sports and anyone who would want to see how bullying plays out. Although, if I were to compare it to a movie, I would rate it PG-13 for vulgar language so I would recommend it to anyone over thirteen years of age.
“I made sure to sit on the other side of the room from him in English. And in gym, I was safe because I changed my clothes in the section of lockers reserved for varsity athletes, where I’d been changing for two years already, and where Alan was nowhere in sight.”
-Crossing Lines page 7 (Adonis narrating)
This was really a great book. The author did a really good job depicting how and why bullying plays out especially since this a fiction book. It has really affected me and I will try much harder to not do anything that the football team as well as other kids did throughout the plot. Finally, since this was such a good book, anyone who wants to read a book for leisure or for a report will hear something from me.
February 22, 2017
Too one-note for me, but my son picked and out and said it was "mature" and that he liked it.
Definitely would lend itself to analysis with the youth lens. Lots of stereotypes about adolescents and sexuality.
Definitely would lend itself to analysis with the youth lens. Lots of stereotypes about adolescents and sexuality.
June 9, 2011
Realistic portrayal of GLBTQ bullying
In Paul Volponi’s CROSSING LINES, Adonis is a normal teenage guy: one who plays on the football team, wants to date the hot girl, and just wants to fit in. When new student Alan enrolls at his school and becomes the butt of everyone’s homophobic jokes, Adonis has to decide where he stands. Does he side with his sister and his potential girlfriend, both of whom support Alan’s lipstick-wearing ways? Or does he does go along with the team and humiliate Alan at every opportunity, even when it becomes a threat to Alan’s safety?
CROSSING LINES excels most in its realistic portrayal of bullying, prejudice, and what it means for someone to go with the crowd or against it. Readers are given an honest depiction of the slurs and threats thrown at GLBTQ students through Adonis’ first-person perspective, and Adonis’ internal dialogue and insecurities about himself also felt authentic. As a character, Adonis shows believable growth as he changes throughout the book. Family also plays an important role in the novel, and the competing viewpoints of Adonis’ parents provide another realistic representation of how people are or are not supportive of those who are different.
Even though the book excelled in its honest depiction of bullying and intolerance, the novel itself didn’t have the emotional impact I had hoped. The climax occurred too quickly and too near the end, and the closing scene felt trite and a bit hollow. The almost singular focus of the storyline was also very limited. While this may make the book useful as a teaching tool, it felt basic for a novel. Finally, while the writing worked style worked well as internal dialogue for Adonis, it didn’t stand out.
Due to the book’s candid approach and easy plot, CROSSING LINES will be a great read for students struggling with acceptance of GLBTQ students, especially boys who should be able to identify with Adonis and the challenges he faces. However, for GLBTQ students looking for a story that resonates with them, I would recommend books by David Levithan or Nick Burd’s THE VAST FIELDS OF ORDINARY instead.
Note: This review refers to an advance reader's copy.
In Paul Volponi’s CROSSING LINES, Adonis is a normal teenage guy: one who plays on the football team, wants to date the hot girl, and just wants to fit in. When new student Alan enrolls at his school and becomes the butt of everyone’s homophobic jokes, Adonis has to decide where he stands. Does he side with his sister and his potential girlfriend, both of whom support Alan’s lipstick-wearing ways? Or does he does go along with the team and humiliate Alan at every opportunity, even when it becomes a threat to Alan’s safety?
CROSSING LINES excels most in its realistic portrayal of bullying, prejudice, and what it means for someone to go with the crowd or against it. Readers are given an honest depiction of the slurs and threats thrown at GLBTQ students through Adonis’ first-person perspective, and Adonis’ internal dialogue and insecurities about himself also felt authentic. As a character, Adonis shows believable growth as he changes throughout the book. Family also plays an important role in the novel, and the competing viewpoints of Adonis’ parents provide another realistic representation of how people are or are not supportive of those who are different.
Even though the book excelled in its honest depiction of bullying and intolerance, the novel itself didn’t have the emotional impact I had hoped. The climax occurred too quickly and too near the end, and the closing scene felt trite and a bit hollow. The almost singular focus of the storyline was also very limited. While this may make the book useful as a teaching tool, it felt basic for a novel. Finally, while the writing worked style worked well as internal dialogue for Adonis, it didn’t stand out.
Due to the book’s candid approach and easy plot, CROSSING LINES will be a great read for students struggling with acceptance of GLBTQ students, especially boys who should be able to identify with Adonis and the challenges he faces. However, for GLBTQ students looking for a story that resonates with them, I would recommend books by David Levithan or Nick Burd’s THE VAST FIELDS OF ORDINARY instead.
Note: This review refers to an advance reader's copy.
October 3, 2011
How do you respond when a clearly different student transfers to your school and makes friends with your sister...when your own friends are prone to bully a ridicule the new kid? That is the question faced by high school football player Adonis when he meets Alan, a cross-dresser who becomes not only president of the fashion club but the target of unrelenting scorn from Adonis' teammates and father.
Overall I found the book to be quite enjoyable, with a message that aches to be explored and expressed. Part of the way through I was starting to wonder how the absolutely necessary character development would be worked in, given Volponi's rather spare, almost Hemingway-esque treatment of character and plot, but as Adonis started to "come around" and move away from his friends' plan to attack Alan (really there's no better word), I gained more and more respect for Adonis and his fortitude, despite his later self-criticism of believing he should have done more sooner.
Alan, I think, could have been portrayed a little more vividly. Perhaps it was Volponi's desire to present him in somewhat muted tones so as not to have him appear stereotypically flamboyant, but given his morph into dress-wearing Alana, I feel the story could have absorbed a bit more flash in his personality. He was delightfully dry and sardonic when such was called for; more needed to be done to make him truly notable. Some of Adonis' friends were a little too close to the familiar jock types from Central Casting, but considering the author's focus on Adonis' mind and heart I can forgive a little cardboard. Adonis' own self-image issues were a nice subplot, and the muffed play at the end of the football game was totally appropriate.
Clearly this book was a step outside the comfort zone for the author, and one that is more than adequate to the task. After years of writing dialogue for Harlem toughs, creating an authentic gay character was a challenge, and he got a lot of things right. While the kickoff was not run back for a touchdown, it got well past mid-field!
Overall I found the book to be quite enjoyable, with a message that aches to be explored and expressed. Part of the way through I was starting to wonder how the absolutely necessary character development would be worked in, given Volponi's rather spare, almost Hemingway-esque treatment of character and plot, but as Adonis started to "come around" and move away from his friends' plan to attack Alan (really there's no better word), I gained more and more respect for Adonis and his fortitude, despite his later self-criticism of believing he should have done more sooner.
Alan, I think, could have been portrayed a little more vividly. Perhaps it was Volponi's desire to present him in somewhat muted tones so as not to have him appear stereotypically flamboyant, but given his morph into dress-wearing Alana, I feel the story could have absorbed a bit more flash in his personality. He was delightfully dry and sardonic when such was called for; more needed to be done to make him truly notable. Some of Adonis' friends were a little too close to the familiar jock types from Central Casting, but considering the author's focus on Adonis' mind and heart I can forgive a little cardboard. Adonis' own self-image issues were a nice subplot, and the muffed play at the end of the football game was totally appropriate.
Clearly this book was a step outside the comfort zone for the author, and one that is more than adequate to the task. After years of writing dialogue for Harlem toughs, creating an authentic gay character was a challenge, and he got a lot of things right. While the kickoff was not run back for a touchdown, it got well past mid-field!
November 11, 2010
What I really liked about Paul Volponi's novel, Crossing Lines, is the way he uses each character to further the confusion of the main character, Adonis. He's a guy's guy with a conscience and doesn't really say how he feels all the time. But Adonis has depth of character and he agonizes about his relationship with Melody, his body image, and his "rep" on the football team. Adonis has a strong family with an attentive firefighter dad, a mother who is a caring mother and teacher, gently admonishing Adonis to do the right thing. It is Adonis' sister, Jeannie (with lots of attitude), who becomes on of Alan's friends and Adonis' curse. Jeannie throws herself into the Fashion Club as VP and advocate of Alan's fashion choices. With the start of senior year, Adonis just wants to stay out of Alan's way, but that won't happen because Alan is his partner in a class project, at his house running Fashion Club meetings, and in the school halls or gymnasium causing chaos with his lipstick and dresses. It is Adonis' football teammates, his father, and Alan's father, a decorated officer in the Army recruiting office, who continue to drive home that Alan's choices are not welcome. Adonis agrees with everyone when he is with them, but he does silently hate the harshness of Alan's father toward his son; the constant, outright slander and bullying that Alan endures daily from the football team, and how he has to worry about keeping Melody and his buddies from finding out his true, conflicting thoughts. The tension Volponi creates for Adonis is palpable and increases as the guys on the team become more convinced that Alan needs to be dealt with once and for all. Teens and reluctant readers will be rooting for Adonis and Alan as events conspire to make Adonis realize he can't just stand on the sidelines; he needs to cross the lines of life and accept differences "in order to celebrate" himself.
August 2, 2012
High-school football player is forced to interact with effeminate new student in this after-school special disguised as a YA book. Oh my goodness is this book preachy. Do I agree with the lessons Mr. Volponi wants to convey about tolerance and individuality? YES. Do I wish the book had toned down said lessons in favor of telling what could have been a truly moving story? YES, YES, YES. Mr. Volponi creates an amazing voice for his narrator, Adonis, an offensive lineman who is a guy’s guy. It’s a unique voice in YA, and it works – the voice alone makes me glad I read the book. Mr. Volponi also does some great stuff with his characters, especially Jeannie, Adonis’s sister, a militant believer in fairness and doing the right thing. In short, this book has all the ingredients (including the talent of the author) for a really phenomenal story about prejudice, stereotypes, and peer pressure. The problem is, Mr. Volponi almost always goes for the easy plot option, which means readers don’t get to go much beyond the surface of their protagonist’s struggle between right and wrong and establishing an identity within the confines of high school’s social pressure cooker. And that’s a shame, because the book, as is, makes Adonis’s journey an easy and obvious one, and I think young readers would benefit from a story that better confronted the complexities facing Adonis – because for all tolerance is an easy question from a distance, it’s amazing how very difficult it can seem up close. Despite those quirks, it is a good read and making the bully the narrator was an excellent decision by Mr. Volponi. Recommended.
January 15, 2011
This story deals with a high school football jock, named Adonis (and getting away with that name), faced with a new cross-dressing student, Alan and his homophobic teammates. Adonis is determined to keep his spot in the high school hierarchy and gain the beautiful girl. When Alan becomes friends with Adonis' sister--President and Vice-President of the school's fashion club--Adonis fears he will be tainted by association with the boy everyone thinks is gay. As the bullying of Alan, now nicknamed Alana by other members of Adonis' team, escalates, Adonis faces a line that could lead to disaster.
This is a story with a good message, but the treatment seemed forced. Too many 2-dimensional characters: Alan's career soldier father, Adonis' gruff but well meaning father, the cute girl who expects Adonis to do the right thing. Even Adonis himself is a stereotypical jock to whom image is everything, even if maintaining the image requires that he lie about bagging the girl. I liked how the members of the fashion club banded together with Alan, but even that seemed forced, as in girls are good, it's those boys that are the problem.
My real problem was the ending, the book just fell flat. This has a good message on being a reluctant bully and the cost that can have to both the bully and people around him, but the message is too in-your-face. I wanted more into how the events effected Adonis and family members, and even Alan. Instead the book just presents things and then stops cold.
This is a story with a good message, but the treatment seemed forced. Too many 2-dimensional characters: Alan's career soldier father, Adonis' gruff but well meaning father, the cute girl who expects Adonis to do the right thing. Even Adonis himself is a stereotypical jock to whom image is everything, even if maintaining the image requires that he lie about bagging the girl. I liked how the members of the fashion club banded together with Alan, but even that seemed forced, as in girls are good, it's those boys that are the problem.
My real problem was the ending, the book just fell flat. This has a good message on being a reluctant bully and the cost that can have to both the bully and people around him, but the message is too in-your-face. I wanted more into how the events effected Adonis and family members, and even Alan. Instead the book just presents things and then stops cold.
December 24, 2011
This was a pretty impressive book. There were characters I loved and characters I hated, and the conflict was strong for the entire book. Right up until the end I had no idea what would happen.
Adonis's father was a jerk for most of the book and I couldn't stand him or the other football players. I could see Adonis wavering between the team and his own feelings, and while I didn't like that he struggled, I could see it. It was realistic. I also felt the home turmoil was real, too. The "embarassment" at the end of the book I didn't think was too horrible, and to be honest I thought Ethan and crew would try to do worse. However, once Alana reacted I could see that there was real trouble. It was then that Adonis steps in and saves the day.
There is a lot to be learned from this book, and I'm glad Adonis ended up following his gut. I also appreciated that the author didn't make him out to be 100% the hero. Even Adonis knew that he could have done better and it shows readers that no ending is completely happy. It does, however, have the flavor of hope.
I would love to know more of what happens afterwards. A sequel would be interesting. How does Alana transition back to school? Does Adonis stay on the team or quit? Does Alana's father accept him? Does Ethan and crew return to school, and if they do, what happens with them? So many questions I wish were answered in a sequel.
Adonis's father was a jerk for most of the book and I couldn't stand him or the other football players. I could see Adonis wavering between the team and his own feelings, and while I didn't like that he struggled, I could see it. It was realistic. I also felt the home turmoil was real, too. The "embarassment" at the end of the book I didn't think was too horrible, and to be honest I thought Ethan and crew would try to do worse. However, once Alana reacted I could see that there was real trouble. It was then that Adonis steps in and saves the day.
There is a lot to be learned from this book, and I'm glad Adonis ended up following his gut. I also appreciated that the author didn't make him out to be 100% the hero. Even Adonis knew that he could have done better and it shows readers that no ending is completely happy. It does, however, have the flavor of hope.
I would love to know more of what happens afterwards. A sequel would be interesting. How does Alana transition back to school? Does Adonis stay on the team or quit? Does Alana's father accept him? Does Ethan and crew return to school, and if they do, what happens with them? So many questions I wish were answered in a sequel.
January 16, 2014
Crossing Lines has a very debatable topic that is discussed all around the world at the moment, gay rights. When I first started reading this book I had no idea that I was going to become so anxious about the main characters actions. The main character in the story is Adonis, he is on the football team and is a pretty popular guy. Then there's Alan he is in fashion club and is not afraid to express his true self. That was one of the messages that I really enjoyed from this story. Everyone always picks on Alan and have their own personal opinions about who he is. Alan is not Adonis' favorite person but when they get paired up for an English project together and Adonis finds out that he friends with the girl he likes he develops a two sided opinion about Alan. Around his guy friends Alan is someone who he makes fun of , but around his crush he tries to be nice. His actions really frustrated me because you know what Adonis is really thinking throughout the book, deep inside he doesn't want to be mean and bully Alan. Even though the story is about a topic not everyone supports I believe that every should be who they want to be and no one should tell you other wise. I recommend this book because it makes you realize that you should watch what you say about others, and not stand by when someone is being made fun of for whatever reason.
November 10, 2016
The name of the book is called Crossing Lines written by Paul Volponi. The cast is unfortunately just as lackluster overall as Adonis. Fitting too neatly into stereotypes, with a strong campy feeling, no single character really stood out. With pretty much all the girls seeming to back Alan with no questions asked, and the guys having an outward dislike for him, the lines, so to speak, seemed too obviously drawn. With a father who had an obvious dislike towards Alan as well, and who seemed to back his son in it, it is understandable why Adonis struggled like he did and yet, his mother sided easily with the sister, who did all she could for Alan. While Alan did have a great and clear cut inner strength, his overall role seemed to simply be the catalyst to changing Adonis in a way that overshadowed who he actually is. The plot itself, however, had an easy pace. Straightforward in execution, working towards the bullying event that really tests Adonis, but with a too easy and quick fall out afterwards, this one is a fast read that gets its points across. Though hitting too hard into stereotypical football jock, the battle of self versus team and trying to find your own way is the driving element of this story. My opinion of the book is that it’s a interesting book I really enjoy reading this book and i recommend for people.
June 29, 2012
In a very big departure from his usual works (Rikers High, Black and White, Rucker Park Setup), Volponi tackles GLBT literature with a transgendered teen boy named Alan. The main character though is Adonis, whose younger sister has befriended Alan, now the president of the school's fashion club. Adonis himself is a tough as nails football player who is encouraged by his semi-homophobic father although you understand his intentions are really to keep his family together and protect it but as Alan becomes Alana and shows up to school in a dress and with makeup on, it gets sticky for Alan with Adonis' buddies antagonizing him and Alan's own military father the biggest problem in accepting Alan.
Ultimately, Alan is beaten up, yet Adonis is credited with helping protect him though Adonis then admits to family and friends that he knew what was going to happen and didn't stop it before it started. This is classic Volponi, a character that must decide whether to do the right thing or slink off. Adonis chooses the former and happily, yet somewhat unrealistically, everyone seems to be happy-- Melody warms back up to Adonis, Adonis accepts "Alana", and justice was served.
Ultimately, Alan is beaten up, yet Adonis is credited with helping protect him though Adonis then admits to family and friends that he knew what was going to happen and didn't stop it before it started. This is classic Volponi, a character that must decide whether to do the right thing or slink off. Adonis chooses the former and happily, yet somewhat unrealistically, everyone seems to be happy-- Melody warms back up to Adonis, Adonis accepts "Alana", and justice was served.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2011
I liked this one more than I thought I would. However, I didn't think any of the characters were all that well fleshed out. They were definitely all pieces of an ISSUE rather than characters going through the challenges of confronting their own beliefs about sexuality. Adonis had no outside interests except football, which felt almost like a stereotype in and of itself. Alan had only the fashion club. None of the secondary characters were more than one note for me.
The writing itself served the story, but it wasn't anything memorable. It read like a younger end YA book than one with a main character who was almost 18. It read really quickly, though.
What I did like was that I think a lot of teens still have the mentality Adonis and his friends had, and it was super uncomfortable to read. But that's good and effective. I think the ending came on a little too romanticized, and I don't feel like we got to see the reactions of Adonis's dad, who was a character I'd have loved a little more from (he clearly impacted Adonis's thinking -- or at least, he didn't attempt to change it).
The writing itself served the story, but it wasn't anything memorable. It read like a younger end YA book than one with a main character who was almost 18. It read really quickly, though.
What I did like was that I think a lot of teens still have the mentality Adonis and his friends had, and it was super uncomfortable to read. But that's good and effective. I think the ending came on a little too romanticized, and I don't feel like we got to see the reactions of Adonis's dad, who was a character I'd have loved a little more from (he clearly impacted Adonis's thinking -- or at least, he didn't attempt to change it).
November 22, 2013
This book is about a high school football player named Adonis and a gay boy named Alan. It is about the struggle for Adonis on whether to accept Alan in front of his friends or turn away and laughed at Alan with his friends. Adonis is a jock. He's on the football team and he's dating one of the prettiest girls in school named Melody Alan is the new kid, and he wears lipstick and joins the Fashion Club. Soon enough the football team is out to get him. Adonis is glad to go along with his teammates until they come up with a dangerous plan to humiliate Alan. Now Adonis must decide whether he wants to be a guy who follows the herd or a man who does what's right.This is a good story of bullies, victims, and the bystanders caught in between (Adonis).Overall, Crossing Lines does a pretty good job of blending sexuality, bullying and coming of age. This book is harder to really get into but still an enjoyable enough read. I recommend this book to people who are interested in modern day issues, especially that of homosexuality. Read this book to find out what choice Adonis makes!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews