Mock Printz 2026 discussion

Two Boys Kissing has two starred reviews and tied for second in our October reading poll. What qualities make this stand out as a Printz contender?

The unique narration style- chorus- makes it notable. It packs an extra punch of emotion. I definitely think it's a contender, although it is not on my personal list of favorites of the year.

I loved it! Thought it was amazing and beautiful. Especially loved the Greek chorus of AIDS warriors. Unique perspective.

I thought it was one of the most beautifully written books I've read in a while. The chorus narration took me a bit to get used to, but it's such an interesting take on the narrator's presence in a novel.

Disclaimer: I have loved everything I have read by David Levithan thus far. Two Boys Kissing is no different.

The first person plural voice was pretty unique, I can't remember ever reading another book narrated in this style. Not only was the voice unique, but I loved the perspective that these narrators bring to the story: the juxtaposition of the narrators' coming out experiences vs. the modern characters experiences; their perspective of how much life is worth living vs. Cooper's feeling that the future is pointless.

The characters are not drawn very deeply in comparison to the impact of the chorus, but the main characters are supplemented by a strong cast of supporting characters.

Definitely a contender, although it did not make the cut from the long list to the short list of National Book Award nominees.

I almost gave up on this after 10 pages. I found the first person plural commentary intrusive and didactic. (I lived in NYC during the height of the AIDS epidemic and don't need to be told how to think about it, and I have numerous gay relatives.) But I stuck with the book (I've read three other novels written or co-written by Levithan and liked them all) and, as the book went on, the emotional impact of the tales of present-day teen LGBT experiences came to the fore and gave life to the novel.

But I still think the group commentary was a mistake. The author's decision to present gay men of the past as non-specific types rather than individuals, and who seem to exist only to hector and moralize (You better appreciate what you've got, you youngsters, considering the hell we lived through for your sake!), would, I expect, be off-putting to anyone under 21 who reads this - and, since the contemporary characters are mostly teenagers, that's a bit of a problem...

Levithan has hit this issue with a sledgehammer rather than sculpted it with a chisel. This could have been a magnificent book if he had been willing to personify those who had come before and so illuminate the continuum of gay life - and the breathtaking cultural transition of the last 35 years. This was a disappointing effort.

Teenagers my age don't know about the AIDS epidemic, all we know is that it happened and the limited information given to us in health class. I found the group chorus very powerful and moving. It made this book have two layers; the stories of young adults now, and the stories of those who lived during the AIDS epidemic. I can see how someone who already lived through it and already knows the context of it would find the commentary unnecessary, but for someone growing up now, the chorus made the book ten times stronger.