Getting It

by Alex Sanchez

Book Overview

15-year old Carlos Amoroso is a virgin - and he's desperate to change that. The object of his desire is Roxy, who doesn't even know Carlos exists. When he sees a television show where a clueless straight guy gets a makeover from a group of gay men, Carlos wonders if Sal, who's gay, might be able to help him. Even though things with Sal - and Roxy - don't turn out the way Carlos expected, through the course of the makeover Carlos learns about life...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141690896X
• ISBN13: 9781416908968
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Best gay writer for gay Young Adults

Alex Sanchez is the Premiere gay writer of books for gay Young Adults. This takes "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and applies it to a 15 year old straight student who needs help with the girls..and goes to a perfectly styled 15 year old gay student for help. And gets it!!

Great book with a great moral

I loved this book. When I got it, I read the entire book in one night. I just couldn't put it down. The story is not specifically a "gay" story. The main chacter is straight. This is a departure form many books that I have read from gay authors. The whole point of the book is understanding and tolerance. The friendship that developes between Carlos & Sal, is one that serves as a catalyst for a drastic change in Carlos' life. Sal takes Carlos from a nobody to someone, who is starting to know who they are, in the Queer Eye fashion. Through his "lessons" from Sal, Carlos learns how to stand up for himself, be confident in who he is, and be understanding of others who may be different from him. I really like the book, because it is a book that just happens to have gay characters in it. The sexuality of the chacrters, while being part of the story, is not really the main point of the story. I highly reccomend that teens and adults across the board read this book. If was can get more people to understand and tolerate the differences in other people, the world would be a better place.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

High school isn't too bad for Carlos Amoroso, except for the fact that he may be the only guy that hasn't gone all the way--or even kissed a girl. That's only because Carlos is waiting for his crush, Roxy Rodriguez, the most popular girl in school. The only problem is that Roxy doesn't even notice Carlos in the tiniest bit. And it's really bad that Carlos's friends keep on talking about all the girls they've been with. But Carlos has a plan, which ironically appeared in his brain when he came upon the hit television show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. What better way to have someone notice you than by getting a complete makeover? All he needs is someone to do the makeover for him, and he's found the perfect person, Sal--the guy who everyone thinks is gay. Before he knows it, Sal agrees to help him out, but it comes with a price: Carlos has to pay Sal, and he has to help establish a Gay-Straight Alliance at their school. With the help of Sal, Carlos takes on a whole new identity. With new clothes and a new hairstyle, along with a room that doesn't look like a dump, Carlos actually looks good. But not only is Carlos changing, but so are his friends, the way he feels about his dad, and the way he feels about Roxy. Could this makeover be for the best, or was it worth it at all? Alex Sanchez does it again with his newest novel GETTING IT. On the surface, this is a hilarious story that feels like another episode of Queer Eye, but underneath lies serious issues that are prevalent in every high school. Alex Sanchez takes readers on a journey that may possibly change the way the readers view certain issues. This is the perfect book that includes a perfect lesson. Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Wish Mr. Sanchez was writing when I was a teenager....

This is the third of Mr. Sanchez's books that I have read. Thery are all excellent, and give a positive face to being gay, how difficult, and how rewarding it can be. This book should be read by teens in general; Carlos discovers how rewarding his friendship with Sal is, and how another person, who initially seems to be "different" brings a whole new dimension to his life. I agree with the other reviewer who said that the ending leaves you wanting more, and wanting to know what the future holds in store. I highly recommend it for any young man struggling with his sexuality.

"Getting It" ... in more ways than one

Carlos has a big problem: he feels like the only guy in his high school class who hasn't yet managed to hook up with a girl. While his closest friends seem to be born experts at making arrangements over the Internet and the whole "friends with benefits" scene, Carlos can barely manage even to strike up a text-message convo with the opposite sex. Furthermore, when it comes to Roxy, the girl that he most has his eye on, he is at a complete loss -- he gets as clumsy and tongue-tied as a seventh-grader. After observing his classmates a bit, Carlos realizes that the one guy in his class who seems to feel at ease around girls and show some personal style is Sal. Despite not knowing Sal very well, Carlos hatches a plan to ask for his help. There's only one catch .. these rumors going around the school that Sal is gay. If Carlos starts to spend time around Sal, what will his friends think? With "Getting It", author Alex Sanchez graduates from the middle-school setting of his previous book, "So Hard To Say", to the edgier, higher-stakes world of high school. With the change of setting comes not only characters who cope more directly with issues such as divorce, sexuality, and love, but the more "adult" situations where these issues play themselves out. It is remarkable how, within the obvious constraints of the young-adult genre, Sanchez manages to navigate this potentially dangerous territory with ease, including some sexually charged scenes without crossing the line into gratuitous detail. At the center of the story is the "makeover" arrangement between Sal and Carlos. At first very guarded with Carlos, Sal accepts an hourly wage in exchange for his help with Roxy. At the same time he lets Carlos know that there's something more that he wants in return. Hearing this makes Carlos immediately wary himself, but it turns out that what Sal wants is a promise that Carlos will help him with a venture of his own -- the launch of a gay-straight alliance at the high school. Carlos reluctantly agrees to Sal's conditions and the first part of the book explores how they slowly build a friendship over the course of the next few weeks. Sal helps Carlos with his conversation skills, his manners, his clothing style, even his bedroom decoration. Then, after they have attained a sense of mutual trust, on one particularly auspicious day Sal brings along his boyfriend to meet Carlos. For Carlos the result is even more insight into Sal's world, in addition to an even newer look thanks to an updated haircut and highlights. As a result of Sal's expert advice Carlos gradually emerges as a new man. He starts to stand out to his classmates and his confidence level grows. His mom notices, his friends notice ... and, most importantly to him, Roxy starts to notice. There are tough lessons to be learned, of course, and for Carlos this means that the book's title, "Getting It", takes on multiple meanings. Over time it occurs to Carlos that Sal has, in fact, become one of his m