The Dating Game #1

by Natalie Standiford and Nathalie Peronny

Book Overview

When three high school sophomores set up a weblog as a class project to research whether girls or boys are more sex-crazed--and to play matchmaker, their own messy love lives become even more complicated.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031611040X
• ISBN13: 9780316110402
• Release Date: February 2005
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Let's play the Dating Game

Oh gosh, this book is so much fun, I read it soo quickly, and when I found out theres next parts coming, I was overjoyed! Yes, its that good. It's a little bit far-fetched... but still that's why its so much fun. Even thought it would be totally awesome if MY hs would have a site like that... its so great. REally, if u like humorous and romantic books about girls struggling to get the attention of their crush in high school... u'll love this book.

I had mixed feelings about this book.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I found that it did talk about the tough issues of teenage life, like having the hots for a teacher or being called a slut. And overall I found this book to be a promising new series for teen girls. But there were also some things that I didn't really like. There was a bit in this book about smoking pot, and beer, and even sex, so I wouldn't encourage anyone who is not a teenager yet to read this book. It's not to be considered a children's book and should be found in the YA or TEEN section of bookstores and libraries. Anyway, this book is about three girls who are having to do a project for their sex ed class. So, they decide to set up a blog that they can post quizzes on to answer the question: Are boys more obsessed with sex? They soon find themselves learning that the answer may not be as obvious as it seems. Overall, I enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down, so that I could see what would happen to the characters next. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone under my age, but for anyone who is a fan of Gossip Girl or A List, this is a must. I can't wait to read the second one!

A strong premise for a new series

In THE DATING GAME, the first book in a new series by Natalie Standiford, three friends set up an online dating quiz as part of their school project. All of the quiz takers are students, which allows the girls --- Holly, Mads and Lina --- to get an insider's view of what their fellow students are thinking and feeling when it comes to dating and sex. The story focuses on the search for the right person to date, the urge to be popular, the feeling of being alone and isolated, and the potential hurt caused by nasty rumors. The situations presented here are ones faced by most high school students, and the girls' reactions to them are quite realistic. Readers will care very much about the main characters. Holly, Mads and Lina are close friends and do not compete with one another. They have their own strengths and weaknesses, and are honest about them. All three have romantic designs on boys who are unattainable for different reasons and for different lengths of time. The supporting characters are decently developed: Dan, the young teacher, seems charming and the potential boyfriends are interesting. Holly's boyfriend begins dating her because the other boys talked about how friendly she is. He ends up genuinely caring for Holly, but they need to work through some issues before they can have a healthy relationship. The parents are a bit underdeveloped and seem more like caricatures than characters, but I think this was a deliberate choice on the author's part. THE DATING GAME is not about the parents; it revolves around the teenage protagonists. Probably the best-developed supporting character is Ramona, the gothic student who is in love with Dan. She is an interesting foil for all three main characters and injects a lot of humor into the story. Every chapter begins with a rotating horoscope of one of the main characters, a catchy twist and an interesting lead-in to the happenings in each chapter. The premise of an online project, and its fresh humor, could keep this series going strong for quite some time. --- Reviewed by Melissa A. Palmer (Melissaenglish72@yahoo.com)

Are boys obsessed with sex?

Madison -- aka Mads -- is in love with Sean Benedetto, a hottie Senior. Lina is in love with Dan Shulman, their Interpersonal Human Development (IHD) -- aka Sex Ed -- teacher. And Holly -- aka the Boobmeister - is in love with herself. For their IHD class project, the girls set out to prove that boys are more obsessed with sex than girls. They establish a blog where they post the Dating Game questionnaire, which asks students at their school about their sexual attitudes and experiences. And they post a web site where they provide matchmaking services for students and send them out on actual dates. Overnight the three girls, who consider themselves misfits, become the most popular kids in school! Everyone gets into the Dating Game and a Pandora's box opens wide. When Mads tweaks the matchmaking service to finagle a blind date with Sean, she gets more than she bargained for. Lina's newfound popularity gives her the courage to pursue being more than teacher's pet, but it's not exactly what she dreamed it would be. Obsessed with her reputation, Holly chases down rumors and lies about her sex life while running away from the one guy who really cares about her. When the dust settles on the sexual explosion these girls unleash, the results are not at all what they expected. This book provides a road map for kids to create their own dating game, plus there's a companion web site that includes a personality quiz and newsletter. Whether it's kids talking to kids, kids talking to teachers, or kids talking to parents, this is a fun, frank, and safe way to get kids to open up about sex, drugs, and alcohol. It's all in the book, yet handled with a good dose of humor and great sensitivity. For parents -- and kids -- who want to know what teens are into, the answers they find in "The Dating Game" will blow their minds!

1 of the Best Books I ever read

This book is so good. A must read for all fans of the Gossip Girl books, A list books and the Clique books.This is about a group of girls who set up a website for there class. The participants answer questions and if they want they can get set up on a date. They also do this with themseves with many surprises. You must read this its awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!