Alexie

I LOVED this novel... I couldn't believe how hard it was for me to put it down! In reply to why it's considered YA Lit: Yes, the protagonist is 14, but think about what it could mean for a teenager (specifically a teenage boy) to read this novel. He may completely relate to the 'locker room' talk about masturbation and knocking each other out... but he may also see the that guys CAN be sensitive. Guys DO cry, it's not just a girl thing.
This novel could reach a variety of audiences. I wanted to laugh and feel sympathetic for the characters all at the same time. Alexie did a great job on the dialogues and phrasing things the way he did.
Something interesting: on the back of the book, the advance praise from Neil Gaiman says, "I have no doubt in a year or so it'll both be winning awards and being banned." Even though there's some material that shocked me when I first started reading this book, it's sad to think that it could be on the banned book list for many schools. There's so much more to it!