"Boy Meets Boy"

This week I read "Boy Meets Boy," by David Levithan. It's been labeled the most important gay novel since "Annie on My Mind," by the Booklist and "represents a new revolution in the publishing of gay themed books for adolescents."
I do think it's well written and a great book for gay themed topic, but this said it's more for pleasure reading or to recommend to a student that's experiencing these sexual orientation themes, than for the classroom. The jest of the plot is about romance, teen love, trivial teen issues, friendships, lost friendships, and sexual orientation. Also, has some bad language, depiction of betting in school as ok, and only same sex kissing, no other sexual scenes.
It's about a gay sophomore, Paul, who is a great, round character who is totally at peace with his choice and his lifestyle. His gay friends envy him because "he knows what he wants," and his life is too perfect. Even his parents are accepting of of his choice.
But, his best friend Tony, who is also gay, has a harder time. His parents are very religious and don't accept that he is gay. This character and his parents probably represent the feelings of many parents, especially from a religious view point. They believe he will be damned if he continues to like boys, forbid him from hanging out with any boys, and push him into dating girls. Tony's parents don't get that by being so intolerant they are pushing him farther away; and he still dates boys and does things behind their backs. By the end, they are becoming a little more tolerant as his mother allows him to have Paul over to their house, as long as they are not in his bedroom. Even though they are just friends, who are both boys. I like that the book shows how gay boys can be friends with other gay boys. It doesn't mean they are romantically involved, which represents a cultural stigma. If boys and girls can be just friends. This should be viewed the same way.
Also, in this book gays and non-gays are friends. Paul's other best friend is a straight girl named Joni. This shows openness and understanding to teens of other's differences. Just as race or class shouldn't create a gap, neither should sexual orientation.
Noah, is "the boy" Paul falls for. The majority of the plot is about how their relationship forms and the problem that arises when Paul's, ex-boyfriend, Kyle wants to get back together. Noah wants to break off their relationship when he finds out Paul has kissed Kyle.
Another important part of the book, is the chapter where Paul describes when he came out, being very young in elementary school. His Kindergarten teacher labels him as gay on his report card (p. 9.) This brings up the topic of what age to approach sexual orientation with kids? To me K seems a little young to establish this. I don't talk about liking girls with my boys in Kindergarten. We are not really focusing on sexual orientation yet. My question is "Is Paul's teacher setting him up for the path of gay, by labeling him this so early?" Does Paul already know he is gay at age five? Or does he, and I am just ignorant to this?
The setting is maybe a little too wacky, the high school is so eccentric that it seems very "fictional," and fantasy like. The characters are all of the above, trans gender, bi-sexual, lesbian, gay, and straight. They have a gay/straight alliance at their school and a parent association for parents of gays and lesbians. There's a school bookie, who helps the school place bets on everything from who will kiss who next to whether Paul is gay or turning straight. The school dance theme is death, and the students visit a cemetery to come up with themes. While some of it is very cool, it doesn't represent life in Indiana, for sure. Maybe NYC or LA, but I still don't know. The high school represents too much of this perfect world, where all differences are depicted and accepted. Will students here in Indiana see this as too far fetched to relate or will they still like the themes?

See you in class,
Staci