- So I've been thinking.

- Yeah?

- Jerry Spinelli writes romance books for boys.

- You mean the guy who wrote Maniac Magee?

- Yeah.

- That's not a romance.

- No. But he's written some other books that are.

- Like?

- Stargirl.




- Wait a second. That's for girls.

- Not really.

- It has a picture of a stick figure girl and a star.

- But the story is all about a boy who falls in love with a girl.

- Stargirl.

- Exactly.

- And it's all about how he has to figure out how to love this totally different but wonderful girl while not embarrassing himself in high school.

- It's from his point of view?

- Yes.

- So it's a book about romance. . .

- . . . that a boy can relate to.

- Cool.

- And he wrote another book, Smiles to Go.



- Just came out, didn't it?

- Yup.

- That's also about a boy falling in love with a girl?

- In part.

- In part?

- It's also about growing up and figuring out who you are and who and what is really important in your life.

- So it's not a romance.

- Well, as I said, in part it is. At least, it gives boys something to think about.

- So you'd fit it in the "Romance book for boys" category.

- It is a pretty small category.