Below are book reviews of Paul Ruditis' book Rainbow Party written for parents and teens.

Rainbow Parties -- Are They Real?

Reviewed by Nancy Brown, Ph.D.

This fictional book follows 13 teenagers through the day of Gin's first rainbow party. It explores the different relationship issues, peer pressure, sexual habits and consequences of real decisions teenagers are faced with everyday.
In an easy-to-read format this book explores many questions teens have, including:

• Is oral sex real sex?
  
• Can you still be a virgin and have oral sex?
  
• Do relationships change when you start having sex?
  
• What do boys think about sex?
  
• If one guy gives oral sex to another, is he gay?
  
• How is oral sex fun for girls?
  
• Why don't boys ever reciprocate the favor?
  
• Is it cheating if your girlfriend watches someone else perform oral sex on you?
  
• How clueless can parents be?
  
• What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

I am not saying that the answers are there, but at least this book brings up the questions and will encourage people to think, and with any luck, talk about their own responses to these tough questions.

More importantly, it illustrates the importance of having the conversation with a boyfriend or girlfriend about whether or not each person is emotionally and physically ready to have sex.

I would encourage any parent who thinks their teenager may be even thinking about having sex to read this book and discuss it with their teens.
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Rainbow Party

Reviewed by Belize Lane, high school student writer

A "rainbow party" for teenagers is not a party with balloons and cellophane rainbows. It is, in fact, an oral-sex party in which each girl wears a different color lipstick. Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis is about a group of teenagers who have been invited to participate in a rainbow party.

The book portrays the different attitudes the teens have towards sex. While Ruditis assures readers that he only hoped to present an issue kids are dealing with, Rainbow Party could sensationalize sex parties for young teenagers. The book was meant to scare readers who could be considering oral sex into the realities of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and for that reason this book is worth taking the time to read.

While the book's concept is controversial to the point where both Barnes and Noble & Borders refused to sell the book in their store and only on their Web sites, the message is clear and important: Teenagers are still susceptible to STDs when taking part in oral sex, just as they are during sexual intercourse. This book displays that message in a rainbow of colors, and for teens that can comfortably absorb such PG-13 material without sensationalizing the party for themselves, Rainbow Party is a fairly interesting, cautionary read.


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