Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett

Text Publishing, 2004. ISBN: 9781921520327.
(Age 15+). Highly recommended. Malcolm is 16, fascinated by sex, and keen to do well in his up and coming science project. Hence the decision to make sex the subject of his assignment! Juliet has received a ransom note - demanding $1000 for silence on a secret she thought no one would have known about. Kevin is in love with Brian who is in love with Juliet. Charlotte is in love with Malcolm: if she was brave enough to mention it to him, she wonders what he would think. The science project takes the group on an interesting and often hilarious journey.
Original, with a fresh voice for teenage readers, Beckett has created a wonderful array of interconnecting characters. There are candid discussions of sex and some occasional strong language, but the story and the lively friendships played out, override any concerns here. This title is highly recommended. A winner of numerous awards in New Zealand, this clever book follows the success of the more serious and thought-provoking Genesis by Beckett.
Julie Wells