Swim the Fly

Don Calame's 'Swim the Fly' is a laugh-out-loud, yet genuinely heartfelt, young adult novel about three fifteen-year-old boys navigating the awkwardness of adolescence during one unforgettable summer. Matt Gratton and his best friends, Coop and Sean, are determined to achieve their ultimate summer goal: seeing a real-live naked girl. This raunchy, rapid-fire quest is balanced by Matt's personal aspiration to master the incredibly difficult 100-yard butterfly stroke to impress a new girl on the swim team. The book is full of sharp wit, situational humor, and a deep understanding of male friendships, first crushes, and the challenges of growing up. While it contains some crude language and sexual references typical of adolescent boys, it ultimately delivers a story rich in themes of perseverance, self-discovery, and loyalty, making it a relatable and entertaining read for teens aged 12-18.

Three adolescent boys with a single goal: see a real live naked girl. The result? Razor-sharp, rapid-fire, and raunchy, of course. And beyond hilarious. Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time -- quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.