David LaRochelle‘s novel Absolutely Positively Not (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2005) is the recipient of the 2005 Sid Fleischman Humor Award.

From the flap copy: “Steven doesn’t know if he’ll pass his driver’s test or if he’ll ever understand his parents, but there’s one thing he knows for sure: He’s absolutely, positively NOT gay. How could he be, when he conscientiously collects photos of girls in bikinis and makes a point to sit at the jock table? So what if he takes a golden retriever to the dance because he can’t face telling his mom that he doesn’t have a date? So what if he thinks Coach Bowman is, well, extremely, unnervingly handsome. Who wouldn’t? Right? David LaRochelle’s first novel is a riotously funny look at the life of a regular boy who’s finding out what it takes to be a real man.”

The award, presented by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, is given annually to an author whose work exemplifies excellence in humor writing. LaRochelle is an author and illustrator of twenty-five books, including The Best Pet of All, illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama (Dutton, 2004), a Children’s Book Sense Top Ten selection. Absolutely Positively Not is LaRochelle’s first novel for young adults.

The award will be presented on Sunday, Aug. 6 during the Golden Kite Awards Luncheon, which is part of SCBWI’s 35th Annual Conference on Writing and Illustrating for Children. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7, 2006.

Cynsational Notes

Absolutely Positively Not also was named a Booklist Top Ten Novel by a New Author; a CCBC Choice; a Booklist Editor’s Choice; and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. See a review of the novel by Brian Farrey of Teenreads.com.

Learn more about Sid Fleischman.