Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

Lyga, Barry. Boy Toy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. ISBN-10: 0-618-72393-5

Summary
In a series of flashbacks, Lyga reveals that Josh, now a high school senior, was once in a sexual relationship with a teacher. In eighth grade all of the boys lusted after their history teacher so when she invited Josh to her home, he felt lucky. At first he helps her with an assignment for graduate school. When the assignment ends, he continues to visit her apartment and their relationship turns sexual. Still, Josh feel happy and excited about the relationship. During a boy-girl party Rachel's house, Josh takes things too far and everyone finds out how experienced Josh is and how he learned about these sex acts.
Josh is confused about what is appropriate. He doesn't know what other kids his age are doing and he doesn't know what girls expect of him. Also, he still believes that his relationship with his teacher was mutual and is worried because she is being paroled.

Critical Evaluation 
For many many pages, Josh is happy in his relationship with his teacher. He is an adolescent boy with sexual feelings and he is glad to express them. It is only at the end of the book that readers learn that the whole relationship had been a seduction. In fact, Josh believes that he had seduced his teacher, rather than the other way around. Lyga gives disturbing insight into the foresight and thouroughness of predators. There are other plots in the novel- Josh's parent's relationship, his relationship with Rachel as a senior, the baseball season, but these stories pale in comparison to the main story.

Reader's Annotation 
Five years ago, Josh's relationship with his teacher was exposed and his relationship with Rachel was ruined. Now, in their senior year, Rachel wants back in his life and Josh needs to face the truth.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness 
The abused who feel responsible for the abuse will relate to Josh.

Genre and Subject
Realistic fiction. Student-teacher relationships.

Why I read it
It's a story straight from the headlines.