Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist

by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Assignment: #8 of narrative annotations
Publication info.: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. 182 p.
Genre & Format: Teen Romance; Novel (each author writing alternate paragraphs)

Awards/Reviews: New York Times Book Review and SLJ

Grades: 9 and up

Summary: Nick asks her if she minds being his girlfriend for five minutes—Norah answers him with a fiery lip lock. Five minutes turns into seven, seven turns into an all-nighter. Even though it is Manhattan, they both have run-ins with their exes, which actually act as a purge of the past in a matter of hours. The journey they take to figure it all out means club hopping and moshing to their favorite punk bands, with a bit of naughty cross-dressing Sound of Music thrown in for laughs. As it goes with teenagers, it is not a smooth journey, and mislaid hands with well-intended plans make their paths veer as often as cross. Every time they find each other again there is a song to commemorate the moment, which creates their infinite playlist. Even though both characters have major potty mouths, they are very intelligent and straight-laced (as far as drinking or drugs are concerned).

Comments: The use of song/band titles is going to date this book, but I have seen both Levithan and Cohn do that in some of their other work, so they must not care. The make-out scenes were steamy right from that first kiss. Nick plays in a queercore punk band, but the gay scene is not at the forefront of this novel. I know a ton of kids that I am dying to suggest this book to.

Booktalking ideas: Lead with the punk angle first, and then go for the romance. It will sell itself to that crowd.

VOYAesque Rating: 4Q 3P