Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film About The Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman
Mitchell Wells is sort of an everyman sort of character. He does well in his classes and enjoys hanging out with is best friend David. At the same time, they fall somewhere in the middle to the social ladder at school so while not being part of the "in crowd," they are also not picked on by most people.

Mitchell is entering a school year that is going to be filled with ups and downs. It all starts when his best friend David comes out to him one day at lunch. He actually is not bothered by the fact, but he is also not sure if things are supposed to change in their relationship ... if at all.

Then, he and David get an opportunity in film class to make a really fun claymation video. It works out so nicely, that Mitchell decides to turn it in as a substitute for the short paper he was supposed to write on The Grapes of Wrath. The topic is actually the Biblical themes in the book. On the bright side, it seems to be universally enjoyed, but trouble pops up when the parents of one student complain that the film is offensive to their religion.

The prom is also weighing down on Mitchell. His younger sister and her friends have come up with an interesting plan to use David and Mitchell to take them to the prom so they can go. This plan gets a little bit more challenging when David starts to date the popular girl that he had a crush on for ages.

The book is an hysterical read. Mostly this is due to Goldman doing a great job of capturing what it is like to be an average teen boy. There is no shortage of social stumbling as David is torn between doing what he wants, not necessarily being able to speak his mind because he doesn't want to hurt any feelings, and navigating the challenges of school, which take on both the academic and social forms.

While the book does not focus on a single major issue that is faced by the narrator, it does a great job of just allowing the characters to live through the troublesome times of junior year in high school for boys. It reminded me a lot of a male version of the Georgia Nicolson series or The Princess Diaries, except that it is told from a guy's perspective.

Even though the book touches on romance and David's coming out, I can really see a lot of guys picking this one up. It is really captures the way so many average guys think.