Doing It

Doing It
Doing It  
Author(s) Melvin Burgess
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre(s) Young adult novel
Publisher Penguin Books
Publication date 6 May 2004
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages 336 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN ISBN 0-14-101803-8 (Paperback)
OCLC Number 56455688

Doing It is a 2004 young adult novel by award winning author Melvin Burgess. It tells of the experiences of a group of English teenagers and their discovery of sex for the first time. It is told from the point of view of the young males learning about first love and first loss.

Plot summary

The plot revolves around a group of British teenagers, Dino (the most popular guy at school) and his two best friends Ben and Jonathon. Dino really likes beautiful in shape Jackie - the girl he sees as an equal, the most popular girl at school - but she won't give him what he wants. This gives Dino the chance to get it from other girls behind Jackie's back. Yet problems arise in Dino's family that causes him to see maybe sex isn't what he needs. Jonathon likes Deborah, but she's overweight; fearing condemnation from his friends and because of a disgusting looking bump on his penis, he fears showing his true feelings. Ben's been secretly seeing his teacher, Miss Young, the typical teenage fantasy. He used to love it, but now it overwhelms him. Ben tries to break it off for a girl his own age but it causes big trouble for him, Miss Young and his new girlfriend.

Awards and nominations

  • Won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The book was adapted as a TV series under the title Life As We Know It, which, although critically acclaimed, was cancelled.