Book Review: Sleeping Freshman Never Lie, by David Lubar

Lubar's YA novel is funny, touching and true

There are certain times in your life when you know that everything is going to change. You feel disoriented, exhausted, anxious, but also excited. In Sleeping Freshman Never Lie, author David Lubar captures this feeling perfectly.

When Scott enters his freshman year of high school, he knows things are going to be different, but still it’s a shock. He goes from being average sized in middle school to feeling like a dwarf among the high school upperclassmen. His friends go off in different directions. And the girl he was friends with in elementary school has suddenly become hot…and has forgotten him completely. This is a fantastic book with real heart and laugh out loud humor. I loved navigating the halls with Scott, and going along for the ride as he tried to figure out who his friends really were, what truly mattered to him, and if he would EVER get enough sleep ever again.

Readers of My Most Excellent Year will enjoy this book, because Lubar also creates a touching story and reminds us of just how adventurous and magical a life in constant flux truly is.

Don’t miss this one!

Book Review: Suck it Up by Brian Meehl

Suck it Up offers a witty twist

Like a lot of readers, I’m a little “vampired out” these days. But when I read the jacket copy of SUCK IT UP, I was hooked.  This book promised to be funny and clever and different.  I’m happy to report it totally delivered.

Morning McCobb has the misfortune to have become immortal at one of the most awkward times in a person’s life…that acne prone insecure and awkward part of his adolescence.  And he’s frozen there forever. Yeah, I liked him instantly.  When he becomes the poster-child for the vampire community, which wants to present a kinder gentler image to the world, you can just imagine the ridiculous moments that will come. Well, actually you can’t. And that is part of the fun of this book. It’s unpredictable, and well-written, and so entertaining.

This book isn’t broody and angsty, instead, think of it like the soy-based blood substitute that peaceful Morning McCobb drinks every day: Blood Lite.

Book Review: “Shug” by Jenny Han

Sometimes you’ll read a book that will choke you up. Rarely will I read a book that makes me flat out bawl…in a good way. Shug by Jenny Han (Alladin Mix, 2007), is one such book, and it has instantly become one of my favorite tween YA novels.  Han grabs you immediately with Shug’s authentic voice and sharp point of view.

The novel  is all about the way things change once you enter middle school, whether you are ready or not.  It starts in summer just before school starts, and already things are different. For one thing, Shug is suddenly seeing her best friend in a different and romantic light, but he doesn’t notice at all.  And then there is the whole friend thing. What do you do when your other best friend (who is a girl) suddenly befriends some popular girls, and gets a boyfriend? Where do you fit in then?  And how do you be a good person when you are sitting at the lunch table with this popular crowd, barely hanging onto the right to sit there, and another girl, who used to be your friend but also makes the popular’s eyes roll, walks by, and obviously has no one to sit with?  Do you commit social suicide and invite her, or do you avert your eyes and shut up?

Shug, by Jenny Han

Oh how well I remember those painful moments.  Shug experiences the guilt and the sadness of being on both sides of the story.  She finds herself being part of the crowd that is nasty, as well as being shunned by the nasty crowd. We’ve all experienced both sides, and at some point we all have to decide just who are we? What do we stand for? What is really important? And can we ever forgive ourselves or others for being such horrible jerks?

If you are going into middle school, read this book. If you’ve ever been through middle school, read this book.  And love this book.  It is unforgettable.

Zoe and Chloe on the Prowl: Book Review

I have to admit, I almost didn’t pick up this book. It was the cover. No offence to the artist involved, but this book’s cover just screams bubblegum teeny bopper…in fact, it has two girls surrounded by balloons, blowing bubble gum. THEN I saw the author’s name: Sue Limb. And I knew I had to pick it up and read it and love it.

The book is Zoe and Chloe on the Prowl (Viking, 2008), and the author, Sue Limb, is one of the funniest young adult authors I’ve ever read. If you’ve never read anything by her before, then you’re in for a treat. She’s British, and has a sharp tongue, and her books have the added benefit of being clean, meaning any teacher or librarian can recommend her titles to any tween or teen with confidence. Best of all, she will make you laugh. Not grin. But LAUGH. As in OUT LOUD. As in when you should be serious and quiet, like while sitting in a doctor’s office. Or, in my daughter’s case, when you are sitting at your desk and should really be doing some assigned task instead of sneakily reading a book under your papers.

In Zoe and Chloe on the Prowl, the lead characters are trying desperately to find some “real men” to take them to the school’s Earthquake Ball. Of course, none of the infantile boys at their school will do. The solution? Why advertising, of course.  The girls set up ads all over town, not for dates, but for what seems like a respectable job. As the interviewees start to visit, and the girls pose as employers, the wackiness accelerates. Hey, you know you’re in for a hysterical ride when, right at the start of the book, you are introduced to a character named Nigel, who is actually a zit on one of the girls’ chins.  Apparently he’s prominent enough in her life to have a name.  The book is set in England, and the slang only adds to the zany tone. So read this book and try not to laugh out loud. I dare you.

And while you are at it, be sure to check out Limb’s other really hysterical young adult novels, starting with Girl, 15, Charming but Insane.Ever wondered what would happen to a girl when she stuffs her bra with zip-locks full of minestrone soup?  Well, here’s your chance to find out. All of Limb’s novels are smart, and hip, and suited for tweens through teens. Enjoy them all.

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos: Book Review

Ever wish you could leave everything and everybody and just start over? Yeah, we all feel that way sometimes. In Dark Dude (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Sept. 08), author Oscar Hijuelos takes us on a fascinating journey with blond-haired Cuban outsider Rico. When the book begins we are immersed in Rico’s New York City neighborhood, which is gritty, edgy, full of broken dreams and potential that never seems to be realized.

Rico isn’t like other kids in his neighborhood. For one thing, he looks white, unlike the rest of his Cuban family, and unlike his many neighbors. For another, he doesn’t even know how to speak Spanish. Like so many of his friends, Rico has dreams, big dreams. But unlike the others, he can’t bare to give his big dreams up. He wants to be a comic book author and to leave the danger and desperation he’s grown up with all behind for a better life.

When his buddy Gilberto actually wins big in the lottery and uses the money to attend college in Wisconsin and to buy a farm, Rico sees a possible way out. Taking his buddy Jimmy along (rescuing Jimmy, really, from a heroin addiction), Rico leaves his family behind, running away to Wisconsin to join Gilberto and grab onto the promise of a better life.

Hijuelos quickly grabs you with Rico’s voice and heart. That, combined with non-stop tension and unusual circumstances that keep popping up along the way, will have readers flipping pages to see what will become of this ”Dark Dude” and his dreams. I really enjoyed the novel and recommend it highly to anyone looking for an unusual journey of the heart and mind. One thing that had me a bit off-balance was the way the book seemed to be portrayed in the here and now, even though it clearly wasn’t. By that I mean it seems as if the narrative deliberately avoided saying it was the 1960s, when most writers would establish that right away. I think this may have been conciously done to hook teen readers who are most interested in the present day stories of their peers, and therefore, felt a tad bit manipulative and disorienting to me. The other thing that kept jumping out at me was the use of the “F” word, sort of. I think if you are going to use it, you should use it. But continually saying things like, literally, “mother F–er” and “F–ing crazy” (using dashes instead of all the letters of this word) was a bit bizarre. Again, I suspect it was cleaned up to meet the requirements of the young adult marketplace (especially regarding schools and libraries). Hey, I could be wrong.  Anyway, it was distracting.

But these quirks aside, I felt Dark Dude was original and engaging and wholely worthwhile. So check it out!

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway: Book Review

I’ve said it before: no negative book reviews here. Sadly, as I continue to rip through the stack of Advanced Reader Copies I’d gotten at the Midwinter ALA Meeting, there are more and more books that are not making the cut. Recently read one by an author who has a lot of titles under his belt, yet who treats the reader like someone who can’t get a clue even if it’s pasted to their forehead. It was excruciating.  Another book read like a bad cliche, inducing groans of misery. So it is a pleasure to then come upon a book that is fresh and hip and fun and satisfying, which is what “Audrey, Wait!” by Robin Benway is (Razorbill Books, April 2008, Ages 12-up, 320 pages, $16.99).

Here is a disclaimer of sorts: this book is listed for ages 12 and up, BUT there is some content that readers and parents of middle schoolers should know about. In chapter 1, the main character is breaking up with her boyfriend. He’s a bit of a stoner (and that is not why she’s breaking up with him), and she’s the one who always has to go to the nurse’s office to pick up the condoms (that is partly why she’s breaking up with him).  I give the author full marks for putting this right in the first chapter, setting out what can be expected in later chapters…even though this isn’t exactly what is to be expected in later chapters. These elements may give the book an edginess that the YA market seems to like, but the nonchalant attitude toward sex and lack of consequences for characters doing drugs may not sit well with all.  Also, there is plenty of swearing throughout, but I personally find this fits well in the characters’ mouths, and lends realism to the dialogue. 

Okay, disclaimer aside, I really enjoyed “Audrey, Wait!” When high school junior Audrey breaks up with her long-time boyfriend/musician Evan, she leaves, and he calls out, “Audrey, wait!” She doesn’t. What he does is write a hit breakup song about her that rockets up the music charts, throwing him into instant fame. Against her will, Audrey becomes famous too. She’s the girl that inspired the song, an amazing muse, or a cold-hearted bee-atch, depending on what tabloid you read. Audrey tells her side of the story, highlighting how weird it is to have everyone think they know you, to photograph you asleep in your English class, to stalk you when you try to do things like work, or go on a date, or even buy something at a store. Bit by bit, Audrey’s life seems to be taken away from her, a normal life she never fully appreciated until now. Suddenly she finds she’s also losing her best friend and the boy she’s come to adore. It’s time for her to finally take action, turning the media-driven music world on its ear. 

The book was a blast to read. Come on. Haven’t we all fantasized about being famous? It’s full of laughs and twists and is a satisfying adventure into the land of what-if. Pick it up when it comes out in April!

Pandora Gets Jealous, by Carolyn Hennesy: Book Review

Okay, I have a confession to make. My family has been hooked on the “Hercules” TV series featuring Kevin Sorbo since it first aired about 10 years ago or so.  We loved the heroics, the mythology, the wacky battle scenes, but above all we really got a kick out of the campy wit.  So, yeah, we now Netflix the series, interspersed with DVD’s of high-brow quality entertainment, of course…  Even if you don’t secretly watch old “Hercules” episodes at night, if you enjoy mythology, heroics, and especially campy humor, then you will certainly like reading the middle-reader novel Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, Jan. 2008, $12.95, ages 9-12, 256 pages).

 In Pandora Gets Jealous, ancient-Greece middle-schooler Pandy, tired of being treated like some loser, decides to impress everyone by bringing in the box she’s found under her parents’ bed. A box filled with all the miseries of mankind and sealed by Zeus himself. Needless to say, Pandora’s box gets opened (by some snooty girls who’ve been tormenting Pandy), and mankind is plagued. Now Pandy is given six moons to collect the plagues, or, no duh!, doom to all. Blending teen language and humor with plenty of action, mythology and shtick, Pandora Gets Jealous is an entertaining book ’tweens (and those closet “Hercules” fans) will surely enjoy.

Confessions of a Serial Kisser, by Wendelin Van Draanen: Book Review

What happens to a perfectly sensible girl when her dad cheats on her mom and they split up, and when this aforementioned sensible girl discovers a stash of romance novels beneath her mother’s bed? Why, she becomes a serial kisser, of course!  

A page-turning, laugh-out-loud comedy of errors, Wendelin Van Draanen’s Confessions of a Serial Kisser (Knopf, out May 13th, $15.99, 304 pages, ages 12 & up) is a perfect fit for anyone who enjoyed my novel What I Meant… (Random House, 2007). In Van Draanen’s book, after reading a romance where the heroine enjoys an earth-shattering “crimson kiss”, high school junior Evangeline decides to take control of her out-of-control life by hunting for her own perfect “crimson kiss.” As you can imagine, things get decidedly more out of control as a result. You never know who Evangeline will grab and kiss next, and what the results will be. Plenty of surprises, plenty of laughs, and plenty of complications. This is all held together with a really touching story about dealing with a beloved parent’s betrayal. I believe this is the sequel to her novel, “Flipped,” which I haven’t read. 

This novel definitely stands on its own, and I highly recommend it.

“My Most Excellent Year” by Steve Kluger: Book Review

Know what it feels like to fall in love? That painful, anxious, joyous feeling? The very first moment that you dare to express it and it flounders? Do you dare to express it again?  Well, “My Most Excellent Year” by Steve Kluger (Dial Books, March 2008, ages 14 up, 398 pages) will take you there with pleasure.

 This novel follows the story of three guys who are on the edge, then over the edge, of falling in love. A widowed father, who is attempting to court a guidance counselor (his son’s, by the way), his son T.C., who is awkwardly trying to reel in the seemingly aloof Alejandra, and his son’s best friend (therefore adopted son) Augie, who is startled to find himself in love with the very wonderful Andy Wexler. The nice thing about this last love story is that everyone knows Augie is gay, except Augie. Even his parents. And they all support him as he figures it out. So his coming out is more of a “no, duh” sigh of relief for all involved. It’s a gentle view of what for many in this world is a difficult time.

In fact, the whole book has a fuzzy feel-good vibe going, which really captivated me.  There’s an “It’s a Wonderful Life” magic to the families and the characters. So, really, I was the one falling in love with them all. Especially T.C. Tell me you wouldn’t want to meet a guy like him and fall head over heels in love. I dare you! The book teeters on the edge of too sweet, but thankfully doesn’t tip over (though cynical readers might be turned off by the lack of really intense conflict that is the norm in so many YA’s). The characters and the originality of the voice, combined with it being completely told in letters and IMs and passed notes and journal entries, keeps it grounded. The only crit I have of this book is that it goes on a bit too long. Not that it gets boring, because I was glad to hang in with these people for a long haul (I was falling in love, right?), but it could have been tightened as a plot a bit. 

Length aside, I found this book magical. T.C.’s mom, who passed away when T.C. was only six, had filled him with magical wonder that only a six-year-old could believe. Like convincing him that a star could really be named for him because they said so, or that a lost balloon would return to his house if they just gave it time and believed (the mom then got an identical balloon…an unusual one she had to drive out of state to get…and stashed it in T.C.’s room). T.C. becomes an ambassador of this magical optimism and this touches everyone’s lives, inspiring them. Okay, so maybe it’s hard to believe that a few teens can accomplish what this cast does (read the book to find out the several remarkable things they do pull off), but it’s not impossible. Let’s face it, if one person puts their mind to accomplish something, they really can.  So pick up “My Most Excellent Year” when it comes out in March, and prepare to be inspired too.

Review of “Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls” by Meg Cabot

So begins the reviews of books being read over at the Lamba house. We’ve been spoiled with a huge stack of ARC’s (Advanced Reader Copies) we snagged from the American Librarian Association’s midwinter conference in Philly this month.  I’ve already ripped through many of these, and sadly not all were worth my time. Some had big name authors but terrible writing. Some had hideous covers and the characters acted more like third graders than kids in high school. One I was particularly disappointed with had a really catchy cover and a clever idea, but the book was amazingly dull. But I don’t want to spend my time writing about these. Instead I am telling you what I see as the most promising, and definitely worth your time.

My review of “Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Moving Day” by Meg Cabot (March 2008, ages 8-12, 240 pages, $15.99):

Okay, Meg Cabot doesn’t exactly need any help from me, what with all her success from her Princess Diaries dynasty, but I have to say I really enjoyed this book, even though it isn’t a YA but a middle reader novel. In a way it’s a typical tale: little girl has to move, doesn’t want to, tries to ambush things, ends up happy after all. BUT Meg creates such a great character in Allie, that you forget the familiar plot and get lost in the fun and the honesty of this age group. Who wouldn’t love a kid that schemes to rescue the turtle from the decorative pond at Lung Chung Chinese Restaurant before someone orders the turtle soup?

This is really funny and endearing stuff, and I have to admit it reminds me of the prickly, funky little kid I used to be. So I recommend this for any of the 7-11 year olds in your life. A quick, funny and satisfying read.