Geek Charming

Gr 9 Up—Dylan Shoenfield is the stereotypical "popular girl" at Castle Heights High. Spoiled and shallow, she's obsessed with high fashion, maintaining her position on the top of the social ladder, and with dating the most popular guy in school. Enter Josh Rosen, self-proclaimed film geek, who uses his inhaler to calm his social anxiety. When Josh helps Dylan retrieve her expensive handbag from the mall fountain, he uses this good deed as an opportunity to get Dylan to agree to let him film her for a documentary on popularity that he hopes will help get him accepted into film school. Circumstance places the two teens in the position where they get to know one another and learn that they are each more than meets the eye. Palmer's story (Speak, 2009), told in alternating chapters by Dylan and Josh, is light, funny, and avoids being predictable. Jessica Almasy's narration has a fresh and lively feel. She keeps Dylan sounding sincere as opposed to annoying, and easily transitions into voicing Josh. Give this to fans of Lisi Harrison's "The Clique" series or Meg Cabot titles.—Rebecca Flannery, Lyman Memorial High School, Lebanon, CT