Me & Miranda Mullaly

Gr 6–8—Miranda stops Sam from putting a tack on Duke's chair in biology class to avoid an annoying ruckus, but this incident makes Miranda seem instantly attractive to the two boys, as well as classmate Chollie. Hoping to gain her attention, the three join student council, the school musical, and various groups in which Miranda participates. This often ends in a spectacularly humorous fashion, such as when all three decide to win her favor by shoveling her family's driveway. The boys' obsession culminates at the school dance, where, of course, only one of them can end up with her. Told from multiple perspectives but in a straight-forward, easy-to-follow way, this novel highlights the various personalities of the boys and fills a need for humorous books about romance in middle school. The cover is brilliant, as both basketball and mischievous uses of toilet paper play a role in the story. Like Alexander Vance's The Heartbreak Messenger (Feiwel & Friends, 2013) and Tommy Greenwald's "Charlie Joe Jackson" series (Roaring Brook), this is a lively tale of misunderstandings and misguided attempts to get the girl. While the characters could have been more likable, they are well drawn and the situations are believable and show an understanding of the inner workings of middle school.