Told in diary format, this lightweight, faintly amusing slice-of-life novel chronicles the ups and downs of a confused, lovelorn high-school senior. After being dumped by her off-to-college boyfriend, who is looking to begin campus life “free and clear” of emotional entanglements, Courtney is so upset that she decides to spare herself future heartbreak by swearing off boys for the rest of the year. To take up the slack, she decides to concentrate on her academic career, getting involved with student government while continuing to work at the Truth or Dairy, an ice-cream-cum-health-food snack shop. But the course of true non-involvement does not run smoothly either, and complications on the work, home, and student government fronts soon ensue. Moreover, it's clear that fellow student Grant is romantically interested, and eventually, Courtney must decide if the involvement is worth the risk. While Clark deserves kudos for her delivery of a pitch-perfect, self-absorbed teenage voice, her protagonist has little emotional range, and the wafer-thin secondary characters that surround her similarly lack depth. Wearisome in spots and straining for laughs, this novel's main strength is its hip, airy tone and accessible subject matter. (Fiction. 13-15)
Pub Date: May 31, 2000
ISBN: 0-380-81443-9
Page Count: 192
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A collection of clear-eyed stories that are full of promise. In ``Pillow Talk,'' Lise's father is on his third wife but she is on her first boyfriend—or is Mathias something more or less than that? An intoxicating trip to Paris opens Wes's eyes to the human depths of his lesbian parents in ``Lezboy.'' The powerful novella, ``Locker-Room Talk,'' is a disturbing look at the act of sexual harassment from the boys' perspective: Mary Fortunato, called Fat-U-Know, has enormous breasts, and the teasing, foul comments of two classmates escalate into a nasty practical joke that ends in tragedies large and small. Reality definitely bites here—it's sickening how little the boys understand their actions or the consequences. All the stories are written in the first person; each teenager is engaging in a dialogue and love affair with an emerging self. They and their families are wrestling with the rest of life as well as adolescence, in stories that hone in on a moment in time and map from it a future of myriad possibilities. (Short stories. 13-15)
Pub Date: June 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-385-32271-2
Page Count: 223
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
What’s a great way for a high school boy to meet girls and make good money over the summer? Become a nanny, or, as Jeremy puts it, a “Manny.” Shrugging off the derisive laughter of his friends, Jeremy nabs a job taking care of four-year old Aspen. He finds himself making $150 per week, a fortune, and living in luxury at an exclusive beach resort. Jeremy does meet girls and even finds an exotic, beautiful, rich girlfriend, but becomes real friends with Liz, a plain, poor girl. When some impulsive choices shatter both relationships, Jeremy must decide what’s most important to him. Veteran author Thomson’s flowing writing style keeps her reader interested throughout, as she finds humor with well-developed characters placed in realistic situations. The story remains insightful and very funny, making for a real winner of a comedy-drama. First class. (Fiction. 13-15)
Pub Date: May 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-525-47413-7
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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