GEEKTASTIC

This disastrous collection of stories sets out to show the depth and coolness of unpopular geeks and nerds, but instead it presents tired stereotypes in writing that fulfills an audience of authors and librarians rather than teens. There are a few standouts, like the stories by Kelly Link and Cassandra Clare, which have sympathetic characters who just happen to engage in geek activities. A few others, like those by Wendy Mass and David Levithan, show that the term “geek” extends beyond Star Trek to various academic disciplines. More than one story requires knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show that went off the air when most of this book’s target audience was ten years old. Teens who are not already entrenched in geek culture, which in most of these stories means obsession with science-fiction and fantasy worlds, will have a hard time following, much less understanding most of these stories. Even with the authors’ name recognition, this collection’s appeal is limited at best. (Short stories. 14 & up)