THE BOY PROBLEM

Middle schooler Tabitha, Kara’s BFF from The Boy Project (2012), is looking for a boyfriend in this perky sequel.

Boy-crazy Tabitha is a big believer in signs as predictors of the future. In the opening scene, she decides that the spilled pizza cheese is an indicator that there is a Mr. Right for her after all. Though a smidge gushy and dramatic, Tabitha never lacks smarts. She uses all manner of data-collecting devices to figure out how to find her Mr. Right, from surveys and cootie catchers to the Magic 8 Ball. When she learns that her relatives have been hit by a hurricane, Tabitha and her best friends bake cupcakes as a fundraiser for her cousin’s school. Predicting which cupcake flavors will be the most popular conveniently becomes her math-probability assignment, and all this ultimately helps solve the boy puzzle. The novel is liberally decorated with drawings and charts and rolls out in a chatty journal format. Tabitha’s impulsiveness is tempered by maturing introspection and quirky observations: “It seems like the sky is the world’s largest mood ring and it’s currently displaying my mood to the entire world.” As the girls struggle to make their fundraising goal, they learn about handling competition, working in partnership and even a little something about cyberbullying.

For any spirited, entrepreneurial teen that’s ever had a crush, this sweet read is sprinkled with lessons on life, love and business.