JULEP O’TOOLE

Middle school just makes life tougher in this third installment of Trueit’s Julep O’Toole series. This time Julep tries to boost her grades by getting involved in the school play. When she bombs in her audition and winds up on the stage crew, she wants out, but when she’s suddenly appointed assistant director, things get interesting. As her wacky friends zone out all around her and even their teacher/director must withdraw, it’s left to Julep to try to hold the play together, although Julep, along with most of her friends, can’t seem to do anything right. Trueit displays a deft hand for zingy comic writing that easily hits her target audience. Typical middle-school types, including faculty, get just a touch of extra eccentricity in this non-stop romp through insecurity, bravado and sheer panic. Even a bit of insight finds its place amid the slapstick and wit. Pure fun. (Fiction. 8-12)