Beyond Clueless

Gr 8 Up—When Martha (Marty) and Jimmy—BFFs since fifth grade—head to different high schools, their lives begin to change. Jimmy, acknowledging that he's gay, falls for Derek, and Marty fears that she'll be replaced. Obsessed by Broadway musicals, she auditions for Into the Woods at her all-girls' school, encouraging Jimmy and his new friends to do likewise. She and Derek are cast, her cellist friend Xiang opts to play in the orchestra, and Jimmy and his friend Oliver agree to be assistant directors. Totally smitten with gorgeous Felix Peroni, (typecast as The Wolf), Marty agrees to a backstage secret romance, unaware that he is two-timing her. Finally jolted back to reality, she discovers that someone else has cared about her all along. The well-paced story with its typical adolescent behavior—sexting, swearing, sneaking out, underage drinking, making out—will ring true with teens, and its plot twists and turns will maintain high interest. The theatrical setting will appeal to stage-struck young adults, and the ultimately positive parent/kid relationships will resonate with readers. While less overt than David Leviathan's Hold Me Closer (Dutton, 2015), Alsenas's title offers practical, kid-appropriate advice on the value of friendship and the importance of self-knowledge.