Perfect on Paper

Gr 9 Up–Most people know Darcy Phillips as the science teacher’s daughter and a junior at St. Deodetus School. They don’t know that she has a secret: She is the person behind Locker 89, the wildly popular relationship advice column. She is anonymous until she is caught by Alexander Brougham, a senior boy who wants her to coach him on how to win back his girlfriend. Missteps and communication lapses ensue, which provide both comedic relief and dramatic moments. Issues of sexuality, morality, truth, friendship, biphobia, and confidentiality all play major roles in the story. Darcy is bisexual and in love with her best friend, Brooke, who is a lesbian; Darcy’s sibling is transitioning; and the school’s Queer and Questioning Club plays an integral part in the story. Barrie Kreinik’s skill with accents and voice differentiation makes it wonderfully clear who is speaking. Darcy in particular is read with a friendly approachability that makes her instantly relatable. Although Locker 89 makes her the Queen of Relationship Advice, Darcy feels confusion and despair about her own relationships—conveyed deftly via Kreinik’s empathetic portrayal. Darcy and Alexander are white; Brooke is Asian American.