The Fine Art of Pretending

Gr 9 Up—Aly wants to lighten up and have more fun her senior year. To do this, she decides to shed her image as a serious girl and become a "casual." She starts with skimpy clothes, makeup, and wearing her hair loose instead of in a ponytail. She makes more effort to get involved in social events. She jumps into the lake for a game of chicken and takes the stage for karaoke. And she asks her best friend, cute-boy Brandon, to be her pretend boyfriend so other boys will see her as datable. The friends soon begin to fall for each other, not realizing that the other feels the same way. Chapters alternate between the two teens. The voices are clearly distinct. Aly's voice is peppered with "Holy cannoli" while Brandon employs dude-bro speak and swearing. Brand names and specific pop-culture references feature heavily. There are mild references to sex, virginity, and drinking beer at a house party, but no serious or explicit exploration of these themes. There are also references to attending church, but only as a social, not religious, space. Adults play minor but positive roles. Fans of light teen romance will find just what they're looking for in this confection.—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK