Teen Idol

Cabot, Meg. Teen Idol. 2004. 304p. ISBN 9780060096168. 

Jenny Greenley is everyone's friend at Clayton High School. Regardless of cliques, sports, or tastes in music, Jenny gets along with everyone, and no one has a bad thing to say about Jenny. She's so good, in fact, that no one has ever asked her out on a date. Who would want to date their friend? Despite this not so little hurdle, Jenny is enjoying her junior year. Her favorite activity is to serve as the school newspaper's anonymous advice columnist, a position that she takes very seriously. In fact, not even her best friend knows she's the person behind the Ask Annie column.

Jenny is surprised to be called to the main office to attend a hush hush meeting. During this meeting, the principal reveals that America's favorite actor and teenage hottie Luke Striker will be attending Clayton High School for a few weeks as an undercover student, and the principal would like Jenny to be his buddy. Luke is getting ready to film a high school comedy, and he wants to immerse himself in the life of a high school to prepare. Jenny is sworn to secrecy, but she's confused as to how no one will know it's Luke Striker, especially best friend Trina, who knows everything there is to know about Luke Striker! 

Surprisingly, however, though everyone notices Luke, no one identifies him as the actor. Everyone wants to know who the cool guy is, but that's about it. Luke, however, is surprised at the behavior of students in the cafeteria in particular, and in classrooms in general, and he points out to Jenny that she could effect changes if she wanted. Will Jenny accept advice from a stranger, change life at her school, and find true love in the process?

Fans of romantic comedy will appreciate this fun story. Though it's hard to believe Luke would not be recognized, the characters are all too human, with their strengths and weaknesses, and their foibles are entertaining throughout the story. Let all jazz hands unite and enjoy Jenny's junior year!

Turtles All the Way Down

Green, John. Turtles All the Way Down. 2017. 286p. ISBN 978-0-525-55536-0. Available on the library shelves at FIC GRE.

Aza has problems. She’s worried she doesn’t really exist, and instead is a collection of bacteria that control her body. Deadly afraid of catching Clostridium Difficile (c. diff) or any other bacteria-caused disease, Aza obsesses on her stomach bacteria and has difficulty connecting to the world around her. Daisy, her best friend and Star Wars fanfiction writer, does enough talking for the both of them to keep many a conversation going.

When Daisy brings up the strange disappearance of billionaire entrepreneur Russell Pickett, Aza is not too interested. Russell Pickett vanished from his mansion, located across the river from Aza, during the night. Investigated for fraud and other white collar crimes, Pickett was rumored to be close to being indicted and taken to court. His disappearance has left shareholders, the public, and his own family confused. Did he run away? If so, why hasn’t he contacted his own sons? Daisy pushes the issue, however, for Aza and Davis Pickett spent time together when they were younger, and there is a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Russell Pickett. With that kind of money, both girls would be a long way towards affording college.

Aza can’t focus on this case, however. Davis, like her, suffers on the inside. He misses his father, and he has to act as his brother’s dad. He always feels under surveillance by the mansion’s staff. He’d rather spend time gazing at the stars than worrying about what is happening here on Earth. Aza’s problems also plague her daily existence. Trips to her psy do not ease her worries, and her medication is not working properly, perhaps because Aza is not consistently taking it. Either way, both of them are lost, and they have found each other again.

With the entire Pickett estate scheduled to go Robert’s favorite pet, a tuatara, resolving the disappearance of the man would lead to economic hardships for his sons, but freedom from the worries. For Aza, there is no such freedom from her own thoughts, which spiral inwards ever so tightly. As Davis and Aza attempt to deal with their issues, the world continues to move. Will they manage to escape their dreadful spirals?