Giant Days, by John Allison

Hands down, my favorite Back To School book isn't even a book...it's an entire series! 

I was introduced to Giant Days, the college-themed graphic novel saga by John Allison, when it caught my curious eye on the New Book shelf. This way back in 2016, and I've since re-read it twice and am on my third re-read. The plot follows the misadventures of Esther, Susan, and Daisy, three unlikely friends braving the (sometimes calm, but often turbulent) college waters. The quirky, slice-of-life humor and character interactions/relationships is very reminiscent of the TV show, Friends. At least it was to me. Which is what got me hooked.

Because this is a series, I couldn't even begin to describe everything that happens...or even one particular plotline. But I will say that Giant Days is just a lot of fun and a series you really can't go wrong with. And (BONUS!) you'll be happy to learn that this series is not only several volumes long, but it's complete. Not a cliffhanger in sight. So, that said, it's safe to binge away!

--AJB

The Moth Diaries, by Rachel Klein

It's always hard when someone you always thought was your BFF suddenly drops you for a new BFF. But just how far would you be willing to go to win back your friend? And what about the person your friend has replaced you with? Let's consult Rachel Klein's short, but suspenseful novel The Moth Diaries for the more dysfunctional approach.

Upon returning to her exclusive private school, an unnamed narrator is obviously upset when her longtime BFF, Lucy, is suddenly more interested in hanging out with mysterious new girl, Ernessa. Sure, our girl could have tried to befriend Ernessa as well. She could have suggested the three of them go grab a coffee together or something. But no... Instead she observes, spies, stalks, sneaks, and, like a twisted version of Nancy Drew, records all she sees in her journal (which is what we have here). And she reaches the unlikely conclusion that Ernessa is secretly a vampire who has chosen Lucy as her next victim. And we're not talking the sort of Vamp who is the stuff of a Mid-2000s paranormal romance novel, but the real sort. The scary sort. (so no sparkles here)

I know, right. It sounded crazy to me too. But as I read the "evidence" in this journal, I became increasingly convinced that maybe, just maybe, the narrator was on to something here. Maybe. I won't say more. I won't spoil. You'll have to read The Moth Diaries for yourself and see what you think: Is Ernessa really a vampire? Or is she just a somewhat strange girl who innocently happened to get between an unstable and unreliable narrator and her Bestie?

I won't tell you what conclusion I arrived at. But I can recommend it as a great read!

--AJB

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, by Maya Van Wagenen

Today we travel into the realm of true stories with Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, by Maya Van Wagenen.  Think a book is just a book and can't change your life? You may have a different opinion after reading this:

Penned when the author was still in middle school, Popular details how a teen who began at the bottom of the social ladder gained confidence and popularity using a surprising tool: A how-to-be-popular guide from the 1950s.

When Maya ended her seventh grade year, she claimed she was only a little more popular than substitute teachers (so not at all). She wasn't bullied or anything. She just didn't exist. Then her dad discovered Betty Cornell's Teenage Popularity Guide while cleaning, Maya thought, "Why not?". She decided to try an experiment: Going through the book chapter by chapter and incorporating tools like can curlers, pearls, proper diet & exercise, and other things suggested by the book, Maya gains confidence and develops a whole new outlook. And, naturally, the way the world responds to her changes as well. Does Maya become Queen Bee of her school? Maybe her transformation was not quite that extreme (because that sort of thing only happens in 80s movies), but it was certainly an improvement. So her experiment was a success. More so than she ever could have imagined. Maya even gets to meet her hero, the author of the book that changed her life for the better. So an extra happy ending!

Popular is a fun read. Maya is very likable and her writing style is so accessible you don't even realize you're reading nonfiction.

100% recommended!

--AJB

Withering Tights, by Louise Rennison

Admittedly, yesterday's featured book, although awesome, was pretty serious and heavy. And there was virtually nothing cute or fun about it aside from an ambiguously hopeful ending.

Today, to make up for yesterday's bookish seriousness, I'm going the opposite route with Withering Tights, a comedy of errors by Louise Rennison. This fabulous book stars Talulluah Casey, a charming and quirky aspiring actress who hopes to get her Big Break while attending the famed arts academy, Dother Hall...or at the very least not break anything. Bones or otherwise.  But even more so than fame, Talullah hopes to meet some snogworhy boys ("Snogging" for those not in the know is the same as kissing...so yes, this IS a "Kissing Book"). This book details the misadventures of Talullah and her bonkers friends during their first year at Dother Hall. Oh...and there are squirrels, owls, Irish dancing, and an abundance of British slang to boot. This one had me literally laughing out loud. 

To say any more would spoil everything.

This one is 100% recommended!

-AJB

If I Was Your Girl, by Meredith Russo

With school starting up next week (already? I know! I can't believe it either), I thought I'd post some reviews of books about people going back to school.

Meredith Russo's amazing book If I Was Your Girl casts the spotlight on a very real issue facing, not just teens, but people of all ages: Identity. 

After some trouble that left her physically and emotionally scarred, Amanda is getting ready to begin a new school in a new town. No one knows her here. No one knows what happened before. No one knows who Amanda used to be. And although Amanda is still apprehensive about trusting people, she sees this move as the perfect opportunity to leave her past behind and make a fresh start.

She didn't foresee Grant or that she would fall for him...or he her. For most other girls, the possibility of a new romance with a handsome jock wouldn't be an issue, but for Amanda it comes with a whole lot of potential problems. Because Amanda has a secret that would change everything:

Amanda used to be Andrew.

This is a secret Amanda would do anything to protect, because the bullying backlash of her coming out was so severe she was forced to leave not only her old school, but her old town. For the first time, she's happy in her new life, and she doesn't want history to repeat itself. But the closer she gets to Grant, the harder it is for her to keep her identity (and her past) a secret.

If I Was Your Girl was astonishingly good! It perfectly (I imagine) paints a stark and real portrait of what it's like to be a Transgender teen in a world that can still be pretty harsh and unaccepting of such a status (although, fortunately, things are much better today than they were when I was a teen in the 90s). Amanda is a character readers will want to root for and see her finally get her Happily Ever After...or at least find a happy place where she can 100% be herself. 

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for the courage to be themselves, whatever that might mean to you. --AJB