Amy's Diary #1: Space Alien...Almost? (1)

At fourteen, Amy Van Brandt doesn't feel particularly close to anyone. Since her father died, her mother has become some sort of a zombie, except all of a sudden, she's back to life (and even wearing edgy underwear!). Could there be a connection with Dennis Belcher, the school principal? (OMG!) As for her best friend, Kat, love has rendered her brain uncharacteristically mushy. No way that's happening to her, either! But it seems no one is truly safe from love at first sight... And in the middle of all this chaos, there's only one thing Amy really wants: to find her place in the universe.\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 5-8-Amy is a middle school student whose life has been getting more complicated lately. She's been fighting with her best friend Kat, she's been struggling to keep her grades up, and her mother is starting to date again. After making fun of girls (like Kat) who are boy-crazy, Amy meets a boy who makes her realize that romance isn't a bad idea after all. Published originally as a series of French novels, the story alternates between excerpts from Amy's diaries and comic book panels. The book has plenty of visual appeal, with bright colors and doodles scrawled throughout the journal entries. Amy's mixed emotions about boys, her best friend's taste in boys, and her mother's dating habits will resonate with young people. The humor also rings true, and readers will feel for Amy as she copes with pimples or runs away when a cute boy talks to her. Unfortunately, some of the cultural references are outdated (Britney Spears songs, Dance Dance Revolution, One Tree Hill). VERDICT For middle school students looking for a sweet tale about the highs and lows of adolescence.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Libraryα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.