My Kind of Crazy

March 14, 2016
In this debut novel, Reul crafts a romantic hero who is valiant, sensitive, self-deprecating, and a little confused about which girl he wants to date. Aspiring comic-book artist Hank Kirby nearly burns down the house of his dream prom date, Amanda, with a sparkler-related proposal gone wrong, and flees the scene. But there's a witness: Peyton, a strange, pyromaniac girl from school who sees a kindred spirit in Hank and suddenly wants to be his friend. Hank's self-deprecating narration is consistently funny ("She pulls away from the windowâprobably to call the fire department. We should probably talk about prom another time"), bringing a lightness to a story that also delves into loss, grief, parental negligence, and mental health. Beyond Peyton's inability to stay away from matches, she's dealing with a drug-addicted mother; Hank has major tragedy in his past, too, and he finds an unexpected confidante in Peyton, even as he continues to pursue Amanda. The road to romance between Hank and Peyton may be bumpy for them, but readers should find it entirely enjoyable. Ages 14âup. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Leigh Feldman Literary.

February 15, 2016
A young man without direction unknowingly finds it when he comes up with a harebrained scheme to ask a girl to prom. Following an online suggestion, Hank plants sparklers in the lawn of Amanda Carlisle's house--sparklers that spell out "PROM." When the sparklers start a fire, Hank hightails it, but there were two witnesses: Amanda and someone else. That witness is Peyton, a loner who likes to start fires. While Amanda launches a website to find out her secret admirer, Hank spends time with Peyton and his friend Nick, discovering he has a connection with Peyton. But Nick likes Peyton, too, and Hank knows he has nothing to offer anyone; not with his drunk father, who has resented Hank ever since the death of Hank's mother and brother. When Amanda announces the winner of a date to prom with her, the relationships among Hank and his friends will change, and Hank just might discover how much he has to offer. While Hank makes for a flat protagonist and his father is two-dimensional, such secondary characters as Peyton and Nick shine (the cast is largely white). Still, it's a sweet story, and there are engaging enough twists to keep readers turning the pages. A sensitive look at two teens with complicated histories learning to build a future together. (Fiction. 14-18)

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March 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Hank Kiby's promposal has gone wrong-starting a fire in Amanda Carlisle's front yard, wrong. Hank thinks he has managed to escape without being seen when a witness pops up, Peyton Breedlove. Rather than turning Hank in, she believes she has found a fellow pyromaniac. The two fall into a friendship that ultimately leads to something more. Hank wants to rescue Peyton from her abusive home life, while he struggles with his own alcoholic father. Mature language appears throughout the text as well as mature settings, such as the club where Hank's father's girlfriend is an exotic dancer. The lack of consequences for a variety of incidents, such as Hank's accidental arson and decision to let Peyton take merchandise without paying from the grocery store where he works, is unsettling but realistic. Astute readers will see Peyton's cries for help in her fire-setting tendencies and in an emotional moment when she lies about her mother pinning her down to violently cut off her hair. No mention is given of getting Peyton help or following up with a professional. Messy ends are tied up too neatly, and the book concludes on a fizzle rather than a bang. VERDICT The plot will appeal to readers, but lack of exploration into deeper issues limits this to larger collections.-Carrie Fox, South Park High School, PA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Hank wants to impress Amanda with an unforgettable invitation to prom, and while he certainly makes an impression, it's not the one he hoped for. When using sparklers to spell out the word prom, he accidentally sets fire to a large tree in her front yard. Returning later to see if he dropped one of the boxes of sparklers, he runs into Peyton, a nascent pyromaniac, who witnessed his disastrous attempts. Fearing she will turn him in, he starts hanging around with her and finds that her life is even more messed up than his. But Peyton loves Hank's art and the comic he is creating, and she encourages him to apply to art school in Boston. Hank starts to wonder. Does Peyton, in the words of his father's girlfriend, get his kind of crazy? With its offbeat characters and quirky romance, this first novel is sure to appeal to readers who enjoy Frank Portman, KL Going, Ned Vizzini, and Rainbow Rowell.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)