Friend Is Not a Verb

April 26, 2010
Offbeat characters, an intriguing mystery, and a sweet romance make Ehrenhaft’s (That’s Life, Samara Brooks) coming-of-age story stand out. When 16-year-old Hen’s older sister returns after a year on the lam, she won’t tell him what she and her friends did to become fugitives. In between bass practice, dog walking, and spending an awful lot of time with his best friend, Emma, Hen tries to sort out the mystery, which only deepens when Sarah disappears again. Readers may tire of the narrator’s voice that Hen starts hearing in his head halfway through (it’s that of Jim Forbes, of VH1’s Behind the Music, giving a fictional account of Hen’s band’s rise to fame). But Hen has a pleasantly deadpan sense of humor, and the supporting characters are entertaining (Hen’s father insists Hen “declare” his paltry dogwalking income, while his self-absorbed ex writes that she broke up with him “because you were never all that into me,” even while telling him who he really loves). The mystery—and romance—wrap up rather neatly, but readers should be impressed by the clever surprise ending. Ages 12–up.

May 1, 2010
Gr 7 Up-Rock-star wannabe Henry Birnbaum is dumped by his girlfriend, abruptly ending his gig as bass player in her band. After a pity party with gal-pal Emma, he goes home to learn that his older sister has returned after an unexplained yearlong absence, along with four friends. Bewildered that sunny-as-ever Sarah won't reveal where she has been, and suspicious that his parents are keeping him out of the loop, Hen hits a new high where angst is concerned. Using bass lessons as a ruse, he grills Sarah's friend Gabriel about the mysterious lost year and, getting nowhere, impulsively steals the tight-lipped musician's diary. Hen shares passages with Emma, but the puzzle pieces don't fit, and no one seems surprised when Sarah disappears again. Readers will be emotionally invested in Hen, a somewhat frenetic music geek who connects every thought with a song title, band, or piece of rock trivia. Chapters are peppered with Facebook postings, pop-culture references, diary entries, and dialogue that is acerbic at times, vulnerable at others. Hen rides typical teen waves of rejection and acceptance, dodging critical parents, missing romantic cues from Emma, and willing to be led around by the nose by Petra for a second chance at stardom. Bass lessons with Gabriel morph into therapy sessions and, by the time Hen learns the truth about Sarah, there is a sense that he has regained control of his life. While the plot is a bit far-fetched, fans of Blake Nelson's "Destroy All Cars" (Scholastic, 2009) or John Green's "An Abundance of Katherines" (Dutton, 2006) will enjoy Ehrenhaft's similar witty style."Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY"

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