Your Life, but Better

April 19, 2010
Velasquez, who has written books in the Maya and Miguel series, kicks off the Find Yourself Inside series with a girl-focused choose your own adventure-type story. Written in the second person, the story places readers in the role of a 12-year-old girl, who is at the mall hoping to win two golden tickets to her classmate Shawna's "ginormous" 13th birthday bash by finding her in disguise and answering trivia questions, a riddle, or completing a dare. She has two best friends to help out, but there are numerous distractions, including her crush ("Jimmy Morehouse, aka the most perfect guy ever"), and an offer from a modeling scout. At the end of each chapter the reader takes a personality quiz (at the mall's food court do you sit "near the Johnny Rockets, where all the popular kids hang out" or "at a two-seater off to the side") to determine which chapter readers should turn to. Saturated with preteen drama, sassy humor, and pop culture references, it's a breezy read, but registers more as a game than a memorable story. Ages 8-12.

February 1, 2010
Gr 5-8-In this ultra-girly, choose-your-own-adventure-style book filled with pop-culture references and over-the-top adolescent drama, the reader is the main character. There are several endings, and the outcome of the story is determined through personality tests at the conclusion of each chapter. If the reader is a huge gossip instead of a girl who minds her own beeswax, the book will allow her to listen in on a conversation instead of walking away. The setting is a mall, with the reader and her "friends" trying to win tickets to a killer 13th birthday party, bumping into a model scout, and attempting to play it cool in front of adorable guys. The content is fluff, but it's just the kind that middle school girls will enjoy, and the quizzes make the book a good sell to reluctant readers. Many might even skip over the filler and simply be entertained taking the personality quizzes."Emily Chornomaz, Brooklyn Public Library, NY"

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