Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles

April 2, 2007
British novelist Durrant ("Having It and Eating It", for adults) makes a splash this side of the pond with this cheeky romantic comedy for teens. The 14-year-old narrator sets the stage at the outset by welcoming readers to the "very private notebook of Constance de Bellechasse. Also known as Connie Pickles." In a series of entries that range from the woefully endearing to the downright hilarious, Connie recounts her attempts at finding a suitable man for her widowed mother. "Requirements: 1) Money. 2) Experience with small children. 3) French connections." As her matchmaking schemes grow progressively more complicated, so does her need to keep her intentions hidden from all parties involved. On top of everything else, her best friend, William, seems to have a crush on her; her neighbor Delilah is becoming a slut despite Connie's attempts to salvage Delilah's reputation; and the heroine's maturing body requires a bra. Although light and fluffy in the telling, Connie's quest is deep-rooted, and her eventual epiphanies feel tried and true. Readers will enjoy the zippy British slang peppered throughout, and the surprise mushy ending may well send eager hearts aflutter. Ages 12-up. "(Apr.)" .

June 1, 2007
Gr 6-9-Connie Pickles, 14, is a nerdy London girl who loves French culture and dreams of one day reuniting with her grandparents, the exotic de Bellechasses. Inspired by Nancy Mitford's "The Blessing", Connie decides to help fix her widowed mother's bad luck with men and find her a suitable husband. After creating a list of qualities such as being financially stable, hunky, and a French buff, she and her best friend devise plans to con the unsuspecting suitors into meeting her mom. As disaster and hilarity become inevitable, Connie must figure out how to undo what has been done. Readers are sure to relate to the protagonist. Lonely, confused, and an outcast, she has to deal with issues of love, sex, puberty, honesty, and being a good friend. The climactic party at a friend's house, which involves heavy drinking, seems wild for this audience but Connie is always an observer with a mature outlook. She and Julie discuss the pressure of partying and how it is not for everyone. The book hits contemporary issues with a subplot that deals with Connie's feelings about a vague, ongoing overseas war. The diary format makes the text heartfelt and realistic. An enjoyable, lighthearted read."Jessica Lamarre, Medford Public Library, MA"

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