Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

October 13, 2014
It’s Christmas Eve, and high schooler Chloe has to work all day at the local supermarket, along with a quirky assortment of cashiers, stockers, and baggers—especially handsome Tyson, who she has a big crush on. Then the store manager discovers that someone has stolen nearly $10,000 from the Christmas charity box, and decides to hold all of the employees in the break room until the police arrive or someone confesses. These unusual circumstances lend themselves to weird conversations, supermarket games, romantic encounters, a diabetes scare for Chloe, and speculation on who is behind the theft. Czukas (Ask Again Later) gives Chloe the oft-seen penchant for making lists; many are funny—“Newborn giraffes” tops the list of “Things That Are Less Awkward Than Getting Caught Riding Through the Store in a Shopping Cart in Front of Your (Angry) Boss”—though their frequency occasionally frustrates the book’s momentum. This aside, Chloe’s narration is upbeat and entertaining, Czukas’s characters are memorably eccentric, and the mystery about who stole the money pushes readers along in this sweet comedy. Ages 13–up. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency.

October 1, 2014
A bookish, diabetic newcomer to her neighborhood lives through one difficult day at the grocery store where she works. It's Christmas Eve, so all hands are called to work at GoodFoods, starting early in the morning. Chloe works as a checker there, and she's not too surprised to find that all the "Younglings" (as Chloe's favorite shift manager calls them) will be working with her all day. Despite the annoying Christmas music playing throughout the store, all goes fairly well until a TV crew arrives for the opening of the charity box, only to find that the box is nearly empty when it should have held nearly $10,000. Now all under suspicion, the Younglings are held after closing time, waiting for the police to arrive. The wait grows into hours, and Chloe begins to suffer from low blood sugar, but she doesn't want to reveal her diabetes to anyone. Czukas writes in a chatty, engaging style that makes Chloe's present-tense account a quick, enjoyable read; Chloe's compulsive list-making adds some fun. Both the hunt for the thief and Chloe's impending diabetic crash contribute to the suspense. The real charm of the book is its character study of Chloe and her hesitant outreach to the other characters; although billed as a romance, this is a book about forming friendships. Charming, fun and insightful. (Fiction. 12-18)

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November 15, 2014
Grades 6-9 Chloe is a dedicated list-maker and mystery fan, two traits that will come in handy this Christmas Eve, when she and five coworkers at GoodFoods Market are detained by the regional manager on suspicion of stealing thousands of dollars intended for charity. But before sheor the readerscan get to the resolution of this sweet blend of Nancy Drew and The Breakfast Club, they are treated to the everyday quirks and inside scoop on a day in the life of a cashier with a hefty crush on a bagger, and the practicalities of living with diabetes. The six younglings accused of the crime begin the day as coworkers but leave it as friends: three guys and three girls, each with distinct enough traits to easily distinguish one from another. They're likable and realistically flawed enough to pull them out of what could be stereotypical roles. Readers looking for a breezy read with a little romance, a little mystery, and a little holiday cheer will be more than satisfied.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)