Your Life, but Cooler

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.

November 1, 2010

Gr 5-8-Readers take on the role of the main character in this choose-your-own-adventure-style book. The story's premise centers on spontaneous tryouts for a school choir, including a soloist, that are about to occur. You know you have talent but have doubts about auditioning for the part when your archenemy is competing and her friends are student judges. Also, that cute boy noticed you today. Do you hang with him after school or keep your plans with your longtime crush? Quizzes similar to those in girls' magazines are presented at the end of each chapter, helping kids determine what type of risk they are willing to take. Answers are assigned a point value, with the total indicating which chapter to turn to next. There are many different paths through the story, and all are easy to follow. Most of the transitions are smooth, though some are a bit choppy and may make youngsters feel that they missed important information. However, this will not deter them from plowing through all options in this entertaining narrative. A good choice for reluctant readers or those who are intimidated by books that take a long time to read.-Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL

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