Me and Miranda Mullaly

February 15, 2016
Smart, talented, and socially conscious eighth grader Miranda Mullaly has no idea that classmates Sam, Duke, and Chollie all have crushes on her. She's too wrapped up in the boyfriend they don't know about. Each boy attempts to win Miranda's heart by vying to become her lab partner, trying out for the school musical, being on student council, and hoping to impress her at the Valentine's Day dance. Their competition peaks during an ill-timed snow battle while shoveling at Miranda's house. It's an amusing rivalry premise told from the three boys' perspectives, with occasional emails and writing assignments providing insights into Miranda. Unfortunately, first-time author Gerhardt's characters are rather two-dimensional: Duke is a short-tempered caricature of nerdiness (who sounds like a grumpy old man using words like "rapscallion" and "hooligans"), while Sam is a typically clueless class clown who knows nothing about girls his age. Luckily, there's good-natured jock Chollie, who may not always say or do the right thing, but who gives the story its emotional heart. Ages 10âup. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

February 1, 2016

Gr 6-8-Miranda stops Sam from putting a tack on Duke's chair in biology class to avoid an annoying ruckus, but this incident makes Miranda seem instantly attractive to the two boys, as well as classmate Chollie. Hoping to gain her attention, the three join student council, the school musical, and various groups in which Miranda participates. This often ends in a spectacularly humorous fashion, such as when all three decide to win her favor by shoveling her family's driveway. The boys' obsession culminates at the school dance, where, of course, only one of them can end up with her. Told from multiple perspectives but in a straight-forward, easy-to-follow way, this novel highlights the various personalities of the boys and fills a need for humorous books about romance in middle school. The cover is brilliant, as both basketball and mischievous uses of toilet paper play a role in the story. Like Alexander Vance's The Heartbreak Messenger (Feiwel & Friends, 2013) and Tommy Greenwald's "Charlie Joe Jackson" series (Roaring Brook), this is a lively tale of misunderstandings and misguided attempts to get the girl. While the characters could have been more likable, they are well drawn and the situations are believable and show an understanding of the inner workings of middle school. VERDICT This is a strong purchase for middle school libraries that will circulate well.-Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH

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