Planet Middle School

Gr 5-8—Joylin, 12, has always been comfortable in her own skin. Then strange things start to happen. She begins to notice boys; her forever friend and b-ball buddy, Jake, begins to treat her differently on the court; and Joylin and her best girlfriend, Kaylee, develop different interests. Joylin feels like an "alien" who finds herself in "Planet Middle School" by mistake, "searching for that spaceship/that's gonna take me home." She tries to morph from a tomboy in baggy jeans and an old T-shirt into someone more feminine, trying lipstick, heels, and a skirt, each with disastrous results. That she emerges from these oh-so-embarrassing episodes effectively provides reassurance and hope. Joylin's voice is revealed in spare, well-paced verse. Her recognizable emotions and actions become tangible as she learns that appearances are not always what they seem; that staying true to one's self is ultimately the most successful way to grow and mature. Young and adult characters are plausible, likable, and supportive of one another. For example, when Joylin realizes that the object of her infatuation does not reciprocate, her mother holds her "close/long enough for me to leave/a puddle on her shoulder, /long enough for me to feel/some of the hurt drain away." The story is by turns touching and laugh-out-loud funny, and readers will appreciate the time they spend with Joylin, her family, and her friends as they live, grow, and learn as individuals and together.—Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at Washington DC Public Library