Summer Boys #1
Grade 9 Up–In what could almost be the novelization of a yet-to-be-produced WB series, three cousins embrace summer romance in their pursuit of various hot guys while vacationing in Maine. Characterization relies heavily on teen-magazinelike descriptions ("she was more an Avril than a Christina"), and most chapters begin with lengthy wardrobe summaries. Despite the superficiality, however, each of the girls' situations holds some interest, particularly in the realistic ways they mature throughout. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and sexuality are contextualized in a matter-of-fact way, with only a hint of after-school-special didacticism. Don't look for substance, but this is nonetheless an acceptable addition for teens looking for escapist beach reading.–Rhona Campbell, Washington DC Public LibraryCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.