If We Kiss

by Rachel Vail
paperback, CMSW, 259 pages with extras after

What a fun story! It looks like a fluffy piece, but it has some neat ideas in it. There were so many clever jokes that made me laugh out loud (like the cow part at the beginning), but I wonder if teenagers will "get" them.

Basically, Charlotte (aka "Charlie") starts a crush on Kevin (after a quick first kissing session) but before she can tell her best friend, Tess and Kevin are an "item." The pressure builds as Charlie's mom starts dating Kevin's dad. All she can think about is kissing Kevin!

I know that sounds lame and more shallow than The Great Gatsby, which I just panned, but this book is a sweet YA title. When so many teen romance-style books are downright slutty, this one is a breath of fresh air. Charlie struggles with the selfishness of wanting her own way versus being true to her friend. She grows as a character throughout the story and there are some hard lessons learned about honesty and doing the right thing.

Now I hope I can get kids excited about reading it. Truly, it's a better use of their time than the Meg Cabot books!