West Bend Community Memorial Library

Tickle My Funny Bone

Drawing a Blank or How I Tried to Solve a Mystery, End a Feud, and Land the Girl of my Dreams by Daniel Ehrenhaft -

Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart - At the Manhattan School for Art and Music, Gretchen Yee wishes that she could be a fly on the wall in the boys' locker room just to learn more about guys. This is the story of how that wish comes true.

Nothing but the Truth and a Few White Lies by Justina Chen Headley - Headley makes an impressive debut with this witty, intimate novel about a self-described "bizarrely tall Freakinstein cobbled together from Asian and white DNA," trying to find her niche. Patty Ho, the 14-year-old narrator feels conspicuously out of place whether she is socializing with her white classmates or among her mother's Taiwanese friends. Headley immediately conveys her heroine's sense of humor when she opens with a "Belly-Button Grandmother" who tells Patty's future by probing her belly. When the woman predicts that Patty will marry a white man, Patty's distraught, divorced mother—who would like nothing more than for her daughter to meet a nice Taiwanese boy—sends Patty to math camp at Stanford University. Despite some misgivings, Patty there finds adventure, romance and a level of freedom and acceptance that she has never experienced before. Guided by her outspoken Asian roommate, a compassionate counselor and an open-minded aunt who lives near the campus, Patty begins to view herself in a new light—not as an oddball, but rather as someone who has inherited the best of two different worlds.

Rich Girls (Confessions of a Teenage Nanny) by Victoria Ashton - Liz Braun and Adrienne Lewis return in this second novel about the agonizing trials, embarrassing tribulations, and wild parties involved with being a teenage nanny.

Manny by Sarah Thomson - A sixteen-year-old New Yorker looks forward to his summer job as a manny, or "male nanny," to an affluent couple's four-year-old in the Hamptons.

Storky: how I lost my nickname and won the girl by Debra Garfinkle - Fourteen-year-old high school student Michael "Storky" Pomerantz's journal describes his freshman year, from dealing with his mother's dating his dentist to attempting to win the heart of the girl he loves.

Girls for Breakfast by David Yoo - As he reflects back on his life in upscale Renfield, Connecticut, on his high school graduation day, Nick Park wonders how much being the only Asian American in school affected his thwarted quest for popularity and a girlfriend.

I am the Wallpaper by Mark Peter Hughes - Thirteen-year-old Floey Packer, jealous of her attractive and popular older sister, shares her home with two younger cousins and experiences a summer vacation filled with embarrassing events, with herself as the star.

Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle - Steven's a 16-year-old boy with two obsessions: sex and getting his driving license. The problem is, Steven's not thinking girls when he's thinking sex. Could he be -- don't say it -- gay? Steven sets out to get in touch with his inner he-man with Healthy Heterosexual Strategies such as "Start Hanging Out with the Guys," and "Begin Intensive Dating." But are Steven's tactics going to straighten him out, or leave him all twisted up? Absolutely hilarious. Positively sidesplitting. But absolutely, positively NOT GAY!

Boy 2 Girl by Terence Blacker - Blacker (The Angel Factory) brings gender bending to a new level of hilarity and suspense in this contemporary novel set in suburban London. Matthew, a Year Eight student, is wary when his parents agree to take custody of Matthew's recently orphaned, "tough-guy" cousin from America. True to his rebellious reputation, 13-year-old Sam (whom Matthew characterizes as "an accident in human form") starts stirring up trouble almost as soon as he arrives, insulting Matthew's family and getting into a brawl with one of Matthew's best friends. To get even, Matthew and his gang of buddies invent an initiation rite for Sam: he must attend his first week of school dressed as a girl. Surprisingly enough, not only does Sam agree to the proposition, but passes his "test" with flying colors. Dressed in a skirt, he fools everyone—teachers, the principal, male and female classmates—into believing he is a sassy, fully liberated young lady, destined to become one of the most popular students at Bradbury Hill School.

LBD Live and Fabulous by Grace Dent - It's been a year since the LBD ("Les Bambinos Dangereuses") saved Blackwell School with their music festival featuring rock god Spike Saunders. Now Ronnie, Fleur, and Claude are on summer break and are soon on their way to the biggest rock festival ever.

Pulling Princes by Tyne O'Connell - When Calypso returns from Los Angeles to her English boarding school for the summer term, she is determined to fit in with the popular crowd. Her plan is to pretend her mother's gay assistant back home is her boyfriend. And to her surprise, the trick works...at least at first. She makes a whole batch of new friends, and even finds herself winning the unwritten contest to woo the prince at the boys' school next door. But one girl, Honey, undermines all her efforts. When Calypso and Prince Freddy end up in the tabloids and everything seems set to go down the drain, it's Calypso's parents and sense of humor that save her from utter humiliation. A fast-paced, laugh-out-loud-funny look at fitting in while still standing out...

King of the Mild Frontier by Chris Crutcher - Do you know: A good reason to be phobic about oysters and olives? That you can step inside a roaring coal furnace and feel cool? That Jesus had an older brother? How shutting your mouth can help you avoid brain surgery? How to avoid cow-pies during your baptism? How to survive in the winter wilderness with only a fishing pole and a sausage? Chris Crutcher knows the answers to these things and more. And once you have read about Chris Crutcher's life as a dateless, broken-toothed, scabbed-over, God-fearing dweeb, and once you have contemplated his ascension to the buckskin-upholstered throne of the King of the Mild Frontier, you will close this book, close your eyes and hold it to your chest, and say, "I, too, can be an author."

Adventures of Blue Avenger by Norma Howe - These are big questions to discuss in a young-adult novel, but they are only a small part of what Norma Howe tackles in The Adventures of Blue Avenger. How did a normal sixteen-year-old boy become the hero of his own comic strip, fall in love with a girl named Omaha Nebraska Brown, and invent a recipe for perfect dripless lemon meringue pie? What does this have to do with the sixteenth-century heretic Giordano Bruno? How can we end the plague of handgun violence in America?A thought-provoking combination of humor, philosophy, and romance, The Adventures of Blue Avenger has something for every teenage reader (and even for a few smart adults).

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen - A classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny new voices. Van Draanen is at her best here with a knockout cast of quirky characters and a hilarious series of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.

The Cannibals: Starring Tiffany Spratt by Cynthia Grant - A real send-up of a California cool blonde, Tiffany vapidly videotapes a journal in an attempt to fulfill an English assignment. She emphatically believes that the window of the soul is not the eyes, but the hair.

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie Tolan - Word is Jack Semple was kicked out of every school in his home state. Now, the only place that will take him is the Creative Academy, a home school run by a chaotic, quarrelsome family named Applewhite. When Jake meets E.D. Applewhite, a scruffy girl longing for order, the only thing they have in common is the determination to survive the family's eccentricities.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen - New to Florida, Roy spots the running boy--running away from the school bus, carrying no books and wearing no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy's trail, which leads him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, and a renegade eco-avenger.

How Angel Peterson Got his Name by Gary Paulson - Tales of high jinx, high spirits, and high fun from the author's own boyhood are presented by the three-time Newbery Honor winner as he shares stories of how boys growing up in a small town in the north woods make their own excitement.

In the Land of the Lawn Weenies by David Lubar - Kids can be such monsters. Literally. From the award-winning author of "Hidden Talents, two remarkable short story collections - "Kidzilla and "The Witch's Monkey - together for the first time. "Plus several brand new stories. Each hilarious and harrowing. A substitute teacher finds out she has some monsters for students. A group of kids attempt a levitation trick with hair-raising results. A neighborhood is so boring the grown ups are turning into...well...you know. And dozens more. So don't be a weenie! Read these stories!

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon - In her first year at a suburban New Jersy high school, Mary Elizabeth Cep, who now calls herself "Lola", sets her sights on the lead in the annual drama production, and finds herself in conflict with the most popular girl in school.

Confess-O-Rama by Ron Koertge - When Tony's mother's fourth husband dies, Tony ends up taking care of his mother and himself. As the new kid in high school, he vows to blend in with the crowd and avoid attachments. But he soon meets Jordan, who's both intriguing and flamboyant, and dressed in black. It's no wonder Tony often dials a self-help hotline called Confess-O-Rama. While Tony pours out his heart and secrets, little does he know that Jordan runs Confess-O-Rama and plans to use all the dialogue for an auditory art exhibit.

My Cup Runneth Over by Cherry Whytock - This humorous young adult take on "Bridget Jones' Diary" introduces Angelica Cookson Potts, who loves food, both cooking it and eating it, and plans to become a famous chef. Angel's own recipes are included.  Look for the sequel, My Scrumptiouis Scottish Dumplings.

Rats saw God by Rob Thomas - Steve York, 18, must write a 100-page paper to make up the credit for a failed English class. He chooses to document his sophomore and junior years, revealing how the gifted National Merit Scholar son of an over-achieving father has become an alienated drug user. As Steve produces an increasingly personal--and hysterically funny--tale of first love and betrayal, he re-examines his notions of truth, friendship, family relationships and love.

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman - Vince Luca is just like any other high school guy. There is just one thing that really sets him apart--his father is the head of a powerful crime organization. When Vince meets a girl, her family turns out to be the biggest problem of all--because her father is an FBI agent. Look for the sequel Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle

Slot Machine by Chris Lynch - Elvin is off, with his two best friends, to a three-week summer camp/orientation for incoming freshmen at an all-male Catholic high school. Unlike Mikie, who is good at whatever he tries, and Frankie, who is Mr. Cool, Elvin is fat, lazy, and self-conscious. Camp proves as dreadful as he has envisioned, as the macho Brothers who serve as coaches and counselors try to make an athlete out of him.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman - Westley . . . handsome farm boy who risks death and much, much worse for the woman he loves; Inigo . . . the Spanish swordsman who lives only to avenge his father's death; Fezzik . . . the Turk, the gentlest giant ever to have uprooted a tree with his bare hands; Vizzini . . . the evil Sicilian, with a mind so keen he's foiled by his own perfect logic; Prince Humperdinck . . . the eviler ruler of Guilder, who has an equally insatiable thirst for war and the beauteous Buttercup; Count Rugen . . . the evilest man of all, who thrives on the excruciating pain of others; Miracle Max. . . the King's ex-Miracle Man, who can raise the dead (kind of); The Dread Pirate Roberts . . . supreme looter and plunderer of the high seas; and, of course, Buttercup . . . the princess bride, the most perfect, beautiful woman in the history of the world.

Odder than Ever by Bruce Coville - A ghost who died under hilarious circumstances haunts a kitchen baking "Biscuits of Glory", while in the grand tale "The Golden Sail", a young teen goes in search of his seafaring father with unexpected consequences.

This Place has No Atmosphere by Paula Danziger - A mischievous spoof of a science fiction novel as well as a warm and funny saga about a teen of the future who is having severe difficulty adjusting to a family move. Aurora's parents are overjoyed to have been invited to inhabit a colony on the moon, but like any teen, Aurora is devastated by the thought of leaving her boyfriend and a school where she feels important. Her trip in the space shuttle is as unhappy as her arrival on the moon, which has No Atmosphere , at least not for Aurora.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck - When Joey and Mary Alice travel from their home in Chicago to their Grandmother's small town, they don't expect the crazy adventures they encounter during the summers they spend visiting her. And each year, the antics get even wackier and the children get an even bigger surprise than the year before. 1999 Newbery Honor Book

Oddballs by William Sleator - With affection and a splendid sense of comic timing, Sleator drags forth incidents from his family closet's darkest recesses--the time young Tycho was hypnotized and then made to drink from the toilet; an indignant skit that laid bare the failings of certain parents, to their vast amusement; rough-and-tumble car games; and deliciously horrifying pranks played on unsuspecting passersby. Vivid characterizations (sister Vicky ``had always enjoyed making dolls fight with each other; when the dolls wore out, she ripped off their arms and legs. Now she is a nurse'') always balance foibles with saving graces; embarrassment is eased by laughter, while painful circumstances always come right in the end. Sleator shows how, in a loosely run household presided over by indulgent working parents, he and his three siblings developed confident, independent spirits. Though he admits to making up a few things, his dedication is telling--``To my family: Please forgive me!''

Lamb: Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore - Everyone knows about the immaculate conception and the crucifixion. But what happened to Jesus between the manger and the Sermon on the Mount? In this hilarious and bold new novel, the acclaimed author Moore shares the greatest story never told: the life of Christ as seen by his boyhood pal, Biff.

Burger Wuss by M.T. Anderson - Hoping to ditch his loser image, Anthony plans revenge on a bully which results in a war between two competing fast food restaurants. Will Anthony's "Plan" satisfy his hunger for revenge? And more importantly, will he ever prove he's not a wuss?

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen - A young boy spends his 10th summer on his aunt and uncle's farm. From sunrise to sunset, his days are filled with back-breaking chores, gut-busting meals, and crazy escapades with his cousin Harris. Master storyteller Paulsen offers a nostalgic and rollicking tale with characters as endearing as Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger - Told in the literary form of letters, notes, and report cards, the story of a boy who lies to a young third baseman about his health to win his gratitude unfolds into his evolution as his friend's personal role model.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Join Douglas Adams's hapless hero Arthur Dent as he travels the galaxy with his intrepid pal Ford Prefect, getting into horrible messes and generally wreaking hilarious havoc. Dent is grabbed from Earth moments before a cosmic construction team obliterates the planet to build a freeway. You'll never read funnier science fiction; Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue.

Never Trust a Dead Man by Vivian Vande Velde - A medieval mystery with a touch of the supernatural. Fellow villagers wrongly accuse Selwyn, 17, of murdering fellow teen Farold and leave him to die in a burial cave alongside his supposed victim's "moldering corpse." During Selwyn's first evening in the chamber, Elswyth (a witch) appears and offers to help him escape if he agrees to work as her servant. Wanting to first clear his name, he asks her to bring the victim back from the dead to reveal his true killer. Unfortunately, the resurrected Farold (who mistakenly ends up in the body of a bat) does not know who killed him and the two enemies who have fought over a shared love interst become unlikely partners in the search for the murderer. Elswyth provides magical disguises so that they may return to their village unnoticed. At one point, the two travel (hardly inconspicuously) as a pilgrim and his bat. Selwyn soon discovers that Farold's shady character has earned him numerous enemies but he eventually solves the mystery and wins his freedom. Vande Velde successfully weaves humor with suspense throughout the story. Selwyn and Farold's jocular banter typifies a friendly antagonistic relationship and Elswyth provides comic relief with her penchant for sarcasm. Filled with engaging characters, witty dialogue, and lots of action, this is an entertaining blend of fantasy, whodunit, and comedy.

Truth or Dairy by Catherine Clark - In a fresh diary format--laced with Internet lingo and sprightly good humor--this novel relates the angst of a high school senior as she struggles to keep up her vow to give up guys after being dumped by her college-bound boyfriend.

Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech - Mary Lou Finney grudgingly begins writing a journal as an assignment for school, convinced that nothing interesting will ever happen to her. How could she know about Carl Ray and the black car? Or about what would happen on Booger Hill?

A Fate Totally Worse Than Death by Paul Fleischman - In this horror novel parody, three self-centered members of Cliffside High School's ruling clique, who are beginning to age rapidly, become convinced that the beautiful new exchange student is the ghost of the girl whose death they caused the year before.

How I Spent my Last Night on Earth by Todd Strasser - When a rumor appears on the Internet that a giant asteroid is about to destroy Earth, Legs Hanover scrambles to meet the boy of her dreams, elusive Andros Bliss.

Celine by Brock Cole - The typical girl-meets-boy story gets turned inside out in this witty, offbeat novel. Yes, the title character ends up with Jake, the boy next door, only he's still in grade school and wears Superman underwear. Celine, a budding artist, wants to graduate from high school a year early and live with her best friend in Italy. All she has to do first is, according to her absent father, "show a little maturity," which Celine interprets as "pass all your courses, avoid detection in all crimes and misdemeanors, don't get pregnant."

Humorous Authors
Terry Pratchett
Meg Cabot
Gordon Korman
Chris Lynch
Jerry Spinelli
Ron Koertge
David Lubar

Humorous Series
Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
The Black Book Series: Diary of a Teenage Stud by Jonah Black

~Young Adult Librarian ~
Kristin Lade
klade@west-bendlibrary.org
262.335.5151 x128

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Updated October 25, 2006

"Organized education gives us information, but there are things we have to learn ourselves" ~ Lauryn Hill