Up For A Few Laughs?

After reading a lot of heavy material over the past few weeks, I was delighted to read the upbeat and cheerful novel, My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger.

The novel follows the lives of three completely different teens, who are writing in a diary to a person of their choice. T.C. Keller is a boy who is completely obsessed with the Boston Red Sox, his relationship with his dad, and the new girl at school Ale. He is writing his journal for class to his dead mom.

Augie is T.C.'s best friend or "brother" as they like to call each other. He writes his journal to famous women of theater like Liza Minnelli, because he is absolutely obsessed with all things drama related. He also finds himself questioning his sexuality when he starts to get feelings for Andy Wexler, a boy in his class.

Ale is the new girl at school. Her parents recently moved to America from Mexico when her father resigned from being the Mexican ambassador. Her dream in life includes becoming a dancer, however her parents want her to pursue a life of politics. Ale writes her journal to Jacqueline Kennedy, well at least at first.

The story follows the lives of the three characters throughout one crucial year of high school.

I really liked the format of this story. There were a lot of different types of formats involved in this book that added to its character. There were journal entries, memos, and even text message correspondence. I liked this a lot because you saw how the different charcters interacted with each other.

As fun and funny this book was it had an underlying depth to it. It told the story of a boy trying to get over his mom's death, a teen boy trying to find his sexual identity, and a girl figuring out what is more important, pleasing her parents or herself.

This funny, light hearted, novel is a gem in the "Ya Litosphere." So check it out!!