Girl Factory by Jim Krusoe

Girl Factory by Jim Krusoe

Jonathan might seem like an average person, but once we get into his head, we realize he is anything but. His narration of this bizarre tale is full of odd tangents, strange observations, and off-kilter perceptions. In addition, he is actually stuck with a strange situation involving his workplace, a frozen yogurt shop, and his boss, Spinner. I’ll say no more other than that this is Jim Krusoe’s third book, and maybe his weirdest. His first book had a certain Annie Bloom’s cult following which is why we’re still reading.

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli

Will Tuppence is a bit uptight. He is a planner and enjoys the predictability of his regular Saturday night Monopoly games with his best friends Mi-Su and BT. He’s also a chess champion and aspiring astronomer. He is profoundly affected by learning that protons die...vanish in a puff of energy...which means that the universe is dying very slowly. This, combined with his annoyance at his younger sister Tabby’s shenanigans (she eats her dinner with a plastic pliers, screwdriver and saw), and some changes with his friendships, make for a difficult year...a year which counts up from PD (protons die) day. Organized, smart, in control Will says “I feel like I’m playing chess in water. The pieces keep floating away. I don’t know where things are.”