REVIEWS FROM YOUNG ADULTS AND STAFF
Leslianne, Library Staff
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder
Author Julie Halpern
Sophomore Jessie defines herself by her tight, life-long friendship to Bizza and Char. The three have spent the last 10 years executing wacky projects (a lip-synched version of Grease and a self-made spanish soap opera for the local cable station among them). But when Bizza and Char transform overnight into punk-chic groupies for Jessie's brother band, "The Crudhoppers", Jessie finds herself on a search for a new definition. Halpern has created a first person voice that feels honest and REAL (with very funny asides) and definitely fifteen. She plays with high school stereotypes (the band geeks are a lusty bunch, and the Crudhoppers' drummer spreads gonorrhea across the school) but then breaks them down by turning her characters into real people with surprising traits (I loved that the prom princess turned out to be a serious feminist!). Jessie's open mind encourages the reader to have an open mind--to a point: as she tries to continue to be a good friend to Bizza and Char (though the reader and Jessie both know that they are being decidedly rotten friends to her) I found myself wanting to shake some sense into her. Stop being so nice, Jessie!
While I can't speak for the punk-rockers, I can say from experience that Halpern hits the antics and hilarious dialogue of the D&D nerds (who proposition Jessie to sew their LARPing costumes and try out their game) spot on: "Let the pwnage begin!". And I had enough band geek friends in High School to have the feeling she's nailed that one, too. Jessie’s new solo project—to make a different hand-sewn skirt for every day of the school year—adds both a funny side plotlet and also a reminder that sticking to an ambition even after your friends bail on it can lead you unexpected places.
I picked up “Into the Wild Nerd Yonder” for the twenty-sided dice on the cover, and I got a huge kick out of the D&D and LARPing (if you don’t know what these mean, go look it up—or better yet, read the book—you’ll be amazed and quiet possibly tickled) scenes. I also really enjoyed the frequent audiobook plugs (for REAL audiobooks, talk about verisimilitude!) and now I want to go listen to a number of the ones Jessie liked (I should mention that the author is on the YALSA selected audiobooks committee). But most of all I love the book for it’s convincing characters. Halpern deals sensitively with facts of adolscence: friends change, people change, and the sweetest crushes happen when they’re least expected.
(PS: Other reviewers have taken Halpern to task for her prevalent use of parenthetical expressions, but I totally dug it!)
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