The Boy Project by Kami Kinard

Kara McAllister has a problem. Already in the eighth grade, and she’s never had a boyfriend. Most other girls in Kara’s school have boyfriends–why shouldn’t Kara? How can Kara snag herself a boyfriend? She launches an ingenious research project—The Boy Project–to answer all her burning guy-related questions.

Using her middle school science fair as a cover, Kara puts together a notebook full of notes, graphs, and observations on the opposite sex. But after all that scientific research, one question still remains: will Kara ever get boyfriend?



Reading The Boy Project is like reading a run-on text from a bubbly best friend. Not in the, “hi, I lik 2 tpe lik dis” sense. More in the uplifting and easy to get caught up in sense. Kara’s humor and hyper thoughts make her an easily likeable character, as does her clueless naivety. At one point, Kara decides her soul mate is an Abercrombie employee because he smiles at her. Poor little Kara. So much to learn.



The only thing that bothers me about The Boy Project is . . . err . . . the subject of The Boy Project: eighth grade boyfriends. I don’t want to be like one of those people who say Twilight makes feeble-minded and impressionable thirteen-year-old girls everywhere go out and get into relationships with sparkly, possibly psychopathic boyfriends. But—sorry about this—isn’t the middle grade audience intended (around sixth grade) going to feel a bit boy-pressured? A year ago, when I was in middle school, almost no one had a boyfriend. Only a few Maybellines (“popular” children) and Vines (clingy, eyeliner-wearing children) bothered to. Middle school feels way too early to start obsessing over boys. I know that it’s probably a non-issue. Middle grade readers should be smart enough to tell a fun, light-hearted read from something to actually take seriously—but it did give me a moment’s pause.



The Boy Project gets four and a half stars!

This review is also posted on the amazing figment.com.

In My Mailbox (3)

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren.

I've had  a VERY,  VERY good week:

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris (I'm reviewing this one for Figment)

Hourglass by by Myra McEntire

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (I've already reviewed this one, you can read my five star review here)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stievater

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

The Earth, my Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Caroyn Mackler

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

Yay! Leave the link to your IMM so I can check it out.

IMM vlog (2)

Yo. Dis is my second vlog. Don't be a hater.

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren.

Bought

Possession by Elana Johnson

Library
Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen


*Blushes* *Fiddles thumbs* So I was on Figment a few days ago (and the day before... and the day before), when I found out there was a writing contest.

I tried to write a good fable. But then I got into one of those funks where I say that the world sucks and I'm a horrible writer. Yeah... happens every few weeks. No prob.

But today I climbed out of that hole. No way was I a crappy writer! I'm downright spiffy! I'm the spiff-master! One problem: The contest is ending tomorrow. So after I hyperventilated, I posted the fable I did on Figment. I did a basic run-through of grammar and general okay-ness, but I want it to be better. (I'm invested in it now : P)

Would any closet bloggy figmenters mind looking at it? I dubbed it The Man Who Dared Smile, which right off the bat says it's for Kool-Kidz. So, read only if you're Kool enough for it. (If you don't have a Figment account you can still comment under this post with suggestions you might have.)

Thanks =)
Also:
Leave your IMM link in a comment and I'll be sure to come and check it out!