One or Two Things I Learned About Love

January 27, 2014
Hildy has always wanted a boyfriend, and at 17 she finally meets Connor. "Just being near him made me feel fizzy," she writes in her diary. The mellow middle daughter in a highly dramatic family, Hildy often feels overlooked, and Connor gives her the attention she craves. He texts and calls all the time, but he's also moody, passive-aggressive, and deeply jealous. Hildy's refusal to recognize the seeds of dysfunction in their relationship is often painful, yet Sheldon avoids demonizing Connor. Despite the differing degrees of concern that Hildy's friends express, she's head over heels and is forming her own opinions about love and relationships. Her thankless job at a farm stand, an oppressive summer heat wave, and an array of quirky friends contribute verisimilitude. Sheldon's (The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love) use of the diary form establishes a strong reader-writer bond, resulting in an amusing, empathetic, and intimate story. An honest exploration of the tumultuous emotions that can accompany early romances. Ages 12âup. Agent: Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.

February 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Seventeen-year-old Hildy D'Angelo has never been kissed. In fact, she's only ever had two and a half dates and the way the summer has started, she's not sure that she'll see date number three. However, her luck changes when a trip to the mall with her friends ends with the cute barista asking for her number. Hildy's summer becomes a rush of kisses and romantic dates with the seemingly perfect Connor. The teen finds herself blowing off her friends and trying to justify her actions by telling herself (and her friends) that it's normal to want to spend all your time with your boyfriend. But then Connor starts acting jealous of any time Hildy spends without him and accuses her of flirting with other guys. As his behavior becomes more possessive and unpredictable, Hildy wonders if this is what love is really all about. Sheldon captures the giddiness of a first relationship. Hildy has no real experience with guys, so her willingness to accept Connor's excuses and explain away his behavior is not as far-fetched as some readers might feel. More experienced teens may find her completely clueless, but those who are still dreaming of their first kiss will be wrapped up this cautionary teen romance. A solid addition to most collections.-Heather Webb, Worthington Libraries, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2013
Grades 7-10 Seventeen-year-old Hildy has been on two and a half dates in her whole life, and the half date (don't ask) doesn't count. But when she meets Connor at the mall, the summer finally holds promise. Writing diary style, sarcastic Hildy chronicles (with funny asides in parentheses) her daily life with two high-maintenance sisters, wacky parents, and a bunch of fun-loving friends, all of whom seem younger and more naive than their age suggests. Of course, she also dishes on falling for sweet and sensitive Connor. The flip side of his personality is revealed slowly but nonetheless alarmingly, as Connor texts her nonstop; if Hildy's response time is too slow, there's a phone callor a surprise appearance. And forget about her talking to, or hanging out with, other guys. Her friends tell her that Connor's jealousy is not normal, but Hildy mostly shrugs off the possessiveness as romantic. A somewhat rushed final awakening makes the pacing feel off in Sheldon's humorous yet cautionary tale of first love; on the upside, there's plenty of time for readers to scream, Dump him! (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
Hildy is thrilled when she and Connor become a couple. So much so, in fact, that she excuses his jealous and controlling behavior as love; her best friend perceptively characterizes the relationship as "a fascist dictatorship." Readers will want to shake Hildy for being so naive, but in her (surprisingly) funny diary-style narration, they may recognize their own friends--or themselves.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)