Why We Broke Up

Written by Daniel Handler.  Illustrations by Maira Kalman.  New York:  Little, Brown and Company, 2011.

If you couldn't tell by the title, this is the story of a breakup.  It tells the story of Min Green, a teenager who is trying to recover from her first heartbreak.  The story is told through a long letter Min is writing to her ex-boyfriend Ed Slaterton listing the reasons why they broke up.  She is also on the way to Ed's house to deliver a box filled with mementos of their relationship.  Each book chapter (and section of the letter) focuses on a particular item in the box and how that item played a part in their relationship and subsequent break up.  Min loves old films and movie stars and Italian coffee shops.  Ed is the popular jock at school who secretly is really good at math.  Despite their differences, they are attracted to each other and begin a relationship.  Each item in the box chronicles their relationship, from the beer bottle tops at the party where they met, to a comb from the hotel where they stayed.  At the end of the story, Min will literally dump these items on Ed's doorstep, as a girlfriend is dumped.

I enjoyed the format of this book.  The letter writing style gives the reader an intimate look into Min and Ed's relationship, and also Min's thoughts and feelings.  The inclusion of the items really involved me in the story, because I wanted to find out what went wrong.  When I did find out, all I can say is, I was one angry girl.  I really felt for Min and her infatuation, and her heartbreak as she discovers her first love is not meant to be.  This book was a Honor Book for the 2012 Printz Award, and well deserving.  Check this one out!

The Espressologist

By Kristina Springer

TEEN FICTION

What's your coffee drink of choice? Iced Vanilla Latte? You're sweet and loyal - a good friend. Pumpkin Spice Latte? You're fun and sassy. And according to Jane Turner, she can determine your personality based on the coffee drink you order. It's called Espressology. Jane Turner is a 17 year-old barista at Wired Joe's coffee shop. She keeps a notebook of coffee drinks ordered and the type of person behind the drink. She's so good at it, she can predict the type of drink before the person even orders it, like Small Nonfat Latte for Melissa, an obnoxious girl who made Jane's life miserable in school.

One day, she decides to hook up a couple of her customers based on their drink orders and compatibility. It works so well, she decides to hook up Em, her best friend, and Cam, her friend from school. Her boss, Derek, finds out about "Espressology" and her notebook, and decides it would a great promotion for the store. So Jane becomes a dating guru at the coffee shop, and it is a huge success. Profits are through the roof, and people are genuinely happy with their dates. So why is she getting upset that Cam is dating Em, especially when she matched them up herself? This is a light, fun read. It's perfect if you're looking for a cute romance and a fast read. Beware: you will crave coffee while reading this. That being said, excuse me, I must jot off to Starbucks. There's a White Chocolate Mocha with my name on it! I wonder what Jane would say about me....