“Putting Makeup On the Fat Boy,” by Bil Wright (Simon & Schuster)
Ebullient and charming, this witty novel centers on Carlos, who at age 16 already is such a makeup expert that boy rockers ask him for eyeliner tips: “I was really happy to tell them, because crooked eyeliner is so whack, it makes me nuts,” he says.
When his friend suggests applying for a job at Macy’s makeup counter, Carlos zeroes in on FeatureFace, the most exclusive line. He snags an audition — people audition to be makeup artists? — and makes a hit with the FeatureFace account executive, though not with Valentino, the snippy fellow who becomes Carlos’ immediate supervisor.
The happily-ever-after part is on hold, though. Valentino is jealous, waiting to pounce on any errors. Carlos’ sister shows signs that her boyfriend abuses her. Then the boyfriend and his minions turn their attention to Carlos, who is the kind of guy absolutely ecstatic to wear thigh-high Stella McCartney boots to his job interview. Ages 12 and up.
“Want to Go Private?” by Sarah Darer Littman (Scholastic)
Self-conscious about her body’s new curves and painfully shy, Abby dreads becoming a high school student. Her efforts to make new friends founder. The cute boy she likes can never remember her name — but happily cribs from her notes. Her longtime best friend revels in the social swim.
Abby finds respite in , a Second Life-like virtual world where users create avatars to interact. There, Abby meets sympathetic Luke, who’s “survived” high school. He comforts her and shares her indignities, so when he suggests trading photos, she doesn’t hesitate.
Inevitably, the chats heat up. Luke wants more revealing photos. Apprehensive but flattered, Abby complies. Then Luke sends a cellphone number for private chats. Then he suggests a trip.
As the potential danger increases, so does the novel’s tension. Abby, a smart girl, ought to be able to see what’s coming, but her isolation and vulnerability make her a perfect target. Age 13 and up.
“Small Town Sinners” by Melissa Walker (Bloomsbury)
How clear is the line between saint and sinner? In this story, a devout Christian girl is thrust into understanding that the world is not so cleanly divided between the saved and the damned.
Church defines high school junior Lacey Anne Byer’s life, drawing the perimeters of her vocabulary, her behavior and her convictions. As she’s realizing her dream — starring in a theatrical abortion scene at her church’s Hell House drama — she also makes some discoveries that force her to re-examine her beliefs.
Is abortion always a sin? Should people turn the other way when a bully attacks a boy who might be gay? Would God forgive a girl who sneaks out of her parents’ home to visit her unwed pregnant sister? Could God forgive the sister?
Lacey Anne’s essential faith remains rooted, but is it because of, or despite, the questions she confronts in this engaging novel? Ages 13 and up.
“Pregnant Pause,” by Han Nolan (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Crowe, an expectant mother, and her extremely new husband live at a weight-loss camp run by Eleanor’s in-laws. Tensions run high.
Eleanor squirms under her mother-in-law’s disapproving glare, to the amusement of older campers who’ve guessed that the pregnancy preceded Eleanor’s marriage. Lam, the expectant father, doesn’t want to give up the hard-partying lifestyle he previously enjoyed with Eleanor. (Eleanor’s parents are missionaries in Kenya, and absent for most of the story.)
Can Eleanor’s willfulness reform her husband, win over her in-laws, and shape her into a mother competent enough to handle a baby who’s handicapped? Fans of “Pregnant At 16” may not be able to predict the ending. Ages 14 and up.
Claire Martin: 303-954-1477 or cmartin@denverpost.com
