Going Vintage

A devoted list maker, 16-year-old Mallory is determined to transform her life when she finds out her boyfriend, Jeremy, has a cybergirlfriend who goes by the name “BubbleYum.” As Mallory’s relationship and reputation fall apart publicly on “Friendspace,” she declares she’s “Done with computers and phones... and fake fakeness. I’m talking complete isolation.” She swears off technology to focus on a list her grandmother made in 1962 when she was 16; Mallory vows to run for pep squad secretary, host a fancy dinner, sew a homecoming dress, find a “steady,” and do something dangerous. Mallory’s high-spirited and hilarious younger sister, Ginnie, supports her, as does her ex’s cute, offbeat cousin Oliver, and sparks fly as they build a pep club homecoming float. In the meantime, Mallory’s grandmother, who has just moved into a senior residence, seems distracted and uninterested in revisiting the past—and she may have her reasons. With perceptiveness and several fun plot twists, Leavitt’s (Sean Griswold’s Head) nuanced book is filled with quirky characters that readers will root for and believe in. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary Agency. (Mar.)