Things I Did/Love

From the moment Stephanie asks herself, in the form of a school project, ""Why do fools fall in love?'' her own personal life becomes fraught with disaster and mishap. Her platonic relationship with Jon seems headed for more turbulent waters; Trevor, the kind of boy a parent dreams of for a daughter, starts to put the moves on her; and Bash takes her on motorcycle rides where more than the turns are scary. It's three against one, and while Stephanie figures out just who it is she loves, readers will have a fine time trying to outguess Conford's fast moves and broadly comic scenes. Despite a bit of a cliche regarding Bash (the tough dropout with the heart of gold dates back at least to James Dean), this book will help lift the back-to-school blues. Ages 11-up. (September)