Love Song

Short on surprises and long on clich s, this debut tale of the You're the One series features model-quality teen boys' pictures on the covers. The narrator of this budding romance is 14-year-old B.Z., an aspiring guitarist and songwriter whose next-door neighbors, the Hanson-esque McKenzie brothers, become overnight rock sensations. Zak, the youngest, is B.Z.'s longtime best-friend-turned-boyfriend. But as she watches the group perform on TV, the girl becomes mesmerized by the oldest brother, James: ""It was as if I was seeing him for the first time. His thick, dark hair, his dark eyes, and his tall, slender body swaying with the beat . The sounds he was coaxing from his guitar were just incredible."" That's a word that may well pop into readers minds as they witness the growing attraction between B.Z. and James who, unlike flirtatious publicity-hound Zak, is not thrilled about his new rock-star status. It's bliss when their lips finally meet, in James's dressing room, just minutes before the brothers take to the stage at the Teen Music Awards: ""The room was spinning and my whole body was alive with happiness,"" confides the lovestruck teen. Sappy it is, but fans of heartthrob tales may well gobble this up like chocolate. Ages 9-12. (Jan.)