LILY B. ON THE BRINK OF COOL

A pitch-perfect tween/teen vibe? Varnoff has it in spades as Lily Blennerhassett, a 13-year-old aspiring writer with lots to share about the family, friends and life she considers fabulously boring and oh-so-uncool. In keeping with the novel's humorous 'Can-you-believe-this-is-happening-to-me?' tone, Varnoff effortlessly expresses Lily's exasperation with her parents, her penchant for typical teenage melodramatics and a blend of cockiness and insecurity—sometimes all in the space of a few sentences. Lily believes her social situation can't get worse when she's forced to attend a drab and bland family wedding. But when the cool LeBlanc family, described as "cousins of cousins," shows up looking very out of place, Lily has the impression that things will improve. She enjoys a brief, rebellious run at coolness as she befriends the newcomers, but soon discovers that the LeBlancs aren't what they appear to be, and her own parents aren't so bad after all. Snappy phrasing and lots of literary references will keep sharp listeners entertained and on their toes. Ages 9-13. (Apr.)