Jessie’s school year is off to a very bad start. Her two best friends have gone punk overnight (sort of…like  real punks  buy their clothes at the mall) and all they care about is boys. Jessie’s older brother is getting ready to head off to university, and he’s trading in his street cred for a relationship with the most popular girl in school (who just might turn out to be a nice person).

Jessie goes from being secure in her world to feeling friendless and alone, but she is far from helpless. She quietly gets on with making her skirts (goal: one for each day of the school year) and takes an honest look at what being a good friend really means. Then she gets an invitation to join a Dungeons and Dragons game and she must evaluate just how far she is willing to go down the path to dorkdom.

Jessie’s journey brings up some universal questions that every teenager faces at some point. What do my friends say about me? Is it more important to be myself or be liked? Do I dare be different? The way Jessie confronts these issues reveals her strong character and the importance of standing up for yourself, no matter what anybody else thinks.

Halpern is a talented writer (and a school librarian!) who does humour very well, and Jessie’s observations about her world are hysterical. Check out the book trailer here. 

Note: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder contains swearing, and talk about sex and an STI.

Review by Carrie

flickr image by xurde