Juby, Susan. Getting the Girl. HarperTrophyCanada, 2008. 341p., pbk. $14.99 978-0-00-200709-2
Starting high school is never easy, but things are especially bad at Harewood Tech where students become instant pariahs if their picture goes up in school washrooms with a large D (for Defiled) beside their face. With the social system entrenched, who is brave enough to risk everything and fight this injustice? The answer is Sherman Mack, aka Mack Daddy Investigations, an Encyclopedia Brown wannabe who yearns to catch the Defiler and impress the ladies in his life. The only problem is that his investigating skills are a little lacking.
Getting the Girl by Susan Juby (Alice, I Think) is equal parts humour and mystery, but never forgets that the plot is centered around a social ritual that devastates lives. She provides a different spin on the typical theme of the mob mentality in high schools, questioning why all of the students follow a social system that none of them want, effectively condoning the work of the Defiler. Juby adeptly changes the tone of the book when needed, all the while maintaining a consistent voice for Sherman. There are some instances of language that might be objectionable to a minority of readers, but the book has a wide range of appeal and will attract many teens with different reading habits.
Recommended. 4P
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