Sally Odgers, A Bird, a Bloke, and a Boyfriend

Sally Odgers, A Bird, a Bloke, and a Boyfriend - After spending time in America, Sarah returns home to Australia, but she has changed as puberty arrived. However, during the time she spent in the northern hemisphere, everyone has changed Down Under also, especially as all her female friends have boyfriends. She picks her best male buddy A.J. to be hers, but he seems reluctant to make his pal "Little" his and besides he is seeing Clemmie. So Sarah makes a perfect boyfriend, Clay.

Sarah expects a great relationship with her paragon Clay, who does everything right and makes her imperfect friend A.J. look pathetic; although deep down in her teenage heart she would like A.J. to be more than friends. However, Sarah soon finds how difficult it is to have a relationship with someone who is perfect; she is beginning to appreciate the flaws of kindhearted A.J. Will she give up her model of the ideal boyfriend for the flesh and blood A.J.?

Interestingly, readers will come to the same conclusion that Sarah reached that Clay is so perfect he is boring though he is the paragon of a boyfriend at least in Sarah's mind in spite of her heart saying otherwise. The pleasant storyline with a touch of the paranormal is fun for the younger teenage chick lit crowd who will appreciate Sarah's lament between blokes and boyfriends. Not intended for adults, thirteen to fifteen year old female readers will want to choose for Sarah between the clumsily nice with flaws and tediously nice perfect.

Smooch, Apr 2005, $5.99, 198 pp.

ISBN: 0843954655

Harriet Klausner