Babe in Boyland

Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
Dial, 2011
292 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Library

I had originally avoided this for some reason, but after seeing Small Review's book review and being struck by the similarities to She's the Man, one of my family's favorite movies, I decided to give it a try, looking for something hilarious.

And this was a really funny book! Natalie writes a relationship advice column that ends up mocked by guys. She decides that she knows nothing about guys and decides to go undercover at the nearby boys' school in order to find out how guys really think.  She is aided by her two loyal best friends Darcy and Chloe.

Although this is a pretty ridiculous premise, it is actually a lot of fun with many very funny moments, like laugh out loud and earn weird looks from the people around me funny.  I read this in only a couple of hours because Natalie's voice was so clear, distinct, and funny. I was immediately able to root for her as she struggled to make sense of boys and relationships.

There were times when she seemed a little young and naive but she is a high school kid with no relationship experience. I think she could be very relateable to younger teens. However she was a bit of a snob; she was always popular so she had scorned the nerdier guys she meets at the new school. Luckily she has a change of heart, which made me happy because I usually like a nerdy awkward guy. 

Overall: A silly, fast-read that should leave you smiling.