Jane's life is one giant Conspiracy, with the whole world plotting to keep any chance of romance far, far away. Her social history (17 years, 0 boyfriends) is proof positive of that. But this summer, she's determined to crank it up.
Jane's snagged a gig at the local theme park as part of the star attraction -- the Mermaid Show. But then the Conspiracy strikes, and she ends up starstruck in a furry beaver costume all day long. Hard to breathe, let alone flirt....Can Jane figure a way out of the beaver suit and into the arms of her summer love?
Reviews
Children's Literature Review: Jane is determined that this summer things are going to be different. For 17 years she has been the victim of a global conspiracy that has ensured she will neither be cool nor meet a boy. But this summer things seem to be looking up: she has a car and two jobs, one of which guarantees she will be in the vicinity of boys. Jane is a swimmer and she has just been hired to be part of the mermaid show at the local theme park. And as Jane puts it, the upside for the mermaids is boys. But she barely has time to get used to the idea of being cool when the global conspiracy strikes again. As her swimming coach advises her, getting paid to perform as a swimmer ranks her a professional, effectively rendering her ineligible to participate in high school sports or compete for scholarship money. So, instead of swimming as a mermaid, Jane is forced to don the 100-pound costume of Eager Beaver, one of the theme park's dancing animals. With characters reminiscent of Sarah Dessen's lighter fare and a plot echoing romantic screen comedies, Ponti's story of summer love, jobs, and friendship is sure to please readers seeking a respite from serious realistic fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students.
