I Speak Boy

March 15, 2021
The course of true love never did run smooth. Seventh grader Emmy Woods is a lot of things. Consummate schemer. Aspiring app developer. Risk taker. And where her best friend, Harper, is concerned, she's "Emerie Woods: Love Coordinator." But a matchmaking attempt goes horribly wrong, and Emmy knows exactly who to blame: boys, "humanity's greatest unsolved mystery." When she wakes up one morning with a new app on her phone that translates the hitherto-hidden thoughts of boys, she thinks she's hit the jackpot and starts making matches left and right. But when the secret of the app falls into the wrong hands, Emmy must face the consequences of meddling in others' love lives. Emmy is a lively, engaging narrator, and even the most minor characters are richly imbued with distinctive quirks, desires, and traumas. Brody expertly teases romances, fractured friendships, and plot twists, keeping readers guessing at every turn. Echoes of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which the language arts class is reading, provide added spice. Emmy is White, and there is some diversity in the supporting cast. In a jarring note seemingly equating Whiteness with being American, the book states that Harper's black hair is from her Korean-born father, but she got "her hazel eyes and fair complexion from her mom, who was born right here in Highbury." A hilarious, heartwarming middle school drama. (Fiction. 10-13)

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June 1, 2021

Gr 3-7-If Jane Austen's Emma attended a contemporary middle school, she would likely be obsessed with using her phone and playing matchmaker for friends. As this middle grade reimagining of Austen's beloved tale opens, 12-year-old Emmy, who is white, is scheming to set up her best friend Harper, despite Harper's lack of enthusiasm. Her elaborate plan goes awry, and through a series of mishaps, Emmy ends up downloading a magical app, iSpeak Boy, that translates any boy's words into what is on his mind. For example: "Dude, your legs look like a giraffe in those pants!" Translation: "How is it possible that Logan and I are the same age and he's so much taller than me? Will I be this short forever?" At first, this proves useful for understanding her peers and matching up classmates with their crushes. Emmy finally understands her Shakespeare homework and helps her mom with a work situation. But the app soon causes more confusion than it solves. The premise implies a light fluffy tale, and the story doesn't disappoint, with an accessible voice, flirting, and references to clothes and pop music. Readers will also find a tender coming-of-age story as Emmy learns to appreciate friends and family and accepts that she shouldn't control other people's romantic relationships. References to technology may not age well, and characters consistently use the word lame as an insult. VERDICT Some flaws aside, this modern retelling is an inviting, humorous, and heartfelt take on the classic matchmaking theme.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau P.L., AK

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