PLANET JANET IN ORBIT

Summer has finally arrived and Janet is prepared to leave her Dark Phase behind and enjoy her summer, but not if her mother (Mad Cow) has anything to do with it. After her mother nixes the idea of a holiday in Greece, she suggests Janet get a job. Only Ethan, a good-looking waiter from Australia, keeps Janet sane at her awful waitressing position, but that’s only until instead of falling for her, Ethan falls for her best friend Disha. Her daily diary entries detail Disha’s new consuming relationship, her father’s new life as a bachelor and her mother’s first forays into dating. However, even self-absorbed Janet needs an outlet, causing her to start an advice column in the school paper. Following this life of an incredibly witty teen, this sequel to Planet Janet (2003) captures Sheldon’s deft ability with funny dialogue and a wacky setting, while still delivering a smart story. A glossary of Briticisms at the end helps with the translation. (Fiction. 10-14)