“WHAT’S THAT SMELL?” (OH, IT’S ME)

Teenagers are funnier and smarter than this mildly amusing browser. Pitched as a book about how to survive bad situations (rather than how to avoid them), it is divided into sections such as “Love Sucks,” and “Hygiene Horror,” each with a handful of horrible situations teens might find themselves in, and suggestions for how to “get over it.” There are conflicting voices in these suggestions, one light-hearted and joking, the other serious. Some of the advice is misguided, e.g., claiming the student council presidency doesn’t matter anyway, when you come in last; pretending you don’t care when a crush disses you, making you “more attractive” to them anyway—or are these the ones that are supposed to be funny? An amusing premise may get teen readers to pick this up, but, like Shaw’s advice, it’s completely dispensable. (Nonfiction. YA)