Review 1 Angus, thongs and Full-frontal Snogging

Rennison, Louise Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging 
                                     HarperCollins: New York 1999

Annotation:
7:oo p.m. "In my room in front of the mirror.  Practicing smiling without making my nose spread.  It's impossible. I must never smile again (102).  Filled with British humor, and a glossary to understand it, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging is the diary of a 14 year old named Georgia who spends her days trying to figure out: Why her parents are so weird,  how to make her nose look smaller and how to stop Angus her cat from eating the neighbor's poodle.

Justification for nomination

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging is written in the form of a diary and follows Georgia's trials and tribulations over one year.  Set in England, this 14 year old has many misadventures, such as shaving off her eyebrows with her dads razor, and going to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.  These things often got her in loads of trouble.  Using humor to potray all the agnst of being a teenager, the book will make you laugh out loud.  The wide use of British slang helps transport the reader to another place, but the glossery in the back helps to understand Georgia's world.  Georgia tells all to her diary; through this the reader learns the inner thoughts and feelings of a 14 year old.  Typical of many teenagers, Georgia is obsessed with her looks and her relationships with her parents, her friends, potential boyfriends and her cat Angus who often time is more like a wild animal; "Oh dear. I have just seen Angus hunkering down in the long grass.  He's stalking their poodle.  I'll have to intervene to avert a massacre.  Oh, it's OK, Mrs. Next Door has thrown a brick at him" (pg 30). Through Georgia's eyes we learn about her secert crush Robbie, and what measures she and her best friend Jas go through to get the boy including kissing lessons.  Like many teenagers, Georgia finds fault with many of her features including her nose and how big it looks when she smiles.  Although Georgia is very self obsorbed, she is still a likable character as reflected in her display of affection toward her younger sister Libby, even though Libby is known for leaving dirty diapers in Georgia's bed.

This is a hilarous potrayal of the many issues teenagers deal with today.  I believe this is a book that most teens could relate to in one way or another.  Although the book is a light read, it will appeal to a large teenage audience (as an adult, I found it pretty funny!).  There are many aspects that make this book worthy of a nomination for the Printz award.  Sometimes dealing with teen issues are best handled with humor.  This is a feel good book which will leave readers smiling.