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Into the Wild Nerd Yonder
It’s Jessie’s sophomore year of high school. A self-professed “mathelete,” she isn’t sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime has shaved his mohawk and started dating . . . the prom princess!) . . .
Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high-school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way—the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?
If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?
Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high-school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way—the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?
If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?
245 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2009
35 people are currently reading
6701 people want to read
About the author
Julie Halpern
16 books428 followersJULIE HALPERN is the author of five young adult novels and one picture book for young readers. Maternity Leave is her first novel for adults. Prior to her life as full-time mom and author, Julie was a school librarian. In her imaginary spare time, she enjoys traveling, watching television for grown-ups, and eating baked goods. Julie lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, author and illustrator Matthew Cordell, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 571 reviews
April 17, 2011
I feel like Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is a book for me, about me, and at some moments could have been written by me.
The fact that I am here, on Goodreads, and writing a book review is a proof enough that I am an unapologetic nerd. And who isn't here, right? This is why this novel about embracing one's nerdiness had such an appeal to me.
It raises an interesting question - why is it so shameful to acknowledge one's nerdiness? And I will take it a bit further - when did "nerdy" behavior become so marginal, so out of norm? I never thought of it growing up - I did good in school, often liked doing my homework, read a lot, had low-key parties with my few close friends with pie-making and playing "Heroes of Might and Magic" on PC. And now reading more and more YA lit I am learning that apparently these are not cool things and popular people don't do any of them. WTH? What do they do then? I am a foreigner and I need to know the answer to this question. (It's #2 on my questions to ask, right after - Why "Sex and the City" is considered to be a feminist TV show?)
I liked Into the Wild Nerd Yonder a lot and spent a couple of fun hours reading about Jessie's road to accepting her new "Dungeons and Dragons" playing friends (great info about D&D BTW - never knew how exactly it worked and now that I do it seems like a lot of work). The reason I can't give this book more than 3 stars is because of the narrator's voice. You remember how I mentioned this story could have been written by me? I am not kidding. I felt like many speech patterns and jokes were just like mine. (For goodness sake, I even have read all the YA books mentioned in it!) I find myself a tad tiring in large doses.
P.S. This is a preview of one of the best jokes in the novel
The fact that I am here, on Goodreads, and writing a book review is a proof enough that I am an unapologetic nerd. And who isn't here, right? This is why this novel about embracing one's nerdiness had such an appeal to me.
It raises an interesting question - why is it so shameful to acknowledge one's nerdiness? And I will take it a bit further - when did "nerdy" behavior become so marginal, so out of norm? I never thought of it growing up - I did good in school, often liked doing my homework, read a lot, had low-key parties with my few close friends with pie-making and playing "Heroes of Might and Magic" on PC. And now reading more and more YA lit I am learning that apparently these are not cool things and popular people don't do any of them. WTH? What do they do then? I am a foreigner and I need to know the answer to this question. (It's #2 on my questions to ask, right after - Why "Sex and the City" is considered to be a feminist TV show?)
I liked Into the Wild Nerd Yonder a lot and spent a couple of fun hours reading about Jessie's road to accepting her new "Dungeons and Dragons" playing friends (great info about D&D BTW - never knew how exactly it worked and now that I do it seems like a lot of work). The reason I can't give this book more than 3 stars is because of the narrator's voice. You remember how I mentioned this story could have been written by me? I am not kidding. I felt like many speech patterns and jokes were just like mine. (For goodness sake, I even have read all the YA books mentioned in it!) I find myself a tad tiring in large doses.
P.S. This is a preview of one of the best jokes in the novel
March 24, 2010
I can't help it, I'm a sucker for cute-funny-girlie-romantic books. Love them...
This book had the right amount of laugh out loud moments+teen-drama+lovable-characters which all = one hell of a fun read...
I thought the writing was cleaver, and it had the perfect quantity of sarcastic dialogue I always enjoy. Nothing was over done or over the top, which was a major plus for me.
I didn't think the characters were too stereotypical or too exaggerated. I really loved the main protagonist Jessie and her adorable brother Barrett. Julie Halpern totally captured the magic of their brother/sister relationship. Too cute.
Jess struggled in the story with where she fit in and whether, she was okay with being average, but nerdy. In the end, she over came her prejudices towards the realm of nerddom. I think many teens struggle with this basic situation in life. It's like a rite of passage or something.
I also loved Henry and his really white shoes and too short jeans.
Plus, Dungeons and Dragons rules. I want to start playing right now... HA!
If you are looking for a fun, realistic, and relatable read than this book is for you.
This book had the right amount of laugh out loud moments+teen-drama+lovable-characters which all = one hell of a fun read...
I thought the writing was cleaver, and it had the perfect quantity of sarcastic dialogue I always enjoy. Nothing was over done or over the top, which was a major plus for me.
I didn't think the characters were too stereotypical or too exaggerated. I really loved the main protagonist Jessie and her adorable brother Barrett. Julie Halpern totally captured the magic of their brother/sister relationship. Too cute.
Jess struggled in the story with where she fit in and whether, she was okay with being average, but nerdy. In the end, she over came her prejudices towards the realm of nerddom. I think many teens struggle with this basic situation in life. It's like a rite of passage or something.
I also loved Henry and his really white shoes and too short jeans.
Plus, Dungeons and Dragons rules. I want to start playing right now... HA!
If you are looking for a fun, realistic, and relatable read than this book is for you.
May 24, 2011
2.5 stars. Cute, but ultimately lightweight and unsatisfying.
On the one hand, I could relate to every bit of this. I was the "good girl" nerd who took a while to admit to (let alone take pride in) her nerdiness. I have played more D&D than you can shake a stick at -- though mostly as an adult, and I DM a game to this day, bitchez! I used to sew (although I was pretty bad at it); I was always completely behind my peers in things like smoking and drinking and sex. I have wonderful siblings who I never stopped feeling close to. Also: I remember very keenly how much it hurt when my best friends from grade school decided they were too cool for me.
And here was my main problem: my friends dumped me in JR high. I did all my sewing in JR high. All right, I remained tragically behind the curve in sex and drugs (and rock'n'roll) until college. I'm still behind on the drugs, frankly, and I may never catch up. But my point is: this read really young. Jessie felt 12-13 years old to me. Which made all the talk of BJs and jizz and gonorrhea really jarring.
And I found it preachy. I get it that the author's trying to say, "You, straight-laced nerdy girl! You are okay exactly as you are!" Back when I was a straight-laced nerdy girl, that would have been a nice message to hear. And yes, her crappy friends were crappy and should be judged accordingly, but isn't that enough? Do they also have to get gonorrhea and be taken advantage of by asshole dudes? "Shallow people shall be punished!" was another message I'd have liked to hear in jr high, but THAT's not a good message, because it's not true. There is no Cosmic Hand of Justice dealing out retribution on the girls who dumped me -- nor should there be. People are different; friends change and grow apart; that's just how it is.
I loved Jessie's relationship with her brother, and yet I found it also profoundly unsatisfying. I love seeing siblings getting along and looking out for each other, but the dude was just too saintly. All his bandmates smoke but he doesn't? Why, because he's GOOD? Can't somebody be good and still screw up occasionally? It would have been way more interesting and complicated and nuanced if he'd been a smoker, and decided to quit when he quit the band. Show him struggling a little bit; make him a little less saintly.
That may just sum it up best: the book lacked nuance. Everybody was a bit flat, which is too bad because the nerds in my life are and have been some of the most colourful, vibrant, hilarious people I have ever known (and not necessarily straight-laced! I know polyamorous nerds and nerds who have partaken of a variety of illegal substances). In that way, the lack of nuance, it also read young. I'd have loved this book in Jr high (while being secretly, delightfully scandalized by the occasional bad word and the talk of BJs -- if I'd been able to figure out what that stood for! I was very, very sheltered.) (A friend of mine in jr high once made a joke with the word "orgasm" in it. I laughed and pretended I got it, then looked that word up when I got home and STILL didn't get it.)
So I'm not even sure who I would recommend this for. Nerds-in-denial in jr high? I guess? Anyone who wants a cute, fast read? Maybe?
On the one hand, I could relate to every bit of this. I was the "good girl" nerd who took a while to admit to (let alone take pride in) her nerdiness. I have played more D&D than you can shake a stick at -- though mostly as an adult, and I DM a game to this day, bitchez! I used to sew (although I was pretty bad at it); I was always completely behind my peers in things like smoking and drinking and sex. I have wonderful siblings who I never stopped feeling close to. Also: I remember very keenly how much it hurt when my best friends from grade school decided they were too cool for me.
And here was my main problem: my friends dumped me in JR high. I did all my sewing in JR high. All right, I remained tragically behind the curve in sex and drugs (and rock'n'roll) until college. I'm still behind on the drugs, frankly, and I may never catch up. But my point is: this read really young. Jessie felt 12-13 years old to me. Which made all the talk of BJs and jizz and gonorrhea really jarring.
And I found it preachy. I get it that the author's trying to say, "You, straight-laced nerdy girl! You are okay exactly as you are!" Back when I was a straight-laced nerdy girl, that would have been a nice message to hear. And yes, her crappy friends were crappy and should be judged accordingly, but isn't that enough? Do they also have to get gonorrhea and be taken advantage of by asshole dudes? "Shallow people shall be punished!" was another message I'd have liked to hear in jr high, but THAT's not a good message, because it's not true. There is no Cosmic Hand of Justice dealing out retribution on the girls who dumped me -- nor should there be. People are different; friends change and grow apart; that's just how it is.
I loved Jessie's relationship with her brother, and yet I found it also profoundly unsatisfying. I love seeing siblings getting along and looking out for each other, but the dude was just too saintly. All his bandmates smoke but he doesn't? Why, because he's GOOD? Can't somebody be good and still screw up occasionally? It would have been way more interesting and complicated and nuanced if he'd been a smoker, and decided to quit when he quit the band. Show him struggling a little bit; make him a little less saintly.
That may just sum it up best: the book lacked nuance. Everybody was a bit flat, which is too bad because the nerds in my life are and have been some of the most colourful, vibrant, hilarious people I have ever known (and not necessarily straight-laced! I know polyamorous nerds and nerds who have partaken of a variety of illegal substances). In that way, the lack of nuance, it also read young. I'd have loved this book in Jr high (while being secretly, delightfully scandalized by the occasional bad word and the talk of BJs -- if I'd been able to figure out what that stood for! I was very, very sheltered.) (A friend of mine in jr high once made a joke with the word "orgasm" in it. I laughed and pretended I got it, then looked that word up when I got home and STILL didn't get it.)
So I'm not even sure who I would recommend this for. Nerds-in-denial in jr high? I guess? Anyone who wants a cute, fast read? Maybe?
April 4, 2021
Reread as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: an interesting bit of nostalgia, but ultimately not relevant to me anymore.
For the record, my previous rating (added in 2009, when I was the same age as this book's narrator) was five stars. I think that's a pretty good indication that it hit its target audience at the time, at least in my little cadre of self-avowed nerds. As an adult looking back more than a decade later, I can definitely see what I liked about it, but it just doesn't click for me the same way anymore.
One of the things that didn't land on reread is the book's reiteration of the idea that high school has these specific, isolated cliques by interest. It's the Mean Girls lunchroom scene treated as if it's real, and while this story pokes a few small holes in the concept, it ultimately ends up leaving the idea of identifiable, stereotypical blocs of teenagers mostly unquestioned. Now, everyone's high school experience is different, so maybe Halpern's school really did have this kind of structure, but having gone through high school myself I very much doubt it. There's a lot more plasticity and variety than pop culture makes it look like, in my experience. (For anecdotal evidence, the group of people I ate lunch with all through high school included athletes, marching band members, AP students, and self-professed nerds, and most of us were at least two of the above.)
I feel like ultimately, this book's message is about embracing what you enjoy and spending time with people who value your company, and that was somewhat undermined by the insistence that rigid social barriers are the norm.
Jessie as a character is... interesting. I definitely identified with her when I was younger, and I see my high school self in her now... except now I see not only the things I liked about myself, but also things I feel were personality flaws. She's judgmental (guilty), self-centered (guilty), and often unempathetic (guilty bingo!). I'm honestly impressed at the balancing act Halpern pulled off here, wherein as a teenager I didn't pick up on the realistic negative aspects of her character - I never felt judged by this book, as some books by adults about teens can do - but as an adult I absolutely see it. Being a teenager is a messy experience, and I appreciate that she managed to write a suitably messy protagonist who works on multiple levels.
Ultimately, I think this book will probably still resonate with a teen audience - I'm just not part of that group anymore.
For the record, my previous rating (added in 2009, when I was the same age as this book's narrator) was five stars. I think that's a pretty good indication that it hit its target audience at the time, at least in my little cadre of self-avowed nerds. As an adult looking back more than a decade later, I can definitely see what I liked about it, but it just doesn't click for me the same way anymore.
One of the things that didn't land on reread is the book's reiteration of the idea that high school has these specific, isolated cliques by interest. It's the Mean Girls lunchroom scene treated as if it's real, and while this story pokes a few small holes in the concept, it ultimately ends up leaving the idea of identifiable, stereotypical blocs of teenagers mostly unquestioned. Now, everyone's high school experience is different, so maybe Halpern's school really did have this kind of structure, but having gone through high school myself I very much doubt it. There's a lot more plasticity and variety than pop culture makes it look like, in my experience. (For anecdotal evidence, the group of people I ate lunch with all through high school included athletes, marching band members, AP students, and self-professed nerds, and most of us were at least two of the above.)
I feel like ultimately, this book's message is about embracing what you enjoy and spending time with people who value your company, and that was somewhat undermined by the insistence that rigid social barriers are the norm.
Jessie as a character is... interesting. I definitely identified with her when I was younger, and I see my high school self in her now... except now I see not only the things I liked about myself, but also things I feel were personality flaws. She's judgmental (guilty), self-centered (guilty), and often unempathetic (guilty bingo!). I'm honestly impressed at the balancing act Halpern pulled off here, wherein as a teenager I didn't pick up on the realistic negative aspects of her character - I never felt judged by this book, as some books by adults about teens can do - but as an adult I absolutely see it. Being a teenager is a messy experience, and I appreciate that she managed to write a suitably messy protagonist who works on multiple levels.
Ultimately, I think this book will probably still resonate with a teen audience - I'm just not part of that group anymore.
April 12, 2011
Jessie sews her own skirts, aces math class, plays the drums and is basically adorable. Anyway, the gist of this novel is that she casts off her loser poseur friends for a bunch of nerds who play D&D. Hilarity ensues.
I did have a few "eh" moments, but they are minimal and easily disregarded. As a teenager, I was fascinated by the social ladder as depicted in youth media (Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me") because I never really noticed it at my own high school. I suppose I drifted somewhere between literary magazine and the music department, but wasn't preoccupied with either of them. However, I do think a lot of teens aren't yet comfortable with their own identity, and the labels help. Depending on your opinions on labels and/or teenagers, this may annoy you.
One really good thing about Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is Jessie's relationship with her family. Stop the presses, a teenage girl with a healthy relationship with her parents! And Jessie and her brother Barrett are just great, yet natural.
Another really good thing is that this is a friendship book. I love me my romance (and there is some super cute romance! *hugs Henry*) but it's really about Jessie falling out with her old friends and taking the steps to find new ones. It's both clumsy and brave and full of "what will they think?" moments that feels very typical for a teenager. Though Bizza and Char are lame-o, Polly and Dottie are wonderful. They seem genuinely comfortable in their own skins, and I love reading about that in a YA book.
P.S. I wear my nerd stamp with pride and honour. While I've never played D&D, I like my RPing just fine and I definitely know how it feels to be a n00b. Crap, I'm totally outing myself here. Well, now ya know.
I did have a few "eh" moments, but they are minimal and easily disregarded. As a teenager, I was fascinated by the social ladder as depicted in youth media (Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me") because I never really noticed it at my own high school. I suppose I drifted somewhere between literary magazine and the music department, but wasn't preoccupied with either of them. However, I do think a lot of teens aren't yet comfortable with their own identity, and the labels help. Depending on your opinions on labels and/or teenagers, this may annoy you.
One really good thing about Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is Jessie's relationship with her family. Stop the presses, a teenage girl with a healthy relationship with her parents! And Jessie and her brother Barrett are just great, yet natural.
Another really good thing is that this is a friendship book. I love me my romance (and there is some super cute romance! *hugs Henry*) but it's really about Jessie falling out with her old friends and taking the steps to find new ones. It's both clumsy and brave and full of "what will they think?" moments that feels very typical for a teenager. Though Bizza and Char are lame-o, Polly and Dottie are wonderful. They seem genuinely comfortable in their own skins, and I love reading about that in a YA book.
P.S. I wear my nerd stamp with pride and honour. While I've never played D&D, I like my RPing just fine and I definitely know how it feels to be a n00b. Crap, I'm totally outing myself here. Well, now ya know.
December 6, 2009
My two favorite things about this book are as follows:
1. Allusions to great YA books. When I was a teenager, I tried to read, listen to, and learn about everything I ever saw referenced in my favorite books. To see references to Life As We Knew It, Elsewhere, and Harry Potter thrilled me not just because two of the three are favorites of mine, but also because I think talking about contemporary teen fiction made Jessie that much more real.
2. This book spoke to my own high school self. Like Jessie, I was one of those kids who didn't fall anywhere on the high school social food chain. I had friends in a number of cliques - and I had a friend like Jessie's best friend, Bizza, who was maybe not the best choice for me. A lot of times, YA literature tends to focus on the nerds or the popular kids or the outsider-types exclusively. It was refreshing to see what I think is reality for a lot of teens - a girl who marches to the beat of her own drummer, but still worries about others hearing that beat. This made for a wonderfully believable and sympathetic protagonist, and a story that is much more true to high school life than half the best YA books I have read.
Other amazing things that make this a definite worthwhile read: Jessie's older brother, Barrett, and their warm and well-realized sibling relationship; every character in Jessie's "nerd herd"; and the realism of sexual situations in Jessie's world, without Jessie necessarily having to experience them. The world of high school felt real and fresh in this book, and it made for an enjoyable Saturday evening!
1. Allusions to great YA books. When I was a teenager, I tried to read, listen to, and learn about everything I ever saw referenced in my favorite books. To see references to Life As We Knew It, Elsewhere, and Harry Potter thrilled me not just because two of the three are favorites of mine, but also because I think talking about contemporary teen fiction made Jessie that much more real.
2. This book spoke to my own high school self. Like Jessie, I was one of those kids who didn't fall anywhere on the high school social food chain. I had friends in a number of cliques - and I had a friend like Jessie's best friend, Bizza, who was maybe not the best choice for me. A lot of times, YA literature tends to focus on the nerds or the popular kids or the outsider-types exclusively. It was refreshing to see what I think is reality for a lot of teens - a girl who marches to the beat of her own drummer, but still worries about others hearing that beat. This made for a wonderfully believable and sympathetic protagonist, and a story that is much more true to high school life than half the best YA books I have read.
Other amazing things that make this a definite worthwhile read: Jessie's older brother, Barrett, and their warm and well-realized sibling relationship; every character in Jessie's "nerd herd"; and the realism of sexual situations in Jessie's world, without Jessie necessarily having to experience them. The world of high school felt real and fresh in this book, and it made for an enjoyable Saturday evening!
September 7, 2013
Warning: This review may be a little crude for some.
This book.
Oh man, this book. I wish this book had been longer. I wasn't ready for it to end.
The thing I loved most about this book was Jessie's voice, and how perfectly the author nailed the mind of a fifteen-year-old girl. That's what I loved most, what had me tearing through the pages and cheering for Jessie at her accomplishments, but what really won this book over for me from a good book to a really special and rare gem was something that I have a feeling might have been a complaint among others.
I was a fifteen-year-old girl five years ago. This time five years ago I was beginning my sophomore year of high school and was beginning a relationship with my first boyfriend ever. I knew a lot of girls who had already dated a lot of guys and a lot of girls who wouldn't for years to come. But one thing that was on all of our minds, and the topic of most conversations during that year, was sex.
Jessie Sloan thinks about sex and boys all the time. So do her friends. It is totally normal. While Jessie's still pining and lusting after Van, the bad-boy punk guy her brother's been friends with for years, she meets a boy with curly hair, bright blue eyes, and pants that are too short. She doesn't even know his name, and that night, she has a wet dream (yes, girls have them, too!) about him. She enjoys the dream, if finding it confusing, and finds herself extremely attracted to this boy despite her opinion that he's a dork. Her thoughts are not overwhelmingly about sex specifically (she is skeezed out about the idea of a BJ, which a lot of girls are at fifteen, understandably), but she fantasizes a lot about her long-time crush Van taking her up into his bedroom, into the back of his car, etc, and eventually her thoughts switch over to Henry, the dork-boy. It's there, it's prevalent, and honestly, it's realistic.
Most teen books do address sexual tension, but they often tip toe around the subject (Twilight, anyone?) and it can be incredibly frustrating. I'm sure it all has to do with politics--you want to make your book appealing to a very broad amount of people, namely teenage girls and their mothers, and so you throw the sexual tension in there because it's kind of got to be there, but you don't explicitly go into it and dodge around it like you're trying to distract people from seeing it's there. A lot of teen books do this, and I can understand why. If you're writing a generic teen trilogy with a love triangle and all the other cliches that are super popular these days, you're aiming to 'make it big.' And I understand that. But that's why I say this book is a rare and special gem. Through all the crap that bogs down sexuality in teen books, keeping real teenage girls who read them from fully realizing "Hey, I'm not the only horny freak out there who also is a girl," this book hands it to you on the plate with the rest of your dinner. It isn't even shoved in your face or addressed as some big point the author's trying to make. It's presented as totally normal, as if to say, "What, you mean teenage girls DON'T think about sex?"
Regarding other topics, the book also does very well. Jessie keeps obsessing over and hating on Bizza, her ex-best-friend, despite telling herself she shouldn't. As someone who has had to dump crappy friends and has been dumped by crappy friends, I totally understood where she was coming from and how she was feeling, because I've been there. A lot of girls can relate to that, I think. I also liked that Jessie is wildly insecure, despite others thinking her confident and like she doesn't care what others think. A lot of us have been there, too; where others think we're so put together and inside we think we're falling apart.
And also, who doesn't love Dungeons and Dragons? I definitely liked that Jessie chose to be a fighter. I'm a melee fan, myself. Magic is for wusses ;)
The only thing in the book I can think of that broke my suspension of disbelief was the absolute absence of the Internet (Jessie looking up medieval clothing in a paper encyclopedia? What about Google Images?) followed by the weird habit of Jessie's friends to call and actually leave voice mails. At first I thought maybe the book was set in the 90s or something, but words like 'n00b' and 'pwn' told me otherwise. Otherwise, though, I was golden.
I feel like this is a book I could reread, and I hate rereading books. If you're interested in an adorable and quick read with a main character who is absolutely lovable and relatable, that also involves nerds and awesomeness, pick this up. I highly recommend it.
This book.
Oh man, this book. I wish this book had been longer. I wasn't ready for it to end.
The thing I loved most about this book was Jessie's voice, and how perfectly the author nailed the mind of a fifteen-year-old girl. That's what I loved most, what had me tearing through the pages and cheering for Jessie at her accomplishments, but what really won this book over for me from a good book to a really special and rare gem was something that I have a feeling might have been a complaint among others.
I was a fifteen-year-old girl five years ago. This time five years ago I was beginning my sophomore year of high school and was beginning a relationship with my first boyfriend ever. I knew a lot of girls who had already dated a lot of guys and a lot of girls who wouldn't for years to come. But one thing that was on all of our minds, and the topic of most conversations during that year, was sex.
Jessie Sloan thinks about sex and boys all the time. So do her friends. It is totally normal. While Jessie's still pining and lusting after Van, the bad-boy punk guy her brother's been friends with for years, she meets a boy with curly hair, bright blue eyes, and pants that are too short. She doesn't even know his name, and that night, she has a wet dream (yes, girls have them, too!) about him. She enjoys the dream, if finding it confusing, and finds herself extremely attracted to this boy despite her opinion that he's a dork. Her thoughts are not overwhelmingly about sex specifically (she is skeezed out about the idea of a BJ, which a lot of girls are at fifteen, understandably), but she fantasizes a lot about her long-time crush Van taking her up into his bedroom, into the back of his car, etc, and eventually her thoughts switch over to Henry, the dork-boy. It's there, it's prevalent, and honestly, it's realistic.
Most teen books do address sexual tension, but they often tip toe around the subject (Twilight, anyone?) and it can be incredibly frustrating. I'm sure it all has to do with politics--you want to make your book appealing to a very broad amount of people, namely teenage girls and their mothers, and so you throw the sexual tension in there because it's kind of got to be there, but you don't explicitly go into it and dodge around it like you're trying to distract people from seeing it's there. A lot of teen books do this, and I can understand why. If you're writing a generic teen trilogy with a love triangle and all the other cliches that are super popular these days, you're aiming to 'make it big.' And I understand that. But that's why I say this book is a rare and special gem. Through all the crap that bogs down sexuality in teen books, keeping real teenage girls who read them from fully realizing "Hey, I'm not the only horny freak out there who also is a girl," this book hands it to you on the plate with the rest of your dinner. It isn't even shoved in your face or addressed as some big point the author's trying to make. It's presented as totally normal, as if to say, "What, you mean teenage girls DON'T think about sex?"
Regarding other topics, the book also does very well. Jessie keeps obsessing over and hating on Bizza, her ex-best-friend, despite telling herself she shouldn't. As someone who has had to dump crappy friends and has been dumped by crappy friends, I totally understood where she was coming from and how she was feeling, because I've been there. A lot of girls can relate to that, I think. I also liked that Jessie is wildly insecure, despite others thinking her confident and like she doesn't care what others think. A lot of us have been there, too; where others think we're so put together and inside we think we're falling apart.
And also, who doesn't love Dungeons and Dragons? I definitely liked that Jessie chose to be a fighter. I'm a melee fan, myself. Magic is for wusses ;)
The only thing in the book I can think of that broke my suspension of disbelief was the absolute absence of the Internet (Jessie looking up medieval clothing in a paper encyclopedia? What about Google Images?) followed by the weird habit of Jessie's friends to call and actually leave voice mails. At first I thought maybe the book was set in the 90s or something, but words like 'n00b' and 'pwn' told me otherwise. Otherwise, though, I was golden.
I feel like this is a book I could reread, and I hate rereading books. If you're interested in an adorable and quick read with a main character who is absolutely lovable and relatable, that also involves nerds and awesomeness, pick this up. I highly recommend it.
April 19, 2011
This coming-of-age, finding oneself book was soo good. It's about not worrying about what others think, about not being afraid to be yourself, friendships and general dorkiness. It was such blast.
slight spoilers ahead:
Jesse is your run-of-the-mill, typical teenage girl. Her brother is the cool-punky guy who everyone adores. He is in a band with Van, who is 'that guy'. You know, the one all the girls swoon over. Jesse is not an exception. She's been crushing over him for as long as she can remember.
Enter her supposed friends Bizza and Char. They have all been 'BFF's' for "like forever". Only Jesse has noticed it seems like they are more into her brother and his band than actually spending time with her. She brushes it off, but when Bizza hooks up with Van, something inside her rages. She lets go of the only friends she's ever known and searches for new friends. She falls into the Dungeons and Dragons crowd and is very skeptical, but falls in love with the game and the people as soon as she gives it a go.
READ THIS, yes I'm talking to you!!!
Solid Advice
although $18.95 seems a little steep!!!!!
Sidenote: I'm not super impressed with the cover, I think it needs to be more spunky and modern. I know why they chose the dress, but I think it should be better matched to what she was wearing!
and
I love how she is close to her brother. It was refreshing!
slight spoilers ahead:
Jesse is your run-of-the-mill, typical teenage girl. Her brother is the cool-punky guy who everyone adores. He is in a band with Van, who is 'that guy'. You know, the one all the girls swoon over. Jesse is not an exception. She's been crushing over him for as long as she can remember.
Enter her supposed friends Bizza and Char. They have all been 'BFF's' for "like forever". Only Jesse has noticed it seems like they are more into her brother and his band than actually spending time with her. She brushes it off, but when Bizza hooks up with Van, something inside her rages. She lets go of the only friends she's ever known and searches for new friends. She falls into the Dungeons and Dragons crowd and is very skeptical, but falls in love with the game and the people as soon as she gives it a go.
READ THIS, yes I'm talking to you!!!
Solid Advice
although $18.95 seems a little steep!!!!!
Sidenote: I'm not super impressed with the cover, I think it needs to be more spunky and modern. I know why they chose the dress, but I think it should be better matched to what she was wearing!
and
I love how she is close to her brother. It was refreshing!
April 9, 2012
It was tough staying with this book long enough to become interested in it. The book is something of a Bildungsroman in that it is intended to describe the growth of the main character into maturity. Unfortunately, Jessie, the heroine, isn't very interesting and she's surrounded by people who aren't nice and who you'd rather she wasn't with.
The sole saving grace of the early parts of the book is Jessie's older brother Barrett. He's devoted to Jessie without being a wimp about it and their interactions are genuine and mutually caring without being saccharine. He’s funny and caring and he is a breath of fresh air (and a promise that things will get better) in an otherwise musty room. The rest of the surrounding characters are self-involved jerks, though, and that’s hard to get through.
Somewhere around the mid-point, things improve significantly. Once Jessie is forced to acknowledge that her friends suck and she starts looking around her for people she can hang with things pick up. Yeah, Jessie hangs onto her prejudices a little long for my taste, but not unreasonably so.
While not awful, I have a hard time thinking of anyone I could recommend the book to. Jessie's early friends, and even her brother at times, discuss things that are sexual and descriptive enough that I'd hesitate to give this to even my older teens. While the rest of the book, and Jessie's journey in learning to have the self-confidence to embrace the things (and people) she likes, isn't strong enough to recommend the book to older readers. Yeah, embrace your inner nerd and own who you are and want to be. But do we really need the vicarious sexcapades while getting there?
The sole saving grace of the early parts of the book is Jessie's older brother Barrett. He's devoted to Jessie without being a wimp about it and their interactions are genuine and mutually caring without being saccharine. He’s funny and caring and he is a breath of fresh air (and a promise that things will get better) in an otherwise musty room. The rest of the surrounding characters are self-involved jerks, though, and that’s hard to get through.
Somewhere around the mid-point, things improve significantly. Once Jessie is forced to acknowledge that her friends suck and she starts looking around her for people she can hang with things pick up. Yeah, Jessie hangs onto her prejudices a little long for my taste, but not unreasonably so.
While not awful, I have a hard time thinking of anyone I could recommend the book to. Jessie's early friends, and even her brother at times, discuss things that are sexual and descriptive enough that I'd hesitate to give this to even my older teens. While the rest of the book, and Jessie's journey in learning to have the self-confidence to embrace the things (and people) she likes, isn't strong enough to recommend the book to older readers. Yeah, embrace your inner nerd and own who you are and want to be. But do we really need the vicarious sexcapades while getting there?
May 29, 2011
Funny! Two things I found hilarious: her family’s Krispy Kreme anecdote. Ick. And the trepidation she felt in her probable entry into nerd-dom. That she makes a pro’s and con’s list as to said debut should have been a major clue as to said entry. And then there's the fact that she sews her own skirts, has "A+" days when she gets tons of those, and uses flash cards for pre-calc class. Without D&D, she's basically in anyway. The differences between dork and nerd still eludes me, but either way, Jessie is hilarious. And her family? They sound almost too good to be true. Her dad and mom are not pushy nor nosy, but present. And her brother? He starts out as punk rock popular then transforms himself into someone still cool, just not as out there. I think him very sweet. Oh, I will never think of I’m a Little Tea Pot in the same way ever again.
3.5
3.5
July 25, 2012
This has been lurking around in my to-read list, but after meeting the author and discussing the different editions of Dungeons and Dragons with her, I had to bump it up to the top. I’m decidedly outside this book’s target audience, but ended up relating to it anyway.
The most interesting thing about this story is its determination to blend a surprisingly accurate portrayal of playing D&D with a fairly standard “affluent teen girl has affluent teen girl problems” romantic comedy. These are two audiences that one wouldn't think would intersect all that often, but that seems to be the point of this book. Jessie Sloan is the quirky and interesting girl that has never had to really stop and consider how quirky and interesting she is, due to the conventional popularity of her big brother and circle of friends. When everybody shifts their social colors without her, though, she finds herself alone and insecure. If she can get past her first bonafide identity crisis, she might find true kinship where she would have never thought to look: among the kids that dress funny, act oddly, and spend their free time rolling characters and creating campaigns.
This is not a book to read if you are looking for a deep examination of teen angst, or an earth-shattering romance. This book maintains a very light-hearted tone, and even the more mature moments that deal with sexuality are handled with a casual touch that is, ultimately, quite realistic (since adults do a lot more hand-wringing over that kind of stuff than teens themselves do, like it or not).
I think the reason I got so caught up in reading this despite not being particularly interested in the romantic travails of a teenage girl is that the characters feel fleshed out and alive. Jessie is delightfully awkward, and her relationships with her brother and parents are sweet and believable. The antagonists are not archetypes, but simply the villains a lot of us remember from our own high school days: "friends" who aren’t mature enough to realize how crappy and selfish they’re being. Best of all, the nerdy kids are actual people. They aren’t Comic Book Guy caricatures, and they aren’t “geek chic” models that are tarted up with a few gaming references. They are exactly as I remember me and my friends being: occasionally awkward or immature, and in dire need of advice when it comes to wearing clothes that fit properly, but otherwise normal and generally nicer and more accepting than a lot of their peers. Most importantly, they are unashamed of their interests, and seem to really enjoy themselves. Most of the book chronicles Jessie’s attempt to understand this attitude and reconcile it with the lessons learned from years of hanging out with the cool kids, and this is what drew me in. Well, that, and the fact that I started reading this around the same time I was preparing to run my first D&D game, which probably put me in the right frame of mind.
I suppose there are a number of things I could seek out to take issue with, but I don’t really want to bother. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover for what it was, and would recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a light-hearted YA romance. Be warned that you’ll get a crash course in Dungeons & Dragons and live action role-playing in the bargain, but I promise it isn’t too nerdy for you non-nerds to handle.
The most interesting thing about this story is its determination to blend a surprisingly accurate portrayal of playing D&D with a fairly standard “affluent teen girl has affluent teen girl problems” romantic comedy. These are two audiences that one wouldn't think would intersect all that often, but that seems to be the point of this book. Jessie Sloan is the quirky and interesting girl that has never had to really stop and consider how quirky and interesting she is, due to the conventional popularity of her big brother and circle of friends. When everybody shifts their social colors without her, though, she finds herself alone and insecure. If she can get past her first bonafide identity crisis, she might find true kinship where she would have never thought to look: among the kids that dress funny, act oddly, and spend their free time rolling characters and creating campaigns.
This is not a book to read if you are looking for a deep examination of teen angst, or an earth-shattering romance. This book maintains a very light-hearted tone, and even the more mature moments that deal with sexuality are handled with a casual touch that is, ultimately, quite realistic (since adults do a lot more hand-wringing over that kind of stuff than teens themselves do, like it or not).
I think the reason I got so caught up in reading this despite not being particularly interested in the romantic travails of a teenage girl is that the characters feel fleshed out and alive. Jessie is delightfully awkward, and her relationships with her brother and parents are sweet and believable. The antagonists are not archetypes, but simply the villains a lot of us remember from our own high school days: "friends" who aren’t mature enough to realize how crappy and selfish they’re being. Best of all, the nerdy kids are actual people. They aren’t Comic Book Guy caricatures, and they aren’t “geek chic” models that are tarted up with a few gaming references. They are exactly as I remember me and my friends being: occasionally awkward or immature, and in dire need of advice when it comes to wearing clothes that fit properly, but otherwise normal and generally nicer and more accepting than a lot of their peers. Most importantly, they are unashamed of their interests, and seem to really enjoy themselves. Most of the book chronicles Jessie’s attempt to understand this attitude and reconcile it with the lessons learned from years of hanging out with the cool kids, and this is what drew me in. Well, that, and the fact that I started reading this around the same time I was preparing to run my first D&D game, which probably put me in the right frame of mind.
I suppose there are a number of things I could seek out to take issue with, but I don’t really want to bother. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover for what it was, and would recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a light-hearted YA romance. Be warned that you’ll get a crash course in Dungeons & Dragons and live action role-playing in the bargain, but I promise it isn’t too nerdy for you non-nerds to handle.
June 13, 2014
With books like these, YA = Garbage equation is becoming more and more sensible to my tortured mind. The book is loaded with the mediocre, the awful and the just plain nasty... and there are very obvious ways that the author did to extend the word count without really adding any meaningful content.
The characters? Uh! There is almost no effort in characterization at all. They all are very much the bare cliché. One dimensional, predictable, unrealistic, flat... boring. It is almost impossible to connect and relate with the characters. They are just so damn fake and contrived much like those awful characters in TV shows. Maybe that is where the author is basing the character from?
And the main character, I don't really care about her. She is awful in a way. Passive, childish, inert, and who desire to stay and behave like a child. If I met a person like her, I'll be totally disgusted. She could go and stay at playpen if wants, I'll be off doing more constructive things.
The comments and summary of the audio books is quite annoying. It always completely distracts and sidelines the story this book was telling because of the fact that those audio books sounds far more interesting than the current story. It makes me wish I was reading those books instead of this.
Similarly distracting is the overzealous attention of the skirts our main character is wearing every time she changes it. Why such overindulgence in vanity? Once was okay; twice or thrice, for emphasis... almost every chapter, that is just irritating. It is as if life centers around the new skirt she is wearing.
I also didn’t like the constant reminder of sex. It seems that every chapter has to talk about sex in one way or another. Really it is quite annoying.
And in chapter 21 and the father-daughter talk, pure nonsense. I actually end up disliking her father. He is just a foolish and negligent parent. I would hate it if he is my father.
After lot of skimming and skipping, I can’t really make myself read farther than chapter 28. I’m just bored, numb and dying for the ending to come. It seems that the ending is way to long off so I make an ending here. With books like these, ending earlier gives you much better experience.
The characters? Uh! There is almost no effort in characterization at all. They all are very much the bare cliché. One dimensional, predictable, unrealistic, flat... boring. It is almost impossible to connect and relate with the characters. They are just so damn fake and contrived much like those awful characters in TV shows. Maybe that is where the author is basing the character from?
And the main character, I don't really care about her. She is awful in a way. Passive, childish, inert, and who desire to stay and behave like a child. If I met a person like her, I'll be totally disgusted. She could go and stay at playpen if wants, I'll be off doing more constructive things.
The comments and summary of the audio books is quite annoying. It always completely distracts and sidelines the story this book was telling because of the fact that those audio books sounds far more interesting than the current story. It makes me wish I was reading those books instead of this.
Similarly distracting is the overzealous attention of the skirts our main character is wearing every time she changes it. Why such overindulgence in vanity? Once was okay; twice or thrice, for emphasis... almost every chapter, that is just irritating. It is as if life centers around the new skirt she is wearing.
I also didn’t like the constant reminder of sex. It seems that every chapter has to talk about sex in one way or another. Really it is quite annoying.
And in chapter 21 and the father-daughter talk, pure nonsense. I actually end up disliking her father. He is just a foolish and negligent parent. I would hate it if he is my father.
After lot of skimming and skipping, I can’t really make myself read farther than chapter 28. I’m just bored, numb and dying for the ending to come. It seems that the ending is way to long off so I make an ending here. With books like these, ending earlier gives you much better experience.
November 11, 2012
Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
Jessie doesn't know where she belongs in high school anymore. Her best friends have turned into overnight punks. Her punk rock brother is dating the prom princess. In a quest to find new friends, Jessie stumbles upon the Dungeons and Dragons crowd. But if she ventures into the wild nerd yonder, can she ever come back?
I love Julie Halpern - she writes with so much humor and heart that it makes for a great read. As a fellow nerd, I adored Jessie's journey to the nerd side. Granted, Jessie was never a super-popular girl herself. She claims to be a mathlete and her hobby is sewing various skirts made from fun themed fabric. (I wish I could sew just to do that, too!) But Jessie knows the D&D crowd is a new level of nerd and she doesn't know if she's ready to go there.
Aside from the nerd storyline, there's also a great storyline about what makes a true friend. And we all know friendships don't suddenly become easier because you get older. Honestly, I hated Bizza (one of Jessie's punk-turned-best friends). She was an uber jerk, but like many people in that situation, Jessie didn't see it. I was cheering her on the whole way to stand up for herself.
What I liked most about this book is that the nerds aren't all that nerdy. Sure, Jessie's embarrassed about the D&D crowd, but when you get down to it, they're just normal people having fun with a hobby they enjoy. After finishing this one, I told my husband I need to nerd it up more. (Not sure how to do that really, since I'm pretty nerdy already.) But INTO THE WILD NERD YONDER made me miss my nerdy high school days of gushing over Star Trek and The X-Files and writing fan fiction (and yes, acting out our fan fiction in my friend's basement). I even have an interest in giving Dungeons and Dragons a try sometime!
Nerd or not, I think anyone who has ever tried to break into a new clique or struggled with friendship will enjoy INTO THE WILD NERD YONDER. Plus, there's some nerdy love that's so super cute!!
Jessie doesn't know where she belongs in high school anymore. Her best friends have turned into overnight punks. Her punk rock brother is dating the prom princess. In a quest to find new friends, Jessie stumbles upon the Dungeons and Dragons crowd. But if she ventures into the wild nerd yonder, can she ever come back?
I love Julie Halpern - she writes with so much humor and heart that it makes for a great read. As a fellow nerd, I adored Jessie's journey to the nerd side. Granted, Jessie was never a super-popular girl herself. She claims to be a mathlete and her hobby is sewing various skirts made from fun themed fabric. (I wish I could sew just to do that, too!) But Jessie knows the D&D crowd is a new level of nerd and she doesn't know if she's ready to go there.
Aside from the nerd storyline, there's also a great storyline about what makes a true friend. And we all know friendships don't suddenly become easier because you get older. Honestly, I hated Bizza (one of Jessie's punk-turned-best friends). She was an uber jerk, but like many people in that situation, Jessie didn't see it. I was cheering her on the whole way to stand up for herself.
What I liked most about this book is that the nerds aren't all that nerdy. Sure, Jessie's embarrassed about the D&D crowd, but when you get down to it, they're just normal people having fun with a hobby they enjoy. After finishing this one, I told my husband I need to nerd it up more. (Not sure how to do that really, since I'm pretty nerdy already.) But INTO THE WILD NERD YONDER made me miss my nerdy high school days of gushing over Star Trek and The X-Files and writing fan fiction (and yes, acting out our fan fiction in my friend's basement). I even have an interest in giving Dungeons and Dragons a try sometime!
Nerd or not, I think anyone who has ever tried to break into a new clique or struggled with friendship will enjoy INTO THE WILD NERD YONDER. Plus, there's some nerdy love that's so super cute!!
August 28, 2012
This will have to be chalked up to a case of, "It's not you, it's me." Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is a very cute book, with a very realistic sounding narrator. But the problem, my problem that is, is that Jessie simply wasn't relatable. This is a girl who, upon entering her sophomore year of high school is feeling left out and left behind by her whorish (and not very nice) best friends. While Jessie's friends are discovering what sort of young adults they want to be, discovering boys, music and different styles of clothes... Jessie is firmly and stubbornly clinging to her childhood.
As a teen, I wanted to grow up so badly. Frankly, I had a few friends like Jessie and they annoyed me. I liked boys, and music and sexy clothes… although I was never as slutty or transparent or mean as Jessie’s friends (Gawd, I hope I wasn’t!) I didn’t understand my friends who were frightened by growing up. So, Jessie… I just don’t get her. And while her so called friends were undeniably vicious and mean girls, Jessie herself was no angel…she was a little passive aggressive, and slightly snarky. At times, given her bad thoughts towards her friends, it was difficult to see her as 100% blameless.
Ah well. This book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t for me.
As a teen, I wanted to grow up so badly. Frankly, I had a few friends like Jessie and they annoyed me. I liked boys, and music and sexy clothes… although I was never as slutty or transparent or mean as Jessie’s friends (Gawd, I hope I wasn’t!) I didn’t understand my friends who were frightened by growing up. So, Jessie… I just don’t get her. And while her so called friends were undeniably vicious and mean girls, Jessie herself was no angel…she was a little passive aggressive, and slightly snarky. At times, given her bad thoughts towards her friends, it was difficult to see her as 100% blameless.
Ah well. This book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t for me.
August 9, 2018
3.5 stars
I didnt think i was going to like this but once she got with the nerds it got a lot better. And they go to a renaissance faire. Huzzah!
I didnt think i was going to like this but once she got with the nerds it got a lot better. And they go to a renaissance faire. Huzzah!
March 6, 2012
This book is no literary masterpiece, but its one of the funniest novels I've ever read (and it's a short, fun read too - I finished it in a little more than 24 hours). I fell in love with all of the hilarious characters immediately, from quirky makes-her-own-funky-skirts Jessie, to curly-haired-nerdy-but-sweet Henry, to Dungeon-and-Dragon-master-dork Dottie, to adoring-ex-punk older brother Barrett. Jessie was so likable and simple; after being ditched by her oldest friends in the world on the first day of tenth grade, Jessie suddenly has no one to hang out with - and things aren't turning out as she hoped, either. Her older brother Barrett has shaved off his Mohawk, quit the band he's been part of for years, and starting dating the Prom queen. How many surprises will sophomore year bring?
Soon Jessie starts chatting up a girl in homeroom, who invites her to join her "nerd clan"'s Dungeon and Dragon Party. Jessie accepts, and before she knows it she's a nerd too - but is that really so bad?
"Into the Wild Nerd Yonder" captured many insecurities teens face in high school, and it did so with such hilarity you'll want to keep reading for sure. And I am not exaggerating when I say it's FUNNY. Jessie had me in laughs every page I turned.
A personal favorite line: "I often wondered why Bizza needed a cell phone and a home phone, all to herself. Probably to keep up with her prostitution business. Ouch. Did I just think that?"
Read it!
Soon Jessie starts chatting up a girl in homeroom, who invites her to join her "nerd clan"'s Dungeon and Dragon Party. Jessie accepts, and before she knows it she's a nerd too - but is that really so bad?
"Into the Wild Nerd Yonder" captured many insecurities teens face in high school, and it did so with such hilarity you'll want to keep reading for sure. And I am not exaggerating when I say it's FUNNY. Jessie had me in laughs every page I turned.
A personal favorite line: "I often wondered why Bizza needed a cell phone and a home phone, all to herself. Probably to keep up with her prostitution business. Ouch. Did I just think that?"
Read it!
October 13, 2009
This was an enjoyable realistic book about a teenage girl who dumps her user friends and finds true friends with *gasp* the D&D nerds.
Some things I didn't like about the book: The family got a long far too well for having two teenagers so close in age. The geek group conveniently had a dream boat dressed up in geek clothing. A new pair of pants and some new shoes and viola--perfect boyfriend. The clique jumping happened a little too easy. For someone who's has the cool factor of the punk brother in a band, the social consequences of becoming a band geek or D&D nerd is far greater than indicated.
Things I liked about the book: It dealt realistically with teenage relationships, specifically good friends and bad friends. It dealt realistically with sex and the importance of using a condom. It talks about the importance of teenage girls respecting themselves without being preachy or insisting that they be "good girls." The main character finds her inner fighter and is able to tell people exactly what they need to hear.
Overall, I was entertained by this book and I think it has a great deal of appeal for younger teen girls. It had a positive message and a happy, warm-fuzzy conclusion.
Some things I didn't like about the book: The family got a long far too well for having two teenagers so close in age. The geek group conveniently had a dream boat dressed up in geek clothing. A new pair of pants and some new shoes and viola--perfect boyfriend. The clique jumping happened a little too easy. For someone who's has the cool factor of the punk brother in a band, the social consequences of becoming a band geek or D&D nerd is far greater than indicated.
Things I liked about the book: It dealt realistically with teenage relationships, specifically good friends and bad friends. It dealt realistically with sex and the importance of using a condom. It talks about the importance of teenage girls respecting themselves without being preachy or insisting that they be "good girls." The main character finds her inner fighter and is able to tell people exactly what they need to hear.
Overall, I was entertained by this book and I think it has a great deal of appeal for younger teen girls. It had a positive message and a happy, warm-fuzzy conclusion.
October 21, 2009
I really liked this book. At first, Jessie, the main character got on my nerves a little. I thought it was annoying how she kept reiterating the she loved school, loved math was so smart etc but then she tried to act like she was so much cooler than the nerds. What's the difference? Once I got past that though, I really enjoyed reading this and thought that Halpern did a great job capturing the high school scene, teens and the conflict that teens feel when they might be drawn to someone or something that's not considered "cool."
I enjoyed the relationship between Jessie and her brother, and for once I also liked her parents. They were nice and pretty hip without being all "father knows best." There were some great exchanges among their family members and they seemed believable and real. One thing I didn't really buy was how everyone in Jessie's family disapproved of something in her life but never told her. (not saying what it is so i don't ruin the story) In my family my kids can't wait to tell each other when they are screwing up.
Aside from a few minor details, I liked this book quite a bit, read it really quickly and wanted it to keep going. I think it could make a great TV show. Sort of like "My So Called Life" but as serious.
I enjoyed the relationship between Jessie and her brother, and for once I also liked her parents. They were nice and pretty hip without being all "father knows best." There were some great exchanges among their family members and they seemed believable and real. One thing I didn't really buy was how everyone in Jessie's family disapproved of something in her life but never told her. (not saying what it is so i don't ruin the story) In my family my kids can't wait to tell each other when they are screwing up.
Aside from a few minor details, I liked this book quite a bit, read it really quickly and wanted it to keep going. I think it could make a great TV show. Sort of like "My So Called Life" but as serious.
May 11, 2020
Lukiolaistyttö Jessien elämä muuttuu radikaalisti kun hänen parhaat kaverinsa ryhtyvät hengailemaan punkkareiden porukoissa, kääntävät tyystin selkänsä entiselle ystävälleen ja iskeepä toinen kyntensä vielä päähenkilömme pitkäaikaiseen ihastukseen.
Jessien tukena on onneksi kiva perhe, fiksu ja rakastava isoveli ja uusia kavereitakin näyttäisi löytyvän Dungeons & Dragonsia harrastavasta nörttiporukasta - mutta voiko sellaiseen jengiin todella liittyä vaikuttamatta übersäälittävältä ja menettämättä viimeisiä katu-uskottavuuden rippeitä? Toisaalta yksi nörttijengin pojista on aika kuuma tapaus...
Julie Halpernin "Matkalla nörttiyden ytimeen" (Karisto, 2010) kuuluu ihan kivoja tyttökirjoja sisältävään Siskodisko-sarjaan. Nuorille aikuisille kirjoitetun romaanin keskeisenä ajatuksena on itsensä ja kanssaihmistensä hyväksyminen sellaisina kuin olemme. Meininki on siis ihan asiallista, vaikka varsinaisesti mitään uutta sanottavaa aiheesta ei ole.
Halpern kuvaa suht todentuntuisesti teinitytön elämää ja ajatuksia, tosin on hieman huvittavaa lukea miten valtavaa sisäistä taistelua päähenkilö joutuu käymään miettiessään voiko hengailla nörttien kanssa vai ei. No, realismia ehkä sekin?
Jessien tukena on onneksi kiva perhe, fiksu ja rakastava isoveli ja uusia kavereitakin näyttäisi löytyvän Dungeons & Dragonsia harrastavasta nörttiporukasta - mutta voiko sellaiseen jengiin todella liittyä vaikuttamatta übersäälittävältä ja menettämättä viimeisiä katu-uskottavuuden rippeitä? Toisaalta yksi nörttijengin pojista on aika kuuma tapaus...
Julie Halpernin "Matkalla nörttiyden ytimeen" (Karisto, 2010) kuuluu ihan kivoja tyttökirjoja sisältävään Siskodisko-sarjaan. Nuorille aikuisille kirjoitetun romaanin keskeisenä ajatuksena on itsensä ja kanssaihmistensä hyväksyminen sellaisina kuin olemme. Meininki on siis ihan asiallista, vaikka varsinaisesti mitään uutta sanottavaa aiheesta ei ole.
Halpern kuvaa suht todentuntuisesti teinitytön elämää ja ajatuksia, tosin on hieman huvittavaa lukea miten valtavaa sisäistä taistelua päähenkilö joutuu käymään miettiessään voiko hengailla nörttien kanssa vai ei. No, realismia ehkä sekin?
May 20, 2012
When I was a freshman in high school, my best friend and I tried out for a neighborhood softball team. She made the team and I didn't. At first, I didn't really care because I had no interest in sports (maybe why i didn't make the team) and shrugged it off. But I didn't realize it was the catalyst that ended things with my best friend. She went off to practice and games and new friends. I was suddenly not part of her life. It was pretty devastating. No fights, no falling out, just a slow fade.
So, I thought about that a lot while reading this book. I felt for Jessie as she struggled to redefine who she was, who she wanted to hang out with. I thought it was done a little too neatly but that's okay. I also thought the characters were very black and white. Her old friends were bad and sullen and lost and her new friends were nice and happy and welcoming. Van-bad. Henry-good. I guess it would be nice if life were so easy to figure out but it was an enjoyable read and Jessie was a fun snarky heroine.
Favorite line: Are everyone's brains programmed to think different types of people are attractive to ensure the survival of the species?
Discuss.
So, I thought about that a lot while reading this book. I felt for Jessie as she struggled to redefine who she was, who she wanted to hang out with. I thought it was done a little too neatly but that's okay. I also thought the characters were very black and white. Her old friends were bad and sullen and lost and her new friends were nice and happy and welcoming. Van-bad. Henry-good. I guess it would be nice if life were so easy to figure out but it was an enjoyable read and Jessie was a fun snarky heroine.
Favorite line: Are everyone's brains programmed to think different types of people are attractive to ensure the survival of the species?
Discuss.
June 10, 2017
Roll for initiative: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder had been on my TBR list for ages because I wanted to read about teenage Dungeons and Dragons players. Right off the bat I connected with Jessie's narrative voice and I liked that she was a teenager who was fairly self-possessed, all things considered. Although she has normal teen insecurities and misunderstandings, she doesn't tolerate (much) mistreatment and doesn't agonize (much) over decisions like her own popularity.
Roll for attack: I was disappointed that we didn't actually get to the D&D playing nerd kids until more than halfway through the book. The first half is comprised of some fairly tepid friend-drama, where Jessie's longtime bestie hooks up with the guy Jessie likes. Unfortunately, Jessie's reaction to this is a lot of passive-aggressive slut shaming. I lost count of the number of times she called her former friend a slut/skank/prostitute and I hated it every single time. You can be mad a friend, deservedly mad at a friend, without resorting to misogynistic name-calling, and I hate the example this sets for other teen readers.
Roll for damage: Ultimately, Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is a lightweight and enjoyable read. There's a little high school drama, which Jessie transcends fairly effortlessly as she finds a happy home with the D&D playing nerds. I liked how she channeled her own courage through her D&D character, and how she learned that being cool mattered a lot less than just having fun.
Roll for attack: I was disappointed that we didn't actually get to the D&D playing nerd kids until more than halfway through the book. The first half is comprised of some fairly tepid friend-drama, where Jessie's longtime bestie hooks up with the guy Jessie likes. Unfortunately, Jessie's reaction to this is a lot of passive-aggressive slut shaming. I lost count of the number of times she called her former friend a slut/skank/prostitute and I hated it every single time. You can be mad a friend, deservedly mad at a friend, without resorting to misogynistic name-calling, and I hate the example this sets for other teen readers.
Roll for damage: Ultimately, Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is a lightweight and enjoyable read. There's a little high school drama, which Jessie transcends fairly effortlessly as she finds a happy home with the D&D playing nerds. I liked how she channeled her own courage through her D&D character, and how she learned that being cool mattered a lot less than just having fun.
June 26, 2018
"How is it that someone becomes a dork? Do they choose to, just like Bizza and Char decided to turn punk? Are they born that way? What makes some people like punk music and Denny's and other people like costumes and Dungeons and Dragons? And where do I fit into all of this?"
One word: Adorkable!
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is hilarious, witty, and so very (sometimes even painfully) relatable. Though I know I'm a little too old for the character to fully enjoy some of her mannerisms or one-liners, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this read.
The plot was fairly predictable, and by the middle of the book I had already predicted (correctly) how things would work out in the end, but this did not stop me from enjoying a single page.
There was something oddly serene or nostalgic about reading this book. I don't even know how to articulate what I felt, but it was like my soul was sent away to a day spa while I read this. I was so pleasantly relaxed and happy... It was just one of those feeling. Anyone know what I mean?
If you are a nerd and into YA, I highly recommend you read Into the Wild Nerd Yonder!
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge 2018: Embrace Your Inner Geek: a book aboutgeek nerd culture
One word: Adorkable!
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is hilarious, witty, and so very (sometimes even painfully) relatable. Though I know I'm a little too old for the character to fully enjoy some of her mannerisms or one-liners, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this read.
The plot was fairly predictable, and by the middle of the book I had already predicted (correctly) how things would work out in the end, but this did not stop me from enjoying a single page.
There was something oddly serene or nostalgic about reading this book. I don't even know how to articulate what I felt, but it was like my soul was sent away to a day spa while I read this. I was so pleasantly relaxed and happy... It was just one of those feeling. Anyone know what I mean?
If you are a nerd and into YA, I highly recommend you read Into the Wild Nerd Yonder!
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge 2018: Embrace Your Inner Geek: a book about
August 5, 2016
I'm rating this from 34 pages in... I did not finish this book and I will not be finishing this book.
For one, the reason why I rated this a one star is because zero is not an option. It should be, but it isn't.
The protagonist is judgemental, whiny and acts like a 12 year old who just got pushed on the playground by the cool boy in her class and now thinks he's in love with her. Allow me to provide examples!
Scene from page 24, Van has asked Jessie if she wants to grab lunch. They are at Wendy's.
"We pull into the parking lot of Wendy's, and Van lets the car and stereo run until his finishes his cigarette. When he's done, he flicks it out the window and shuts off the car. I want to tell him that not only is smoking bad for him and everyone else around him but flicking the butt out the window isn't exactly good for the environment. I refrain. So instead, there's at least a minute of dead silence. 'Hungry?' he smirks my way, and I turn to pudding, grateful I didn't declare a smoking ban.
'Sure,' I answer, still full from my first lunch.
'It's my treat,' he says, and I get the tiniest rumble in my stomach that this could be the date I've always dreamed about. I mean, he asked, he drove, and he's buying."
Scene from page 26, Van is dropping Jessie back off at school.
"'Thanks for lunch,' I say, 'and my bunny.' I wiggle the bunny at him in a thank-you gesture.
'No problem,' he breathes, blowing smoke out of the corner of his mouth. Then he leans towards me, and I ready myself for a dream kiss. His arm brushes my shirt and the tiniest corner of my chest (not that my chest has corners) as he pushes open my door. 'Door sometimes sticks.' He smiles, his face way too close to mine for not having any actual lip-connecting intentions.
'Oh.' I blush."
There is actually a moment in the book, before their first "date," where she calls this guy "HER Van." Can we have a moment where we all pause for vomiting?
AND THEN, she is extremely judgemental of her supposed best friends. They change their style and the only thing she is concerned with is the fact that she is not involved in the change. She wasn't told that Bizza shaved her head or that Char coloured her hair black and red. And she wonders why? The moment she sees them, she wants to be away from them because they are trying out a new look for their new year of high school.
The writing style is also annoying. Why are there explanations of everything in brackets? We, as the readers, want to be able to use our imagination and not be explained everything. Example...
"It's hard not to turn into soup around a guy as annoyingly delicious as Van. He has that TV-show-bad-boy thing (he doesn't speak as much as he sighs and smokes) going for him, which I'm totally a sucker for. All I can hope is that he has a thing for plan, girl-next-door types (who the bad boys always seem to end up with on TV, right?)."
The book is annoying from the getgo and is honestly one of the most judgemental stories I have every started reading. Do not waste your time! Your life is too precious for this book!
For one, the reason why I rated this a one star is because zero is not an option. It should be, but it isn't.
The protagonist is judgemental, whiny and acts like a 12 year old who just got pushed on the playground by the cool boy in her class and now thinks he's in love with her. Allow me to provide examples!
Scene from page 24, Van has asked Jessie if she wants to grab lunch. They are at Wendy's.
"We pull into the parking lot of Wendy's, and Van lets the car and stereo run until his finishes his cigarette. When he's done, he flicks it out the window and shuts off the car. I want to tell him that not only is smoking bad for him and everyone else around him but flicking the butt out the window isn't exactly good for the environment. I refrain. So instead, there's at least a minute of dead silence. 'Hungry?' he smirks my way, and I turn to pudding, grateful I didn't declare a smoking ban.
'Sure,' I answer, still full from my first lunch.
'It's my treat,' he says, and I get the tiniest rumble in my stomach that this could be the date I've always dreamed about. I mean, he asked, he drove, and he's buying."
Scene from page 26, Van is dropping Jessie back off at school.
"'Thanks for lunch,' I say, 'and my bunny.' I wiggle the bunny at him in a thank-you gesture.
'No problem,' he breathes, blowing smoke out of the corner of his mouth. Then he leans towards me, and I ready myself for a dream kiss. His arm brushes my shirt and the tiniest corner of my chest (not that my chest has corners) as he pushes open my door. 'Door sometimes sticks.' He smiles, his face way too close to mine for not having any actual lip-connecting intentions.
'Oh.' I blush."
There is actually a moment in the book, before their first "date," where she calls this guy "HER Van." Can we have a moment where we all pause for vomiting?
AND THEN, she is extremely judgemental of her supposed best friends. They change their style and the only thing she is concerned with is the fact that she is not involved in the change. She wasn't told that Bizza shaved her head or that Char coloured her hair black and red. And she wonders why? The moment she sees them, she wants to be away from them because they are trying out a new look for their new year of high school.
The writing style is also annoying. Why are there explanations of everything in brackets? We, as the readers, want to be able to use our imagination and not be explained everything. Example...
"It's hard not to turn into soup around a guy as annoyingly delicious as Van. He has that TV-show-bad-boy thing (he doesn't speak as much as he sighs and smokes) going for him, which I'm totally a sucker for. All I can hope is that he has a thing for plan, girl-next-door types (who the bad boys always seem to end up with on TV, right?)."
The book is annoying from the getgo and is honestly one of the most judgemental stories I have every started reading. Do not waste your time! Your life is too precious for this book!
February 28, 2013
2.5 stars
The story was cute, but a bit too shallow, juvenile, and judgmental for my tastes. I might’ve enjoyed this book much more, if I read it as a middle schooler.
I was a bit annoyed with the use of parentheses in every other sentence. Not to mention, Jessie’s passive-aggressive, judgmental, and holier-than-thou attitude…OK, so your best friends transformed into total poser punks; they wanted to look cool so they picked up smoking, and they’re starting to get a little boy crazy – with the wrong boy. Your boy.
What’s a girl to do?
I liked the concept of the plot, a girl that is unsure of her social status in high school, finding her place with the so-called “nerds,” but ultimately finding solid friends, and being happy. Maybe labels don’t really matter, and it’s better to have friends that won’t betray you for a boy.
But in reality: betrayals happen, even among nerds. Drama is inevitable in every clique, and break-ups between best-friends happen, regardless of what ‘clique’ you’re in. So, while I did like the concept of the semi-likable, straight-edged, math whiz finding her place amongst the “nerds” – ultimately, I think the story was just too black and white for me.
Also, it could just be that I had a hard time relating to Jessie. Not because I was Homecoming Queen in high school, but I wasn’t exactly a math whiz, either. And to be completely honest, I’d never heard of D&D until I read this book (sad, I know). Still, I was in ASB (student council), and made the honor roll sometimes, so that’s kind of nerdy, right? I’ve also dealt with falling out with some close girlfriends, and definitely went through some hellish boy drama back in the day. So I'm not completely out of touch... High school wasn't too long ago.
Maybe if I were in Jessie’s shoes, I would’ve been worried too, about being labeled as a nerd. But, what’s the big deal? Jessie was SO judgmental, she thought she was better than EVERYONE; better than her old besties, because although she liked boys, she wasn’t “boy crazy” or “desperate,” and gasp* she’d never dress like them (showing off their bodies), although, she has “fuller breasts” than them. And, who smokes cigarettes just because they want to look cool, anyway? Her friends are obviously stupid? *WHOA* Let's pause right there.
That sounds very spiteful, and judgmental, not very much like a real friend, at all...Then she starts bagging on the nerds...I don’t know. Like I said, had I read this book in middle school, I might’ve really enjoyed it.
Then, the second half of the book was mostly filled with details of the D&D games, event, and so forth...Um, definitely not my thing. All in all, I had a few laugh out loud moments & enjoyed the lighthearted humor. But ultimately, I couldn’t take the story seriously.
The story was cute, but a bit too shallow, juvenile, and judgmental for my tastes. I might’ve enjoyed this book much more, if I read it as a middle schooler.
I was a bit annoyed with the use of parentheses in every other sentence. Not to mention, Jessie’s passive-aggressive, judgmental, and holier-than-thou attitude…OK, so your best friends transformed into total poser punks; they wanted to look cool so they picked up smoking, and they’re starting to get a little boy crazy – with the wrong boy. Your boy.
What’s a girl to do?
I liked the concept of the plot, a girl that is unsure of her social status in high school, finding her place with the so-called “nerds,” but ultimately finding solid friends, and being happy. Maybe labels don’t really matter, and it’s better to have friends that won’t betray you for a boy.
But in reality: betrayals happen, even among nerds. Drama is inevitable in every clique, and break-ups between best-friends happen, regardless of what ‘clique’ you’re in. So, while I did like the concept of the semi-likable, straight-edged, math whiz finding her place amongst the “nerds” – ultimately, I think the story was just too black and white for me.
Also, it could just be that I had a hard time relating to Jessie. Not because I was Homecoming Queen in high school, but I wasn’t exactly a math whiz, either. And to be completely honest, I’d never heard of D&D until I read this book (sad, I know). Still, I was in ASB (student council), and made the honor roll sometimes, so that’s kind of nerdy, right? I’ve also dealt with falling out with some close girlfriends, and definitely went through some hellish boy drama back in the day. So I'm not completely out of touch... High school wasn't too long ago.
Maybe if I were in Jessie’s shoes, I would’ve been worried too, about being labeled as a nerd. But, what’s the big deal? Jessie was SO judgmental, she thought she was better than EVERYONE; better than her old besties, because although she liked boys, she wasn’t “boy crazy” or “desperate,” and gasp* she’d never dress like them (showing off their bodies), although, she has “fuller breasts” than them. And, who smokes cigarettes just because they want to look cool, anyway? Her friends are obviously stupid? *WHOA* Let's pause right there.
That sounds very spiteful, and judgmental, not very much like a real friend, at all...Then she starts bagging on the nerds...I don’t know. Like I said, had I read this book in middle school, I might’ve really enjoyed it.
Then, the second half of the book was mostly filled with details of the D&D games, event, and so forth...Um, definitely not my thing. All in all, I had a few laugh out loud moments & enjoyed the lighthearted humor. But ultimately, I couldn’t take the story seriously.
May 15, 2015
I just came across this book again today and remember really enjoying it and thought I had written a review for it at the time. Turns out I posted the review on tumblr 4 years ago, but not on here.
So below is my review from May 8th, 2011:
So I read this book today.
It was a sweet sunday afternoon sort of read.
If I gave you a plot summary it would seem really almost absurdly nerdy and for a very select audience. But that’s not true, so I won’t.
I will say that I really appreciated that it was a young adult book featuring a high school student that wasn’t popular and wasn’t a loser and wasn’t trying to fit into all these groups. she was just her. She was smart and creative and even though she enjoyed precalc and sewing skirts and listening to audiobooks, she was surprised to find good friends among a group of kids everyone labelled as nerds.
It was about cliques and labels and poseurs and followers and everything high school coming of age stories are always about. But mostly it was about coming to the realization that not caring about labels or groups makes being a teenager more fun.
Basically the main character reminded me a lot of myself at 16 and I appreciate that books like this exist for girls who were like me in high school. Girls who enjoyed homework and had odd hobbies, who made lots of Harry Potter references but would pretend not to understand all the Lord of the Rings references because for some reason there was a line drawn there somewhere, and girls who weren’t popular or a loser, neither a freak nor a geek, but had a nice group of ragtag oddball friends that suited them just fine.
Also, It’s the kind of book that makes handholding seem like the sweetest most romantic thing on earth and involves wearing costumes involving corsets and the sweet cute nerdy boy (who is definitely a self proclaimed nerd, but with a decidedly unnerdy physique) is totally suppose to look like Darren Criss in the Very Potter Musical days with his big ol’ head of moppy curls. At least that is all I could picture.
So below is my review from May 8th, 2011:
So I read this book today.
It was a sweet sunday afternoon sort of read.
If I gave you a plot summary it would seem really almost absurdly nerdy and for a very select audience. But that’s not true, so I won’t.
I will say that I really appreciated that it was a young adult book featuring a high school student that wasn’t popular and wasn’t a loser and wasn’t trying to fit into all these groups. she was just her. She was smart and creative and even though she enjoyed precalc and sewing skirts and listening to audiobooks, she was surprised to find good friends among a group of kids everyone labelled as nerds.
It was about cliques and labels and poseurs and followers and everything high school coming of age stories are always about. But mostly it was about coming to the realization that not caring about labels or groups makes being a teenager more fun.
Basically the main character reminded me a lot of myself at 16 and I appreciate that books like this exist for girls who were like me in high school. Girls who enjoyed homework and had odd hobbies, who made lots of Harry Potter references but would pretend not to understand all the Lord of the Rings references because for some reason there was a line drawn there somewhere, and girls who weren’t popular or a loser, neither a freak nor a geek, but had a nice group of ragtag oddball friends that suited them just fine.
Also, It’s the kind of book that makes handholding seem like the sweetest most romantic thing on earth and involves wearing costumes involving corsets and the sweet cute nerdy boy (who is definitely a self proclaimed nerd, but with a decidedly unnerdy physique) is totally suppose to look like Darren Criss in the Very Potter Musical days with his big ol’ head of moppy curls. At least that is all I could picture.
August 4, 2009
I love Julie Halpern-she writes with so much humor and heart that it makes for a great read. As a fellow nerd, I adored Jessie's journey to the nerd side. Granted, Jessie was never a super popular girl herself. She claims to be a mathlete and her hobby is sewing various skirts made from fun themed fabric. (I wish I could sew just to do that too!) But Jessie knows the D&D crowd is a new level of nerd and she doesn't know if she's ready to go there.
Aside from the nerd storyline, there's a great storyline about what makes a true friend. And we all know friendships don't suddenly become easier because you get older. Honestly, I hated Bizza (one of Jessie's punk-turned best friends). She was an uber jerk, but like many people in that situation, Jessie didn't see it. I was cheering her on the whole way to stand up for herself.
What I liked most about this book is that the nerd's aren't all that nerdy. Sure, Jessie's embarassed about the D&D crowd, but when you get down to it, they're just normal people having fun with a hobby they enjoy. After finishing this one, I told my husband I need to nerd it up more. (Not sure how to do that really, since I'm pretty nerdy already) But Into the Wild Nerd Yonder made me miss my nerdy high school days of gushing over Star Trek and X-Files and writing fanfiction (and yes, acting out our fanfiction in my friend's basement) I even have an interest in giving Dungeons and Dragons a try sometime!
Nerd or not, I think anyone who's ever tried to break into a new clique or struggled with friendship will enjoy Into the Wild Nerd Yonder. Plus, there's some nerdy love that's so super cute!!
Fun side note: Julie Halpern really likes Rupert Grint (Ron from Harry Potter) and mentions him in the book. I finished this one while waiting in the theater for our midnight showing of HP6 to start, so I felt like I was sharing in the Rupert love. What better place to read a book about nerds?
Thanks to Julie Halpern for sending me a copy to review!
Aside from the nerd storyline, there's a great storyline about what makes a true friend. And we all know friendships don't suddenly become easier because you get older. Honestly, I hated Bizza (one of Jessie's punk-turned best friends). She was an uber jerk, but like many people in that situation, Jessie didn't see it. I was cheering her on the whole way to stand up for herself.
What I liked most about this book is that the nerd's aren't all that nerdy. Sure, Jessie's embarassed about the D&D crowd, but when you get down to it, they're just normal people having fun with a hobby they enjoy. After finishing this one, I told my husband I need to nerd it up more. (Not sure how to do that really, since I'm pretty nerdy already) But Into the Wild Nerd Yonder made me miss my nerdy high school days of gushing over Star Trek and X-Files and writing fanfiction (and yes, acting out our fanfiction in my friend's basement) I even have an interest in giving Dungeons and Dragons a try sometime!
Nerd or not, I think anyone who's ever tried to break into a new clique or struggled with friendship will enjoy Into the Wild Nerd Yonder. Plus, there's some nerdy love that's so super cute!!
Fun side note: Julie Halpern really likes Rupert Grint (Ron from Harry Potter) and mentions him in the book. I finished this one while waiting in the theater for our midnight showing of HP6 to start, so I felt like I was sharing in the Rupert love. What better place to read a book about nerds?
Thanks to Julie Halpern for sending me a copy to review!
December 14, 2014
Julie Halpern’s "Into the Wild Nerd Yonder" is to parenthesis as Mark Helprin’s "Winter’s Tale" is to thesaurus. Shame on her editor, just down right shame. There were nine sets of parenthesis in two double spaced pages. Nine! It wasn’t even a forgivable one time occurrence, this continued through the entire book. There are even parentheses in the synopsis! Do you know how distracting it is (I went to the grocery store today) to be interrupted in the middle (My cat is named after Fleur Delacour) of every single thought you have for two hundred (Mmmbop) and forty-five pages?! It’s exhausting, confusing, and frankly really obnoxious!
This book is not correctly marketed. It has very little to do with the joy of becoming a nerd. In fact, for about 98% of the book the protagonist is judging the nerds and fearing becoming one of them because she doesn’t want people to judge her. I’m sorry, what? Isn’t this supposed to be about nerd pride? I’m offended. Even when she’s welcomed into the world of the nerd she still feels so insecure about going public with her new friendships that she tries to change the boy that welcomed her into nerd-dom. Nope. No. No. You leave nerd boys alone. They are marvelous creatures. Let them be and they will become the best life partners and husbands you could ever ask for. Trust me. Don’t tell them their shoes are too white, that their pants are to short – love them for exactly who they are and they will do the same for you. Being a nerd is more about being safe and secure in who you are, not moving into a social group because your friends ditched you and you have nowhere else to go. Nerd-dom is not a last resort.
The book is average. There’s supposed to be a good moral to the story type of spot in the book but it gets muddled by Jessie changing people in her attempt to fit in. There were a couple, “hell yes!” moments when the she handled withering relationships with bad friends, but mostly I was irritated that so much of the book was spent fearing the stigmas of entering The Wild Nerd Yonder instead of basking in the awesomeness.
This book is not correctly marketed. It has very little to do with the joy of becoming a nerd. In fact, for about 98% of the book the protagonist is judging the nerds and fearing becoming one of them because she doesn’t want people to judge her. I’m sorry, what? Isn’t this supposed to be about nerd pride? I’m offended. Even when she’s welcomed into the world of the nerd she still feels so insecure about going public with her new friendships that she tries to change the boy that welcomed her into nerd-dom. Nope. No. No. You leave nerd boys alone. They are marvelous creatures. Let them be and they will become the best life partners and husbands you could ever ask for. Trust me. Don’t tell them their shoes are too white, that their pants are to short – love them for exactly who they are and they will do the same for you. Being a nerd is more about being safe and secure in who you are, not moving into a social group because your friends ditched you and you have nowhere else to go. Nerd-dom is not a last resort.
The book is average. There’s supposed to be a good moral to the story type of spot in the book but it gets muddled by Jessie changing people in her attempt to fit in. There were a couple, “hell yes!” moments when the she handled withering relationships with bad friends, but mostly I was irritated that so much of the book was spent fearing the stigmas of entering The Wild Nerd Yonder instead of basking in the awesomeness.
March 4, 2016
3.5 stars
Too often in the literary YA world, the plain girl gets a miraculous make-over that makes her beautiful, or the fat girl finds a way to become skinny, or an unpopular girl suddenly discovers herself as the center of attention or steals the heart of some cookie cutter popular boy. It's usually the same old story: the special girl somehow achieves the mainstream desire and becomes boringly normal and we're supposed to applaud and call it a happy ending.
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is refreshingly different. It is the story of a girl who decides to embrace her inner nerd and be who she wants to be rather than who she thinks she should be.
Sadly, I'm torn over this book. On one hand, I love the idea of a YA novel celebrating a math loving, sew-aholic, teenage girl who loses her so-called friends that take constant advantage of her and finds a new crowd (one that plays Dungeons and Dragons no less.) While there are lots of coming-of-age novels and learn-to-love yourself books out in the YA world, this one feels unique. And, may I just add for the record, that this book avoids excessive drama like the plague (YES! Fist-bump to the literary gods that be!)
However, on the other hand, the writing isn't the strongest and the book would have gained so much with some tighter editing. Worst of all, there is the tiniest (but unmistakable) smell of "in today's after-school-special, we'll learn the following important life lesson..."
Still, despite its small flaws, I quite enjoyed this book and gobbled it right up.
(P.S. There are some open and frank conversations about oral sex in this book, and while I think the whole thing is handled rather honestly and forthrightly, this might not be a novel to hand to your tween, no matter how good of a reader she/he may be. But I would easily recommend it to an actual teenager.)
(P.P.S You will never eat a Krispy Kreme donut again, due to the aforementioned oral sex conversation. Teenage boys are gross.)
Too often in the literary YA world, the plain girl gets a miraculous make-over that makes her beautiful, or the fat girl finds a way to become skinny, or an unpopular girl suddenly discovers herself as the center of attention or steals the heart of some cookie cutter popular boy. It's usually the same old story: the special girl somehow achieves the mainstream desire and becomes boringly normal and we're supposed to applaud and call it a happy ending.
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is refreshingly different. It is the story of a girl who decides to embrace her inner nerd and be who she wants to be rather than who she thinks she should be.
Sadly, I'm torn over this book. On one hand, I love the idea of a YA novel celebrating a math loving, sew-aholic, teenage girl who loses her so-called friends that take constant advantage of her and finds a new crowd (one that plays Dungeons and Dragons no less.) While there are lots of coming-of-age novels and learn-to-love yourself books out in the YA world, this one feels unique. And, may I just add for the record, that this book avoids excessive drama like the plague (YES! Fist-bump to the literary gods that be!)
However, on the other hand, the writing isn't the strongest and the book would have gained so much with some tighter editing. Worst of all, there is the tiniest (but unmistakable) smell of "in today's after-school-special, we'll learn the following important life lesson..."
Still, despite its small flaws, I quite enjoyed this book and gobbled it right up.
(P.S. There are some open and frank conversations about oral sex in this book, and while I think the whole thing is handled rather honestly and forthrightly, this might not be a novel to hand to your tween, no matter how good of a reader she/he may be. But I would easily recommend it to an actual teenager.)
(P.P.S You will never eat a Krispy Kreme donut again, due to the aforementioned oral sex conversation. Teenage boys are gross.)
February 19, 2010
Once again...3.5 stars. Hmmm....what can I say about this book? Read the blurb. I really liked it a lot. I thought the author did a good job of capturing a teenager's desire to find a "niche", "clique"-whatever you want to call it. I could really identify with Jessie being drawn to the "nerds" but still not being sure if she was willing to put herself out there to the judgement. I get it. I loved it when she just gave up and owned it. I loved her brother. I loved the fact that her family was a fully functional, loving family (honestly, how often do you see that in YA literature?). I loved that she fully admitted that she couldn't stand her nerdy crush's dorky tennis shoes (there's NOTHING wrong with that) and it didn't make her seem like a jerk. There was a hilarious camping/nerdy adventure at the end of the book that had me laughing out loud for about half an hour.
Okay, disclaimers & mild annoyances:
1. She mentions that she's an honor student/math nerd about a gazillion times. We get it! You're super smart and like school.
2. The conversations between the teenagers are (to me) a bit terrifying and what I would definetely classify as inappropriate. That being said, I live in a nice little bubble where I like to pretend that teenagers don't talk about "the birds and the bees" and say "S***" all the time. I'm guessing they were probably written fairly realistically, I just have trouble dealing.
3. Maybe this is just me. But I HATED it that she continued to let her "friends" use and manipulate her even after she completely realized how crappy they were. Obviously, that situation is resolved by the end of the book, but her whimpiness lasted too long in my opinion.
4. YA fiction...fairly predictable as usual.
But I still enjoyed the book immensely and will be laughing about that camping trip for quite a while.
Okay, disclaimers & mild annoyances:
1. She mentions that she's an honor student/math nerd about a gazillion times. We get it! You're super smart and like school.
2. The conversations between the teenagers are (to me) a bit terrifying and what I would definetely classify as inappropriate. That being said, I live in a nice little bubble where I like to pretend that teenagers don't talk about "the birds and the bees" and say "S***" all the time. I'm guessing they were probably written fairly realistically, I just have trouble dealing.
3. Maybe this is just me. But I HATED it that she continued to let her "friends" use and manipulate her even after she completely realized how crappy they were. Obviously, that situation is resolved by the end of the book, but her whimpiness lasted too long in my opinion.
4. YA fiction...fairly predictable as usual.
But I still enjoyed the book immensely and will be laughing about that camping trip for quite a while.
May 5, 2011
At times this book just charmed my Freaks & Geeks loving heart to pieces. There wasn't nearly the emotional poignancy of that wonderful television show but between the punks, the posers, the 20 sided die and the identity crises, it definitely made me nostalgic in a wonderful way.
I wasn't sure about Jessie at first but I really grew to like her. I loved her no B.S. attitude and that she had well-developed hobbies and interests. Originally, it was funny to me that a girl who sewed and wore Elmo patterned fabric skirts to high school would be so hung up on what other people might think about her. I mean, talk about guts, right? It made much more emotional sense to me when the story focused on Jessie's fear of her brother's disapproval. The sibling relationship was just fantastic. Their interactions killed me.
There were some pacing issues that broke up the first and second halves of the book. Some of the most important characters didn't show up until nearly the home stretch while other characters were totally dropped. I think the story arc really would have benefited by having the old friends/new friends transition overlap much more.
Overall this was a sweet and charming book. I'm definitely going to work “Dottie---I can’t wear this. Your mom’s boobs touched it” into conversation as much as possible.
And by mentioning Freaks and Geeks in a review about a book featuring Dungeons and Dragons this GIF is practically mandatory, no?
I wasn't sure about Jessie at first but I really grew to like her. I loved her no B.S. attitude and that she had well-developed hobbies and interests. Originally, it was funny to me that a girl who sewed and wore Elmo patterned fabric skirts to high school would be so hung up on what other people might think about her. I mean, talk about guts, right? It made much more emotional sense to me when the story focused on Jessie's fear of her brother's disapproval. The sibling relationship was just fantastic. Their interactions killed me.
There were some pacing issues that broke up the first and second halves of the book. Some of the most important characters didn't show up until nearly the home stretch while other characters were totally dropped. I think the story arc really would have benefited by having the old friends/new friends transition overlap much more.
Overall this was a sweet and charming book. I'm definitely going to work “Dottie---I can’t wear this. Your mom’s boobs touched it” into conversation as much as possible.
And by mentioning Freaks and Geeks in a review about a book featuring Dungeons and Dragons this GIF is practically mandatory, no?
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