Justin has two goals for sophomore year: to date Chuck, the hottest boy in school, and to become the king of Cool U, the table in the cafeteria where the "in" crowd sits. <br><br>Unfortunately, he has the wrong look (short, plump, Brillo-pad curls) , he has the wrong interests (Broadway, chorus violin) , and he has the wrong friends (Spencer, into Eastern religions, and Mary Ann, who doesn't shave her armpits) . And Chuck? Well, he's not gay; he's dating Becky, a girl in chorus with whom Justin is friendly.<br><br>But Justin is determined.<br><br>In detention one day (because he saw Chuck get it first) , Justin comes up with a perfect plan: to allow Becky to continue dating Chuck, whom Becky's dad hates. They will pretend that Becky is dating Justin, whom Becky's dad loves. And when Becky and Justin go out on a fake date, Chuck will meet up with them for a real date with Becky. Chuck's bound to find Justin irresistable, right? What could go wrong?<br><br>Seth Rudetsky's first novel for young adults is endearingly human, and laugh-out-loud funny, and any kid who ever aspired to Cool U will find Justin a welcome ally in the fight for popularity.
