On Again, Awkward Again

Kelly, Erin Entrada and Mbalia, Kwame. On Again, Awkward Again
April 15, 2025 by Amulet Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Pacy, who lives in a cozy apartment with her aunt and mother who work in an Asian market, is obsessed with Star Trek and is rather klutzy. Her friend Brigida despairs of her; she's forever doing things like telling her French teacher she should be able to pick "Jean-Luc" as a name because "gender is a spectrum" and bashing her lip on the water fountain. Cecil is worried about starting high school because he has frequent bouts of IBS and is given a hard time up his upcycled wardrobe, although he has his best friend Robbie who has his back. When Pacy and Cecil meet in the nurse's office, both teens are intrigued, but clueless as to how to talk to someone they have a crush on. Both end up on the decorating committee for the freshman formal, and do indeed hit it off. Pacy is concerned when her pretty and socially NOT awkward sister Gigi talks to Cecil, but when Pacy and Cecil end up in the principal's office after Pacy pulls the fire alarm (she really thought there was a fire!), the two have a good excuse to spend time together as they work to find a new venue for the dance. The course of true love never runs smooth, and these two have more challenges than most. Cecil has not one but two allergic reactions; after the first, Pacy calls his father, and ends up seeing his family's unusual bed and breakfast. Because this is a Young Adult book, the two have a misunderstanding that leads to them breaking up, but because they are so singularly suited to each other, it's not a spoiler to reveal that they do end the book together. 

Strengths: I'm a huge fan of young adult books that can be read by middle school students without them learning a lot of health class information they might not already know, and this was one of those books. Pacy and Cecil are engaging, geeky characters who are fairly comfortable in their own skin until they start to doubt that someone can be attracted to them. That's an emotion that is not confined just to Geek Americans! This is a fun romp, silly at times, but blissfully free of Serious Issues. I imagine that it was great fun for Kelly and Mbalia to write together. 

Weaknesses: Pacy and Cecil definitely seem more like 1990s teens than 2024 teens. The flavors of essential geekdom are constantly changing, and I haven't seen a student who cares about Star Trek in at least four years. 
What I really think: This is a bit of a departure for both of these authors, and it was fun to see what they created together. Readers who want books about awkward high school romantic experiences, like Lubar's Let Sleeping Freshman Lie and Quatch's Not Here to Be Liked will enjoy this sweet geek fest.