Read Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Planet Girl for Free Online Page A

alive or dead, young or old, male or female. It’s totally up to you. But you have to make a very convincing case why they’re your hero. This will rely on everything we’ve learned this year about how to state a point of view clearly, and then how to back it up with examples and research.”
    Ugh.
    A five-page paper.
    I was going to have to use some pretty big margins.
    Jill Farnak’s hand went up in the front row. “Um, Ms. Albone? Is it okay if the hero is a friend?”
    â€œWell,” Ms. Albone said, “you have to really believe they’re a hero. They can’t just be heroic because they’re your friend.”
    Jill looked crushed. “Okay.”
    A few more kids asked questions, but my admittedly limited attention span had just about run out. I started thinking about everything that had happened over the last couple of days. I was exhausted. So much had gone wrong, and now I had to worry about a five-page paper! But there were a few good things to remember. At least we had camp reunion weekend coming up. At least Katie was still talking to me, even if it was just fake talk about the dogs. And at least I knew that my grades still didn’t really count. If only I could figure out a way to avoid doing any real research …
    I raised my hand.
    â€œExcuse me, Ms. Albone? Is it okay if the person is a family member?”
    Ms. Albone smiled. “Well, I’d have to say yes to that one. It’s perfectly acceptable if you decide to write about someone in your own family. I’m sure they would be very honored! Although, I would prefer not to get twenty-four papers about your mothers and fathers.”
    Yes! As far as I knew, there were no biographies yet written about anybody in my family. Which meant, I didn’t have to read any.
    So which member of my family should I write about?
    I looked across the room and saw Katie, taking notes like she always did. I still had my big speech I wanted to give her. When was I going to do it? What was she going to say? She was probably going to laugh at me. A speech wasn’t going to do it. I had to prove myself some other way. I had to show her who I really was—a decent person. I had to—
    â€œCharlie Joe? Are you even listening to me?”
    â€œSorry, Ms. Albone.”
    She clucked her tongue in that disapproving teacher-y way. “I was just saying, no matter who you all decide to do your paper on, you still need to do some real research. No short cuts.”
    â€œYes, Ms. Albone.”
    No short cuts.
    I was starting to realize how true that was.
    In school, and in life.
    Â 
    Eliza Collins’s Guide to Romance

    IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PERSONALITY
    Yes, it’s fun being beautiful. I really like it. But if you ask me, it doesn’t mean anything unless you’re a really nice person. Boys don’t want to go out with girls who are mean. They don’t want to go out with girls who are super bossy. And they definitely don’t want to go out with girls who treat them badly. Take it from me. Be nice, and nice things will happen to you!
    Oh, and also, wear colors that complement your skin tone. That’s really important, too.

 
    16
    â€œYou again?”
    â€œHi, Mrs. Reedy. I’m back.”
    It’s true. I was back in the library for the second time in less than a month. I couldn’t believe it, either.
    â€œWhat can I do for you, Charlie Joe?”
    I looked at her and waited.
    â€œNo funny cracks about what I’m doing here?”
    Mrs. Reedy smiled. “Charlie Joe, I’ve worked in various libraries over half my life. I’ve seen plenty of kids who hate reading way more than you. But some of them—not all, but some—come into the library one day, for one reason or another, and they find a book they like. Then, eventually, some of those kids come back and they find another book they like. And again. And before you know it, they’re some