Thursday, July 1, 2010

Absolutely Maybe & the Joys of Kool Aid


I love, love this girl's hair. If you have not yet had pink hair, you really ought to consider it.

Maybe (short for Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut) lives in Kissimmee, Florida with her mother, who runs a charm school for teen beauty pageant hopefuls and is addicted to matrimony. Father unknown, but Maybe has survived six marriages so far and is waiting for her mom to hurry up and marry (and then divorce) fiancee Number 7. When Number 7 turns out to be a creep beyond compare, Maybe hits the road with her best friends Ted and Hollywood, driving to Los Angeles to find her father.

I was looking for a little lighthearted funny after more serious reads, and Lisa Yee certainly delivers. Sometimes the story was a bit of a fairy tale (Ted becomes the manager for an elderly film star, moves into her mansion and gets to drive the Rolls) but the wackiness served to move the story forward, and the humor was a counterpoint to Maybe's rougher experiences.

Other highlights: Maybe's job at Benito's Taco Truck #4 (oh Boston, where is thy taco truck?) And Ted is just hilarious; here's an excerpt:

[Ted has just handed Maybe his cell phone.]

"So we can keep in touch," he says. "I've programmed my number in.
It's speed dial number one and I'm listed as 'National Treasure.'"


Don't you wish you'd thought of that?

What can I say, it's a summer read -- not least of all because of











Yes, Kool-Aid as hair dye! (You may never want to drink Kool-Aid again when you consider what color it's turning your insides, but as long as you buy it for something, do the Kool-Aid people really care?)

This really works, but take Maybe's advice and make sure you use the unsweetened kind. Otherwise, stickiness, tears, and swarms of bees. Be kind to your loved ones and clean up the bathroom afterwards. And don't use the good towels! Believe me, I know.

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