Module 9: Mojo

Book summary: Dylan wants a spark in his life; something that will make him stand out. He stumbles across the dead body of a classmate but instead of being heralded as a hero, he gets the unfortunate nickname of “Body Bag.” Dylan then learns of a missing rich girl from another school and decides to set his sights on finding her. But what he finds is an underground world of secrets and alliances that run deep in the privileged community.

APA Reference of book: Tharp, T. (2013). Mojo. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Impressions: I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. The story flowed very well; Tharp is an excellent storyteller and he authentically captures the essence of teenage boys and their thought process. Action and intrigue were spread throughout the novel to keep the reader engaged with a plot-twisting ending I did not see coming at all. I think this is a great introduction to teen mysteries for those reluctant readers who enjoy friendship, adventure, and teenager dynamics.

Professional Review: “Overweight and unnoticed, Dylan badly wants to acquire “mojo,” that ineffable something that would make him popular. Accidentally discovering the dead body of a classmate named Hector doesn’t do it but, inspired by his love of a bad TV detective show, 16-year-old Dylan decides he’s going to try to find rich girl Ashton, who has gone missing. With fellow outsiders Audrey and Randy, Dylan makes new friends at the exclusive Hollister School that Ashton attended and joins the search party. As Dylan’s investigation continues, he suspects that Ashton’s kidnapping might be related to Hector’s death. In this tongue-in-cheek tribute to hardboiled detectives, Tharp (Badd) contrasts the book’s serious subjects—including drug use, statutory rape, and murder—with a stylized narrative in a way that recalls Sean Beaudoin’s You Killed Wesley Payne. In this case, though, Dylan’s extemporaneous past-tense narration (which often uses the slightly jarring present-tense phrase “I’m like” to introduce dialogue) makes the entire wild escapade read as though he’s recounting it over burgers at his favorite local joint, Topper’s. Ages 12–up.”

Reference

Kim, E.S. (11 March 2013). [Review of the book Mojo, by Tim Tharp]. Publisher’s Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86445-2.

Library Uses: I would set up a scavenger hunt that highlights important parts of the collection that children and teens may not know about: mysteries and graphic novels at the least.