Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (January 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060521848
• ISBN-13: 978-0060521844
• List Price: $6.99
• I finished this book on June 30

When I was student teaching in a middle school this book was all the rage with the 8th grade girlies. So it came to me highly recommended as sort of a teen Bridget Jones. I must confess that while I see the fun in books like Bridget, I am not usually into such feminine fare. However, the confessions of 14 year old Georgia Nicolson are silly and fun. Also, quite innocent for such goofy and racy titles.
Basically, we're looking at diary style entries detailing Georgia, her cat, and Robbie: the Sex God (hehe) The British slang is funny and is explained with a little glossary in the back of the book. For your own amusement you can look up slang here. Even more bizarre is the Cockney Rhyming Slang I came across while researching, seriously: huh? P.S. Snogging = kissing, and really, it's an extremely satisfying word to say. Mmm...snogging....
Oh, sorry...anywho: Georgia is fun and she has a crazy cat who harasses people and eats things (but, regrettably, does not talk). Any reluctant reader teen girl would love these books. For me it was a plane ride to Florida read that was quick and funny and simple.
Apparently there are a thousand (or, you know, six) of these books out. Evidently they have some different titles here as opposed to the UK (or I'm making that up, but I definitely saw some weirdness with the titles on US sites vs. UK) my top two favorite titles are: Startled by His Furry Shorts (really, who isn't startled by that?) and Away Laughing on a Fast Camel (watch out, they spit!)
In addition: because every remotely popular thing is made into a movie, this book will be made into a movie sometime in the future. Currently the IMDB page isn't giving me much to go on. I'm hoping they do it justice, and that they don't cast sexy 20 somethings to play the awkward teens, because that annoys me. (Alexis Bledel in both Sin City and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in the same year, anyone?)
I'm super tempted to end this with some horribly cliched British phrase, but I won't. I want you to know I respect you, people, and I'm restraining myself with all my might. Cheerio. Dammit! That one slipped out.