Laugh-out-loud humor, a coming-of-age story brimming with heart, and characters that practically leap off the page make this a five-star story for me. Some books you respect, others you hold dear, and then there's a select few that you just simply enjoy. This was one that I enjoyed thoroughly. That's not to say there weren't moments that made me quite emotional. I was careful to avoid reading this in public because of the many weird facial expressions I had while reading it. Intelligently crafted and very unapologetically and lovingly written for its target audience.