Charming as a Verb

Review from School Library Connection:

Told in first person from a male point of view, this is a novel that many teens will find relatable. Henri "Halti" Haltiwanger is your typical Ivy League hopeful: a smart and charming high schooler, who attends the prestigious FATE academy, has his own dog walking business, and is an expert debater. When his classmate, Corinne, discovers that the dog business is not quite on the up and up, she blackmails him into going out with her and helping her change her nonexistent social status. It comes as no surprise that the two fall in love, and Corinne even opens Halti's eyes to the fact that design school may be a better option than Columbia. Halti faces tremendous pressure from his immigrant father who came to America to "live the dream" of owning a jazz club, but instead became an apartment building superintendent. Corinne is highly neurotic but likeable; her intensity is both overwhelming and endearing in equal measure. Although the story evolves into an interesting climax, it may take readers a while to really get into the story. Those who forge ahead will encounter a desperate main character who is able to redeem and reinvent himself, and the hopefulness of second chances.