Review: Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance by Betsy Byars

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Bingo’s ultimate guide to finding love might need a few more chapters when his long-distance girlfriend returns home
Bingo Brown is confident that he can write the definitive guidebook for middle-school boys trying to win over girls. With his baby brother, Jamie, in mind, he jots down notes about the lessons he’s learned: Should you worry if the girl you like grows taller than you? (No.) What do you do when hauling your family’s dirty clothes to the laundromat? (Go the back way.) But when Bingo’s girlfriend, Melissa, moves back to town and doesn’t want to talk to him, he realizes he still has some learning to do. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Betsy Byars including rare images from the author’s personal collection.

MY TAKE:
I usually read books with female heroines so when I get the chance to read a nice book featuring a young boy, I go for it.

In Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance, the girl Bingo likes seems to have moved back to town without telling him. Together with a neighborhood boy who he is only sort of friends with, he tries to solve the mystery of why Melissa is back in town and if she still feels the same way about him as she did before she left.

The book reminded me of the television show Good Luck Charlie mixed with some Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The purpose of Bingo's definitive guide is to help his brother make the right decisions in the future. However, Bingo doesn't really have it all figured out. He fancies himself as smart or knowledgeable, particularly when it comes to love. Based on the love letter he sent to Melissa, I'm going to have to say that that's a big NO for now, since the letter is a little creepy. I also disliked the way manfully and manly was used so many times. At first it was okay, but after a while it became irritating.

The highlight of the book for me was Wentworth. For some reason, I imagined him as Buford from Phineas and Ferb. This made all Wentworth's lines quite funny to me.

Overall, this was an okay read, but Bingo didn't really make a big impression on me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Media Teen & Tween for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. There were some funny lines.
2. Young boys can probably relate to Bingo.
3. The supporting characters are charming. 

THE BAD:

1. Bingo may not be everyone's cup of tea. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Sometimes when Bingo watched his brother he wished he were little again and could find simple pleasure in slapping spaghetti or comfort in holding the end of a frayed blanket. 

READ IT IF:

1. You like Good Luck Charlie and want to read a sort of male version of the show.
2. You like it when secondary characters steal the show.
3. Your son feels shy around girls he likes. 

RATING:


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