Biff, you are my hero.

Biff Schmurr is a character from the 1980s young adult novel Is Kissing a Girl Who Smokes Like Licking an Ashtray? It was given to me by a dear friend who promised it would not disappoint. It did not. In fact, it exceeded my expectations. I went in expecting a generic, whitewashed take on teen love, teen awkwardness and teen cliches. Instead I got truly tender moments, excellent stream-of-consciousness writing, delightful inner monologues, and a fresh take on the age-old story of a young waif winning over a jaded 18-year-old man child. I identified with all the characters in the story: sassy Heidi, overbearing Willa, despondent Lynn, the lost dad--heck, even the grouchy old landlord. I might have even guffawed out loud a couple times--truly embarrassing, even when you are alone. This is how all teen novels should be. As a recently former teen, I should know.