The rites and wrongs of Janice Wills

Janice loves anthropology – the study of human cultures – and her observations help her identify useful rules in the chaotic world of high school. For instance: Dancing is an effective mating ritual – but only if you’re good at it; Hot Theatre Guys will never speak to Unremarkable Smart Girls like Janice and her best friend, Margo; and a Beautiful Rich Girl will always win Melva’s annual Miss Livermush pageant.

But when a Hot Theatre Guy named Jimmy Denton takes an interest in Janice, all her scientific certainties explode. For the first time, she has to be part of the culture that she’s always observed; and all the charts in the world can’t prove how tough – and how sweet – real participation and a real romance can be.