The Gamer’s Guide to Getting the Girl
Kristine Scarrow
Dundurn Press
Published July 16, 2019
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Strategy is everything when it comes to gaming — and girls.
Zach is used to living in a world of legendary battles, epic journeys, and life-or-death situations. As a gamer, he is hard-wired for adventure, even though it’s from the comfort of his parents’ couch. But nothing has prepared him for battling the biggest storm in Saskatchewan’s history.
On top of this, Zach has finally met the girl of his dreams, but he finds himself helping everyone else stay safe while his best friend spends time with her. What Zach doesn’t realize is that love always finds its way when you’ve found the right person and are ready to risk it all to save the day.
My Review
The concept of this book really struck me as fun– kids trapped in a mall during a storm, avid video gamer’s using gamer strategy to win at real life. I liked Zach’s character. He’s caring and genuine and a bit awkward.
I was a little disappointed that there weren’t more tie-ins to gaming throughout the book. Each chapter has a short title representing Zach’s strategy for the next scenes, but I didn’t really see much connection to gaming in those headings. It felt like a missed opportunity.
The tricky thing about the plot of THE GAMER’S GUIDE TO GETTING THE GIRL was always going to be keeping Zach an active hero rather than just a kid following some adults around who know what to do. For the most part, there was some balance there. Zach stepped in to help others who got hurt or overwhelmed. But he wasn’t usually the one calling the shots, so he did remain in some ways more of a passive character.
On the whole, GAMER’S GUIDE is a fun, clean book that younger teens or older elementary school-aged readers will enjoy for its friendship and adventure. Readers looking for more of a computer-focused story might like GENIUS by Leopoldo Gout.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 10 to 13.
Representation
Main characters are white.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kiss between boy and girl.
Spiritual Content
One character prays several times through the story.
Violent Content
People rob a pharmacy and jewelry store while trapped in the mall. One man resists arrest by a mall officer. A tornado rips apart a section of the mall, sending shrapnel into a crowd.
Drug Content
None.
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