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About The Book

An eleven-year-old boy on a quest to impress his suddenly cute, longtime friend accidentally manifests a tiny internet guru into existence in this hilarious MAX novel!

All class clown Farley Andrew Turner (yes, that spells FAT) wanted the summer before seventh grade was to give his image a little boost…and maybe, just maybe, impress his oldest pal, whom he has a secret crush on.

But when Farley accidentally manifests a tiny internet guru into existence (think genie, but far more annoying and without any ability whatsoever to grant wishes), his entire plan goes sideways.

Now, in order to rid himself of the four-inch tall pest spouting ridiculous self-help advice and doing yoga on his mouse pad, Farley must complete all “Seven Steps to a Whole New You!”—no matter how embarrassing they may be. Which is how Farley finds himself outfitted in too-small spandex and suffering through daily jogs with his super-athletic dad, attempting to read War and Peace, and agreeing to play toy guitar in his best friend Burt’s newly formed off-pitch boy band. Unfortunately, it only goes downhill from there…

But hey, no one ever claimed the path to enlightenment would be easy, did they?

About The Author

Jan Gangsei grew up in the hills of Vermont, where she began her career as a journalist and photographer. After stints in Key West, New York City, and Barbados, Jan finally settled with her family in Northern Virginia, where she writes full time. Her debut novel, Zero Day, is a political thriller set in her backyard of Washington, DC. She is also the author of The Wild Bunch.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Aladdin (April 16, 2019)
  • Length: 272 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534420472
  • Grades: 4 - 8
  • Ages: 9 - 13
  • Lexile ® 570L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

"What starts out as a typical "gotta get the girl" middle school story eventually turns into a "gotta understand that the girl is more than just the girl" story, which is a welcome change. . . . An agreeably silly yet occasionally poignant comedy."

– Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2019

Awards and Honors

  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Intermediate Title

Resources and Downloads

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