PROJECT SWEET LIFE
Brent Hartinger
HarperTeen
Fiction
ISBN: 9780060824112
288 pages

• Read an Excerpt

What will a group of teenagers do to get out of taking on an “optional” summer job?

Pretty much anything.

Fifteen-year-old Dave and his friends, Victor and Curtis, try many ways to earn the money (which they estimate to be $7,000) that they would have made at their summer jobs. But here’s the catch: Rather than actually getting summer jobs, they tell their parents about “fake jobs” and instead look for ways to accumulate that lofty amount in hopes of having the rest of the summer free. Thus, the endeavor is named “Project Sweet Life.”

Brent Hartinger’s latest book draws upon nearly countless attempts by Dave, Victor and Curtis to get the money, including selling their possessions at a garage sale, staking out a robbery and searching for treasure. All the while, during these adventures, Project Sweet Life has to remain a secret from their families.

The main characters are fun and relatable. A reader may enjoy how Victor plays a contrast to Curtis, while Dave possesses qualities of both. Yet all of them are friends. They each help to develop the plot as they try to acquire the $7,000. Throughout their quest, they grow as individuals, but also their friendship becomes stronger.

Hartinger brings humor into PROJECT SWEET LIFE with Victor’s made-up names, such as “Holy Saint Lysol, Our Lady of Kitchen Grease,” “Saint Ludicrous” and “Holy Labyrinthica, patron saint of brainteasers.” The book also makes use of chapter titles that feature the week number and a descriptor about the chapter, which help readers better relate to Dave as he is doing his best to make Project Sweet Life a success.

Hartinger alludes to how experiences that have some sort of ownership are often more valuable than others, where one may not have as much invested. He also illustrates positive traits, such as determination and perseverance. Dave and his friends do not give up after one attempt; they keep trying and persevering to have the project succeed. Friendship is also discussed throughout the novel, not only among the three boys but also among their parents. Finally, integrity is a theme between lying during Project Sweet Life, but also the decision-making process that Dave, Victor and Curtis go through to earn the money and what they choose not to do. For example, Victor stresses the importance of making sure that the method of obtaining the cash is legal.

Finally, PROJECT SWEET LIFE highlights the treatment of the Chinese community during the 1800s, which happens to be Hartinger’s hometown. It brings to light the anti-Chinese treatment and shows the teens’ commitment to assisting the Chinese community through the Reconciliation Project, a “memorial commemorating what happened.” He even includes an author’s note to further educate readers about the situation that occurred in Tacoma.

All in all, this is another winning novel from the bestselling author of GEOGRAPHY CLUB, THE ORDER OF THE POISON OAK and THE LAST CHANCE TEXACO.

   --- Reviewed by Dan Waxman

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