Tough-O-Meter

We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)

(2) Sea Level

Marcelo in the Real World takes a few chapters to really get going, but once Marcelo gets assigned to work with Wendell, the book takes off like a freight train. It's a quick and easy read, with no difficult language or boring characters, and it's got a real page-turner of a plot. If you like a great mystery, it's all here: good guys, bad guys, and even a clue discovered with a magnifying glass. Marcelo's like a 17-year-old Sherlock Holmes on the autism spectrum. And just when you (and Marcelo) really need it, Amos and Jasmine's neighbors step in for some comic relief. Add in the sweetest love story this side of The Fault in Our Stars, and Marcelo in the Real World is likely to keep you up way past your bedtime.