Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong (Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, 1) - Softcover

*Starred Review* This story has everything: basketball, dastardly cheerleaders, a robot rumble, conniving geeks, a house party, family drama, student-council elections, and a tiny sliver of romance. Charlie, captain of the basketball team, and Nate, president of the Robotics Club, are neighbors and unlikely friends. When Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, the captain of the cheerleading squad, pits Charlie against Nate for president of the student council in an aggressive bid to snatch Robotics Club funds for new cheerleading uniforms, dirty campaign tricks ensue, and friendships are tested. But, in a remarkable display of cooperation, everyone bands together to build a rumble-winning robot for prize money that will solve everyone’s problems. Hicks’ (Friends with Boys, 2012) black-and-white artwork perfectly captures heart-melting facial expressions, fast-paced basketball and robot-rumble action scenes, and Looney Tunes–worthy comedic timing. Though the plot points are not all too surprising, it’s the compelling, heady teenage emotional drama that makes this so touching. Charlie’s anger over his parents’ divorce and Nate’s awkward attempts to console him are sentimental without becoming sappy, and the camaraderie that arises from their shared goal is genuine. The story’s ample heart helps it transcend mere jocks-versus-geeks melodrama to become silly, earnest, and delightfully stirring all at once. Grades 9-12. --Sarah Hunter