This Could All Go Bad

An anxious teen resolves to confront his fears in this uproarious novel from Hall (Kind of Sort of Fine). On the night before his eighth grade graduation, 14-year-old Jensen Chapman’s best friends Maleek and Cooper lure him out for what they call “a night of adventure”: several of their classmates, including Jensen’s crush Leslie, have challenged the trio to a series of dares that promise bragging rights for the victors. Throughout the evening, Jensen, Maleek, and Cooper attempt increasingly wild dares that test Jensen’s bravery and determination. But when he learns that his friends have been hiding potentially life-altering news from him, it may irrevocably alter their relationship. By turns sincere and humorous, this nocturnal romp is both a frenetic comedy and an ode to friendship as the protagonists reckon with rapidly approaching changes and panic-inducing transition into high school. As the teens careen from one challenge to the next, Hall inserts chaotic joviality and dynamic energy into a story about one teen’s attempt to do it scared—and his supporters’ promise to be there whether things go right or wrong. While Jensen takes center stage, Cooper and Maleek have their moments of glory as well, rounding out and adding texture to a magnetic, racially diverse ensemble cast. Ages 12–up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (May)