PROMISES TO KEEP

Patty, first met in And the Other, Gold (1987), is tired of being ordinary—especially after being dumped by boyfriend Tim, who's now enjoying parties given by rich newcomer Penni. While trying to ignore the attentions of Gary, her coeditor on the literary magazine, Patty makes New Year's resolutions aimed at joining Penni's inner circle and sets out to change her image; her funny failures include a disastrous experiment with straightening her hair. Penni soon has Patty wrapped around her finger, encouraging her to write a column airing Penni's gripes and conning Patty into writing a term paper for her. But when Penni threatens social ostracism unless her piece is accepted for publication, Patty is true to herself and says no. In the meantime, she's discovered that Gary isn't so bad after all. Except for Penni, an outdated stereotype of a spoiled rich girl, the characters here are likable and believable. Plenty of good-natured gags and insults help move the story along, but leave little room to deal adequately with the well-trodden themes of popularity and peer pressure. Humorous but slight. (Fiction. 9-13)