Jessica’s take on junior high may be superficial, but she brings readers on a funny ride, even if many—perhaps even most—of...
Starting with Sloppy Firsts (2001), McCafferty explored the later teen and early 20s years of angst-ridden Jessica Darling in a five-book series. In this start to a new series, Jessica comes back for younger readers as an angst-ridden (of course) seventh-grader.
Jessica’s older sister, Bethany, took junior high by storm, so popular, well-dressed and successful (in her own eyes) as to become co-captain of the vaunted junior high CHEER TEAM!!! Now she’s offering somewhat terse advice to guide Jessica along her path—perhaps not an altogether desirable one, since Bethany is a bit shallow. Jessica was counting on lots of help from Bridget, but her BFF’s star is rising as rapidly as Jessica’s is setting. Some potential new friends turn out to be less than supportive as well. Jessica, after abject failure at CHEER TEAM!!! tryouts, is chosen to be the anonymous costumed school mascot, a sea gull, a role she clumsily fills all too well. Brief characterizations of teachers and students are often humorously spot-on, and rules, such as those for cutting lines, fully capture the junior high social scene in all its often distressing ignominy.
Jessica’s take on junior high may be superficial, but she brings readers on a funny ride, even if many—perhaps even most—of her problems are not resolved by the end, setting up the next in the series, as expected. (Fiction. 11-14)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-316-24499-2
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
In this action-filled sequel to Trading Goals (2010), Vicky Parker enjoys being a key player on her school’s soccer team. Changes are on the horizon for 14-year-old Vicky both on and off the field, though. When Vicky learns that her coach will be selecting an elite group to travel to England to play in an international girl’s soccer tournament, it places enormous stress on her friendship with teammates Marjan and Parm. Marjan and Vicky enlist the help of Neville, high-school senior and star soccer player, to improve their soccer skills. As Vicky’s time with the quiet Neville becomes more romantic than sports-oriented, Marj’s escalating jealousy threatens to destroy their friendship. While struggling with first crushes and friendship woes, Vicky’s home life begins to undergo considerable changes. Vicky is surprised to discover that her mother has a new boyfriend nearly a decade after Vicky’s father left, and she’s uncertain about Dave’s role in her life. Kew does an excellent job segueing between the high-intensity sports-action sequences and the more fragile emotional scenes. Vicky’s endeavors to balance her fledgling romance, soccer aspirations and a changing family structure will resonate with readers. (Fiction. 11 - 14)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-55277-550-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: James Lorimer
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2011
While 11 is a time in a girl’s life when her body is undergoing changes, Linnet’s physical changes are highly unusual—she is growing wings. To her amazement, this bizarre fact doesn’t surprise her mother Sarah, who it turns out also had wings at Linnet’s age. But Linnet’s grandmother had cut off Sarah’s wings, not being able to imagine her navigating her way though life with them. After the school term ends, Linnet insists on going to look for, as she puts it, “anyone else like me.” After several days of travel and after being abandoned by her mother, Linnet ends up at her grandmother’s, who takes Linnet to an isolated house way up in the mountains, a secret place where other winged people live. Safe in the community of others like herself, Linnet and one of the others, Andy, try to teach themselves to fly but for various aeronautical reasons, they are both unable to. Linnet and Andy finally realize that they are unwilling to hide for the rest of their lives, even if it means being called freaks by intolerant people. The two kids decide to take their chances in the outside world with non-winged people. Oddly, there is not much explanation and surprisingly little discussion in the book about how and why these particular people grew wings and what the significance is. While a few theories are bandied about, none are really explored. The plot and characterizations are not skillfully crafted enough to allow a suspension of disbelief, and the book veers towards pomposity, seemingly raising weighty, philosophical themes, but never really taking flight. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-618-07405-8
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2000
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