For fans of Mean Girls and other high school comedies.
Chaos descends upon William Henry Harrison High when seniors Kim Landis-Lilley and Teddy Lin break up.
Under-the-radar freshman Phil Spooner becomes the key eyewitness to the historic moment that is the end of Chinese-American Teddy and white Kim’s six-year romance. Eager for attention from his crush, Kim’s best friend, Jess Howard, Phil blurts out a fabricated reason, namely that the relationship ended because Teddy didn’t like any of Kim’s Instagram posts. Phil’s lie spirals out of control as the entire school begins to gossip over what really transpired between the it couple. Students and teachers alike take sides, joining either the red-wearing Team Kim or the Teddy Bears, a group founded by Sophie Maeby, who just broke up with her boyfriend and now pines after Teddy. The plot depends on the development of more ridiculous miscommunication and rumors, resulting in the birth of two more groups, the HeartBeats (who want Kim and Teddy to reconcile) and the AntiKaTs (who are fed up with the whole drama), an all-out cafeteria food fight, and the division of prom into four separate themes. The constantly shifting points of view, though whiplash-inducing, allow for an assorted range of humorous insights into an already absurd situation. Although following a white default, there is ethnic diversity in the student body and school staff.
For fans of Mean Girls and other high school comedies. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-28181-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess.
A transformation comedy from a debut author who seems to be aiming to become the next Louise Rennison.
Harriet Manners has all the markings of a geek. Loves learning and discovering facts? Check. Can't contain her enthusiasm for what she finds interesting? Check. Mocked by her schoolmates? Check. At least she has best friend Nat to help her face Alexa, the ringleader of the bullies, and escape Toby, Harriet's annoying stalker. In a sequence that sacrifices logic for humor, Harriet and Nat attend a fashion expo, where Nat hopes to be scouted as a model—but it is Harriet that is spotted. Tired of being branded a geek and feeling like she's lost her friendship with Nat, Harriet lets herself be drawn into the world of high-fashion modeling. Gorgeous male model Nick is the only bright side, because becoming a model can’t change who Harriet is underneath. In a clichéd conclusion, Harriet will learn that the only viable choice is to be true to yourself and to be honest with the people who love you just for who you are. The wacky humor and subtle girl-empowerment message of the Brit-chick-lit genre are on full display here, yet it just feels overdone and unoriginal.
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess. (Chick lit. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-233357-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales.
How did Cinderella’s stepmother come to be so wicked?
She may have been self-focused, but at least she wasn’t always so cruel. Lady Tremaine, mother of two spoiled daughters, is a lonely widow hoping for a bit of happiness. Unfortunately, when Sir Richard appears at her friend’s house party, she’s swept off her feet and fails to heed the frantic warnings of her dedicated, elderly lady’s maid. Had she ever bothered to read the book of fairy tales her late husband purchased years before, she might have recognized the perils of assuming the role of stepmother. Entranced by Sir Richard, she agrees to a hasty marriage and a move to the Many Kingdoms, where he reverts to his true, domineering nature and she and her daughters become virtual prisoners in his home. Although the Odd Sisters—clever, manipulative witches—try to intervene on her behalf, it seems her fate is already written; she becomes as cruel and demented as the story described. However, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and her sister, Nanny, have plans to rescue Lady Tremaine’s daughters as they develop much-needed, rehabilitative insights into the family’s dynamics. Mostly told from the Lady’s shallow, self-centered perspective, this is an entertaining retelling of the Disney “Cinderella” story from a different viewpoint, with references to the rest of the series woven throughout. Characters follow a White default.
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-02528-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
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