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213 pp.
| Delacorte
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-553-51052-2$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-553-51054-6
(3)
4-6
Project (Un)Popular series.
Sixth grade has only gotten more complicated for Perry Hall. Her best friend has a boyfriend Perry can't stand, she's overworked as yearbook photographer, a boy has an unrequited crush on her, and she's jealous that her older sister is helping a nerd in her class. Perry's (mis)adventures continue to be relatable--and hilarious--in this follow-up to Project (Un)Popular.
(3)
4-6
Amateur photographer Perry never expected sixth grade to be quite so dramatic: her school yearbook boss is mean and manipulative, her best friend likes a guy Perry hates, and her efforts to make a nerdy boy popular get her in trouble. Perry's earnest, literal-minded narration is frequently laugh-out-loud funny; readers will look forward to finding out what happens to her next.
282 pp.
| Simon Pulse
| March, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4424-6075-1$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-4424-6078-2
(4)
YA
After a fluke call to a wrong number, James and Lucy become phone friends. The Vermont teens have much in common, so they continue to talk and a special relationship blossoms. The secret that Lucy is hiding from James is a bit overblown, but Tracy accomplishes much with the limited format (transcribed phone calls and texts), and the characters are well drawn.
(4)
4-6
Lane is excited for sixth grade. She's class captain, has great friends, and even has a secret boyfriend. Then her cousin Mint pays an extended visit and throws a wrench in things. Instead of being the outcast Lane assumes she will be, Mint instantly makes friends...and enemies. While the dialogue and dramas ring true, easy solutions detract from the story.
(4)
4-6
This sequel to The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter offers the same energetic narration as its predecessor but with a bit less heart than the first novel. Bessica has reunited with her best friend, but she has new enemies to worry about as she prepares to represent her school as (half of) the team mascot. Her trials and tribulations offer some genuinely funny moments.
265 pp.
| Hyperion
| October, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-2752-9$16.99
(3)
YA
Molly is popular, lucky in the dating world, and has just one bad habit (shoplifting) on which she'd rather not dwell. Then she dies, and her "intake officer concerning all matters of the soul" insists she face not only her death but also how she lived her life. This is an inventive and poignant story with an entertaining, bubbly veneer.
265 pp.
| Hyperion
| June, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-4354-3$16.99
(3)
YA
A yacht-wreck leaves Enid and her peers fighting for their lives in the middle of the ocean. Under threat of shark attack, Enid learns about the importance of trusting others. She also grapples with the shortcomings of her parents' relationship and its negative effects on her outlooks on love, loyalty, and friendship. Enid's voice is disarmingly honest and at times quite funny.
(3)
4-6
On the eve of middle school, Bessica, deemed a bad influence by her best friend's mother, finds herself alone. Normally supremely self-confident--even to a fault--Bessica confronts loneliness and bullies at school. Despite her flaws, it's hard not to cheer for this spirited heroine whose voice and antics are reminiscent of Anastasia Krupnik.
348 pp.
| Hyperion
| June, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-2718-5$16.99
(4)
YA
Veronica and Dessy attend a writing workshop in Prague. Although still high schoolers, they aren't afraid to take on college guys--both in the classroom and on the dating scene. When boys threaten their friendship, though, the girls must reveal hurtful secrets to each other. A subplot about a psychotic roommate doesn't seem to fit the story; nevertheless, Tracy's writing is tight and spry.
(3)
4-6
Amiable and perceptive fourth grader Camille misses her best friend, who moved to Japan, and worries about her parents' constant arguments over money. Camille, a hypoglycemic, must also be careful about the food she eats. Camille's fourth-grade voice is a little too polished to be completely believable, but her engaging tale is funny and sweet without being syrupy.