Populazzi by Elise Allen
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publish Date: August 1, 2011
Hardcover, 400 pages
Fiction, Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0547481531
Fiction, Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0547481531
My Review:
I really enjoyed Populazzi. I found the subject matter to be spot-on for a teenage girl. What girl does not want to reinvent herself to become part of the popular crowd when she's the new girl at school. I found Cara's antics with Claudia behind her in the background to be hysterical at times and pretty sad at times as well, but absolutely totally truthful to how a teenage girl would act.
I also like that Cara growls through the book and has to grow through tough trials and learn some hard lessons. At times things are handed to her, at times things are hard earned and at times things are pretty shady. Each time she learns something and she learns who she really is and who she can really count on in life.
Ms. Allen does an excellent job with characters in this book from the lowliest rungs on the ladder (who have great Star Wars quotes) the the ever coveted Populazzi, they are all very true to the high school rungs of the popularity ladder that Cara is trying to climb.
The book is full of lessons and just pure fun reading. I would often finish a chapter with a smile on my face because the chapter just had me laughing out loud. Ms. Allen handles the humor well. And the drama well too. As with any high school book there is plent of drama and I don't mean the high school plays. Sit down, relax, get a beverage and get ready to be plunged into the world of high school and enjoy a few hours following Cara as she tries to climb the popularity ladder aspiring to obtain Supreme Populazzi!
My Rating: 4.5/5.0
About the Book:
Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.
Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.
The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.
About the Author:
Learn about Elise here.
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3 comments:
I thought this was a step above most of the YA popularity novels and I loved the mixture of humor and drama. I think my favorite character though was Star Wars geek Robert-I would have wanted to be friends with him!
This one actually sounds pretty great. I was avoiding it because of the whole 'popularity' angle, but I appreciate a book that can make you laugh and still tell important lessons without being preachy. Thanks for the review!
Thanks so much for the review, Crystal! I love that Populazzi both rang true to you, and made you laugh out loud -- makes me very happy.
xo,
E
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