Madeleine George

This is a fantastic little book about politics and convictions and high school and making a difference. The characters are all recognizable "types" but also feel very real and are easy to get emotionally involved with, and their foibles are on full display but not mocked.

Gotta be honest, though: my absolute favorite part is that an honest-to-god butch girl who gets mistaken for a boy sometimes and has feelings about her hair and whose idea of formal wear is a sky-blue polyester bell-bottomed suit with a ruffled shirt is the main character. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!… (más)

A short, intriguing high school novel about a rebel who falls for a prep. The story is told from the perspective of both girls, but (not surprisingly) the rebel's perspective seemed deeper and more sympathetic. The prep, while not totally villified, came off as shallow and not worthy of the rebel's heart. I think it would've been a more interesting book if the prep had been more likable.

Really, the most interesting character was Esther, a friend of the rebel's who is obsessed with Joan of Arc. Esther deserves her own novel.

When I think of this book, I will remember that the rebel wore giant boots all the time because she needed lots of wiggle room for her toes.

I also liked that the rebel's parents were interesting characters who actually made a difference in the plot. So often in children's and YA fiction the parents are not a factor in the kid's life, unless they're heinous.… (más)