Dream Jordan

Kate is scraping by in the city: strict foster mom, raggedy clothes, no money, and crushing on her long-time friend Charles (who doesn't know she's alive). Along comes Naleejah who is everything Kate is not. First, Naleejah makes Kate over then she moves in on Charles... What are limits of friendship? The black slang and casual portrayal of "street life" (drug use, sex, fighting, stealing) jarred this reader a bit but there's no doubt of its appeal to urban teens. The message, a bit didactic at times, is still one that bears repeating: resist peer pressure, stay true to yourself, learn to recognize real friends. Especially appealing to black girls.… (más)

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Kate is fourteen and has grown up in the foster care system in New York. She's finally living in an environment that is pretty stable, as far as foster care goes. She lives with Lynn and Ted and she actually has her own room. That's never happened before. So why would she want to ruin such a good thing?

It's the summer and her best friend, Felicia, has gone on a two-month trip to South Africa. Kate had the chance to go with her, but when she found out some girls that were giving her trouble in the past were also going on the trip, Kate pulled herself out. She's regretting her decision, because she's stuck in the city with no one to hang with.

Kate is hanging out at a basketball court watching her homeboy, Charles, play ball with his buddies. While she's sitting in the bleachers, a fly girl (a very hip, together gal) strolls into the stands and sits down with her. The girl starts chatting up Kate and sounding very cool and grown up. This is how Naleejah enters Kate's life and changes her summer. Though the changes might not all be for the better.

Naleejah has the hottest clothes, knows how to dress and look perfect, and, most importantly to Kate, how to get the guys. Kate's never had a boyfriend and doesn't have the funds to plan her own make-over. But with Naleejah's know-how and help, soon Kate transforms into a hot girl. Kate loves how fly she looks now, but her foster parents are concerned that she's dealing drugs.

As the summer simmers by, Kate has to evaluate her friendship with Naleejah. Kate is starting to realize that she's always following Naleejah's plans and never getting the respect she deserves from the friendship. She misses her friend Felicia terribly, and her situation in her foster home is tenuous at best.

When she finally starts getting the attention from Charles she's always craved (since second grade), Kate makes some hard decisions that she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

HOT GIRL is a story of a strong girl stuck in a situation that's far from her control. She doesn't have to let the foster care system turn her into a girl of the streets if she chooses to make the right decisions. Ms. Jordan's novel is a blunt and straightforward look at the hard life faced by inner city children stuck in the system. It's not an easy portrait, but Kate is a strong role model for any girl in a similar situation.… (más)