What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that many products are mentioned by
name, most of them junk foods (from Snickers to Krispy Kreme to
Burger King). Also, part of the plot revolves around a "love
child," and some secondary characters are racist.
Families can talk about the issue of fitting in. Kirsten's mother advises her to do what it takes to be popular. Do you agree? How important is it to fit in? How far would you go to fit in? Is it possible to get along and be happy in middle and high school and be yourself at the same time? Do you know anyone who does it? How do they do it?
Common Sense Media Review
This shouldn't work. First of all, the
fat-girl-abandoned-by-friend-for-popular-mean-girl plot has
been done -- to death. Second, the story hinges on an unlikely
melodramatic coincidence that comes out of left field. Add in
an awkward structure of alternating chapters about Kirsten and
Walk -- the former in first person, the latter in third -- and
you should have a mess.
But author Gennifer Choldenko, who won a Newbery Honor two years ago for Al Capone Does My Shirts , knows how to draw readers in and keep them there. Kirsten and Walk are winning protagonists (and Kirsten's voice is snappy-humorous), the short alternating chapters keep readers wanting more, and, just when you think you know where it's all going, the big coincidence adds a fascinating level of complexity. For a book with so little action, it's awfully hard to put down.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
