Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com
You think Junior High is tough? Ha! It's nothing compared to Sara Thurman's eighth grade year! It all starts when Sara finally "becomes a woman" and - get this - her mother sends her - PERIOD flowers! On Valentine's Day! Yeah. You heard right. Ever try to keep a secret in Junior High? Only one person knows who sent those flowers besides Sara, and that's her best friend, Arlene. You can imagine Sara's hurt and confusion when she realizes everyone knows why she got the flowers. And it's only lunchtime!
You've heard of Murphy's Law? You know: If something can go wrong, it probably will. And it does for Sara. Things go from bad to worse. To top it off, she and Arlene have their first ever fight in front of everyone. How can she trust her best friend when Arlene's the only one who could have betrayed her?
Luckily for Sara, she's made a new friend. She met her that same fateful day that she received her red-tipped, white roses. Together, they vow to turn Sara's embarrassment into a nomination for class favorite. They watch the popular girls. They read magazines and clip out pictures and articles. Soon, they have a list of things Sara must do to become popular, which Sara follows faithfully. Will the popular kids notice her? Talk to her? Will her crush, Jason, like her new look? And will she and Arlene ever be friends again?
Taylor Morris has captured the heart of an eighth grader in CLASS FAVORITE. The characters were believable, although, at times, I felt they just as easily could have been sixth or seventh graders. I feel certain that any girl who has ever wished to be part of the popular crowd will totally relate to this book. And because it made me laugh out loud more than once, I give it five stars!
You think Junior High is tough? Ha! It's nothing compared to Sara Thurman's eighth grade year! It all starts when Sara finally "becomes a woman" and - get this - her mother sends her - PERIOD flowers! On Valentine's Day! Yeah. You heard right. Ever try to keep a secret in Junior High? Only one person knows who sent those flowers besides Sara, and that's her best friend, Arlene. You can imagine Sara's hurt and confusion when she realizes everyone knows why she got the flowers. And it's only lunchtime!
You've heard of Murphy's Law? You know: If something can go wrong, it probably will. And it does for Sara. Things go from bad to worse. To top it off, she and Arlene have their first ever fight in front of everyone. How can she trust her best friend when Arlene's the only one who could have betrayed her?
Luckily for Sara, she's made a new friend. She met her that same fateful day that she received her red-tipped, white roses. Together, they vow to turn Sara's embarrassment into a nomination for class favorite. They watch the popular girls. They read magazines and clip out pictures and articles. Soon, they have a list of things Sara must do to become popular, which Sara follows faithfully. Will the popular kids notice her? Talk to her? Will her crush, Jason, like her new look? And will she and Arlene ever be friends again?
Taylor Morris has captured the heart of an eighth grader in CLASS FAVORITE. The characters were believable, although, at times, I felt they just as easily could have been sixth or seventh graders. I feel certain that any girl who has ever wished to be part of the popular crowd will totally relate to this book. And because it made me laugh out loud more than once, I give it five stars!
