The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang Amy IgnatowLydia and Julie are on a quest to discover the secrets of popularity before entering junior high. They decide to observe the popular girls and try to figure out what makes them popular. This is the book of their observations and findings. Along the way, they deal with school musical auditions, camping trips, knitting, stick fighting, field hockey, talent shows, and some truly horrendous amateur Norwegian love poetry. Also, some lessons about popularity and friendship, but they're a bit hidden, so don't worry.
What's great about this book is that it's told in a mix of prose (with different handwritings for Julie and Lydia) and pictures and cartoons. Also, the entire thing is in FULL COLOR. It really does look like a notebook of two girls. And it's uproariously funny. I especially liked how the popular girls were... real. They weren't mean girl flat characters. As Lydia and Julie got to know them, they became real people-- with good and bad sides, just like everyone else. Julie illustrates most of the book, because Lydia can't draw, so the parts where Lydia does draw (glorified stick figures) are really funny. Lydia's older sister Melody is another comedic dimension. She's surly and wears a lot of black and heavy eyeliner. She used to be happy and pretty and friendly in elementary school, and then changed in junior high. She's actually the reason the girls are so desperate to be popular--they don't want to turn into Melody!
Readers do have to be able to read cursive, though, because Lydia's parts are all in cursive.
Overall, a most EXCELLENT book. It's like if Candy Apple and Wimpy Kid and Babymouse had a book baby of awesome.
And! Bonus points-- Julie has two daddies (Daddy and Papa Dad).
Book Provided by... my local library
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1 comment:
This looks like a sweet book, I'll have to check it out!
Also, this is probably the most enticing book description I've ever heard:
"It's like if Candy Apple and Wimpy Kid and Babymouse had a book baby of awesome."
Sounds great.
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