is an ordinary 12-year-old girl, just starting junior high (real name: Annemarie). She also just realized she's in love with her best-friend-since-forever Mark. But, when school starts, Shug realized there's a lot more changes happening than just switching schools.
Things I Liked:
This book captures almost perfectly the awkward transition from kid to tween. Shug (short for sugar, not like shrug) is at that tricky stage where she likes someone, but isn't sure if he likes her back. The intricacies of being popular and accepted at her new school are proving too much for her and she is saddened to watch all her old friends drift away from her. The changes that happen in this time of life were very real and I almost felt like I was right back there with her; dealing with my own ugly duckling years where my best friend left me behind to be popular (but not in such a mean and horrible way). It was really well done.
Things I Didn't Like:
I was just the tiniest bit annoyed by the fact that their favorite book was The Color Purple. But, that's probably because I loathed that book. Purely my own personal reaction. And that I'd be reluctant to let my 12-year-old pick it up, no matter how mature.
Read-alikes:
Really reminded me of Flipped
by Wendelin Van DraanenA little like Stargirl
by Jerry SpinelliBOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe one or two
mrg-factor: none
kissing only
v-factor: none
Overall rating: ****
