Homecoming Queen

March 1, 2009
Gr 7 Up-DJ Lane lives with five other girls in a boardinghouse owned by her grandmother, a retired fashion model. As the novel opens, she discovers that her runaway roommate, Taylor, has returned. Taylor quickly resolves her differences with the other Carter House residents and in the process snags a coveted role in the school musical. Just as DJ thinks life in Crescent Cove might settle down, she is injured while saving a child from an oncoming car. Although she has become a local heroine, she struggles with the emotional and physical impact of the accident, feeling alone and insecure as her friends carry on with their lives at school. While DJ recuperates, Taylor and Eliza compete against each other in the homecoming queen contest, DJ's boyfriend reconnects with an old flame, and her volleyball teammates continue the season without her. Although each character represents a type, they are not one-dimensional. As the plot rambles along, jumping from one situation to the next, the author reveals different layers of her characters' personalities and, in the end, provides the satisfying twist of an unexpected result in the homecoming queen election. Reminiscent of Francine Pascal's "Sweet Valley High" books (Random), but with strong Christian overtones, this novel touches on a variety of issues, including prescription drug abuse, that will resonate with teens.Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA

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