I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader

February 28, 2005
From the author of The V Club
and The Princess and the Pauper
(writing as Kate Brian) comes a breezy, upbeat celebration of the twin virtues of cheerleading and staying true to one's self. When Annisa Gobrowski, the novel's narrator, moves from New Jersey to a Florida suburb, she quickly discovers that as a brunette (there is only one other in the entire high school) she is definitely the odd gal out. To her delight, Annisa wins a spot on the school's competitive cheerleading squad, despite having earned the enmity of several cheerleaders for reasons both contrived (she accidentally breaks one girl's nose, plus her family now lives in a house that once belonged to another teammate's family) and credible (she has captured the attention of cute Daniel, long-time boyfriend of ultra-popular Sage). In the weeks that follow, Annisa makes new friends (some unexpected), stands up for herself and engages in several high-energy schemes to boost the squad's morale in time for the statewide cheerleading finals. In a refreshing twist, the author does not portray Annisa's squadmates—though uniformly blonde and undeniably popular—as a featureless monolith of alpha-girlhood; instead, they have their own individual rivalries, quirks and even moments of compassion. The good, clean fun is downright infectious—readers captivated by Annisa's chatty narration but less familiar with the world of cheering may wish a glossary had been included. Oodles of can-do sass. Ages 12-up.