Art Girls Are Easy

August 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Fifteen-year-old Indigo Hamlisch has been going to Silver Springs Art Academy for Fine and Performing Arts for Girls, an upscale art retreat complete with gourmet food and luxurious accommodations, since she was seven. This is her last summer and she cannot wait to see her best friend, aspiring actress Lucy, and her longtime crush, art teacher Nick. However, this year a rift comes between the girls. Indy believes she finally has a chance with Nick, but becomes jealous when she thinks Lucy has hooked up with him. She is led by her bunkmate to spy on her best friend. Though the plot is not the most inventive, for a light story it reads well. There's some sex, swearing, and drug use. However, the main character is fairly innocent and no episode is particularly explicit. This title calls to mind Cecily Von Ziegesar's "Gossip Girl" series (Little, Brown), and it will appeal to artistic teens, who will be inspired by the variety of creative projects the characters make, and readers wanting an escape from boring summer jobs.-Liz Zylstra, County of Prince Edward Public Library, Picton, Ontario

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