Crystal

June 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Sixteen-year-old Crystal Brown-sweet, black, and beautiful-is attracting attention as a magazine model and is on the way to achieving her mother's dream, "to live away from the smells of other people's lives." But as success brings new opportunities, the sleazy underbelly of the business is exposed and Crystal begins to understand that she must decide between "the things that are right and the things that are wrong and the many things that (fall) in between." First published in 1987, this work is newly available as an audiobook. The predictable plot is enhanced by the multidimensional voice of narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson, who perfectly captures the rhythms and sassy speech of teenage girls, infusing each speaker with a unique personality. The production is marred slightly, however, by unnaturally long pauses between tracks. VERDICT While not Myers's greatest creation, this will appeal to teenage girls who are young enough to dream of glamour but smart enough to know that beauty is only skin deep.-Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 6, 2002

Myers penetrates the modeling world in this tale of a 16-year-old professional model living in New York City, first published in 1987, who learns some tough truths about what it takes. Ages 12-up.