So Not Okay

April 21, 2014
The prolific Rue follows her Lily, Lucy, and Sophie series for middle-graders with this first book in the Mean Girl Makeover series. Sixth-grader Tori Taylor’s close-knit group of friends has avoided being bullied by mean girl Kylie and her minions, the Pack. Until now. When Kylie picks on new student Ginger, Tori can’t remain a bystander, even if Tori’s best friend Ophelia begs her to avoid trouble. Teachers appear clueless about the subtleties of girl-on-girl bullying. Predictably, Kylie turns on Tori, too, but Tori and her friends have an advocate outside of school. Lydia, who works for Tori’s father and is a little person, helps them develop practical methods—and use prayer—to remain true to who they are while facing persecution. The writing can be clunky and sometimes tries too hard to sound like the voice of a 12-year-old girl (“So I was starting the day with a bad ’tude”), and the story reads like a case study in a tween psychology book, demonstrating strategies for real life. Still, the unfolding drama ought to engage readers. Ages 8–12. Agency: Alive Communications.

April 15, 2014
Sixth-grader Tori Taylor knows firsthand what it feels like to be the target of bullying, but when the class bully sets her sights on the awkward new girl, Tori must decide whether to intervene or to lie low and save herself. Ginger Hollingberry talks loud, dresses strangely and smells funny. But her biggest fault, cluelessness, makes her the perfect target for Kylie Steppe and the Pack. At first, Tori and her friends, Ophelia and Winnie, reason that Ginger brings the bullying on herself, but as the teasing escalates, it becomes impossible for Tori to stay silent. However, her school problems are quickly overshadowed by her grandmother's sudden hospitalization. Life suddenly feels too big and too scary. The one place Tori thinks she might find help is God, but she has no idea where to start. Biblical teaching and Christian values offer a different perspective on a familiar topic. Uneven pacing and occasionally inauthentic dialogue are not enough to rob this story of its true heart. Integrity and reconciliation are emphasized over punishment and revenge, but real-world pragmatism is never sacrificed for lofty ideals. Spiritually centered and practically minded; it's the first in a trilogy, so look for other perspectives in subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 9-13)

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