Slumming

Three high school seniors, the only Mormons in their school, decide to begin a "Pygmalion Project." They each choose a classmate whose potential they believe is "untapped" and begin a campaign to change them for the better. Nikki insinuates herself into computer nerd Brian's life. Sam's choice is black-lipsticked, eyebrow-pierced, Nazi-booted Tia. Alicia chooses Morgan, a hardened "outlaw" she believes is simply misunderstood. As the story is told in brief journal-like entries, the three teens deal with bigger problems than they anticipated, eventually learning valuable lessons in tolerance and friendship. The three readers narrate with the single-minded enthusiasm of teenagers who believe they have all the answers for other people's problems, but who are clueless about solving their own. S.H.J. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine