Perfect You

April 1, 2008
Gr 7-10-Kate's father quit his job and is now living his dream by selling infomercial vitamins at a mall kiosk. The teen's college-graduate brother is living on the couch, her mother is working two jobs, and her friend Anna isn't talking to her now that Anna has lost weight and become popular. Making Kate's life completely miserable, her overbearing grandmother has moved in, and Will, the boy Kate tries to pretend she doesn't like because of their contentious history, is constantly making approaches at school and at their mall jobs. When the two start meeting to make out (but otherwise mostly ignore each other), and Anna hints that she might want to be friends again, Kate is more confused than ever about how to get her life back on track. Scott does a good job portraying a teen who is simultaneously self-centered and sympathetic. Kate's confusion and frustration over her lost friendship as well as the possibility of a budding romance are believable. Background regarding the difficult relationship between her mother and grandmother is skillfully woven in, as is the information regarding her long-standing friendship with Anna and her love/hate relationship with Will. Supporting characters are well fleshed out, and the ending, while encouraging, isn't all sunshine and roses, making it believable as well as hopeful."Natasha Forrester, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR"

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