Revenge of the Red Club

July 15, 2019
Riley and her female classmates protest the stigmatization of menstruation and middle school-handbook rules that target their gender. Eighth grader Riley Dunne is not only her middle school's lead investigative journalist, but a leader in the Red Club, a weekly, informal, after-school support group in which girls can discuss their periods. Whether it's cramps, tampons vs. pads, or pooping, no issue is off limits! When students and parents complain about one of Riley's articles, the lax enforcement of school dress code, and the Red Club, the principal shuts down the newspaper and club and cracks down on the handbook rules. Riley's breezy yet sharply accurate narration depicts body-image anxiety, the taunting and shame girls experience during menstruation, and the double standards associated with dress codes that vilify girls. When her investigative skills fail to turn up the complainers, Riley, who's white, and her friends, a multicultural group, plan a series of protests instead to win back their autonomy and dignity. Throughout their efforts, Riley also considers the dynamics of female friendships and a male ally (who may have boyfriend potential, too). With unauthorized leggings, tampons carried openly, and period-speak that--ahem, flows in the hallways, this middle school #MeToo movement will educate and inspire budding feminists. The experiences of those who do not identify as girls and do have periods are not explored, however. A real and necessary read, period! (Fiction. 9-13)

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Starred review from November 1, 2019

Gr 4-8-The Red Club-a student-run club dedicated to periods-at Riley Dunne's middle school serves as a safe space for girls, a place to ask embarrassing questions without judgment, and a sisterhood of students where the only requirement is that you have gotten your first period. When an anonymous parent demands the club be shut down, the school's administration also takes away the student-run newspaper and starts enforcing a strict dress code. These new rules unfairly target girls. Riley and her friends hatch a plan to save their club, showing the school that they won't be silenced or discriminated against. This book is a rallying cry for middle schoolers who are at the age where their bodies are changing and society reinforces the idea that a woman's body distracts, disrupts, and should be hidden for the sake of others around them. The characters create a movement that will empower readers to believe that they can enact change one voice, article, or tampon at a time. This is a must-have for every upper elementary and middle school collection, where the topic of menstruation is not often centered in fictional narratives. VERDICT A middle school feminist manifesto that fans of girl-led ensembles like Ann M. Martin's "The Babysitter's Club" and Ann Brashares's "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" will love, and that will inspire future Red Clubs in the process.-Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township Middle School, NJ

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2019
Grades 5-8 Feminism and activism are the name of the game in Harrington's empowering new novel. Riley considers writing her superskill, and she's been riding high from her recent middle-school newspaper expos� on the cafeteria's chicken nuggets. Her school spirit flags, however, after a decision is made to revive neglected rules from the student handbook. The school paper is effectively censored, and girl students feel unfairly targeted by the sudden enforcement of out-of-date dress-code standards. Most upsetting, though, is having the Red Club shut down. This secret period support group has a long tradition at the school, and taking it away feels like yet another attack on girls. In response, Riley leads a protest movement to win back the club and female equality. Despite some heavy-handed themes, it's inspiring to see girls marching through hallways gripping tampons without embarrassment. Harrington also incorporates hiccups into Riley's campaign that challenge and ultimately broaden characters' perspectives. It's a nice instruction manual on standing up for one's beliefs, and one that pairs nicely with Celia C. P�rez's Strange Birds (2019).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)