Gossip From the Girls' Room

December 6, 2010
The first book in debut author Cooper's Blogtastic! series is structured as the "Pre-Blogging Notebook" of sixth-grader Sofia Becker, a gossip collector with a hyperactive imagination. Printed on faux lined paper and decorated with Sophia's stick-figure doodles, the story follows Sofia as she gathers fodder for her anonymous blog by hiding out and eavesdropping at school ("I have very genius-like planned my schedule around being super-discreet in the girls' room, the cafeteria, and other gossip-infested places, every chance I get"). The main drama involves Sofia's obsession with popularity, her suspicion that popular Mia St. Claire is stealing her crush, and her feeble attempts at matchmaking. Readers will quickly get that it's Sofia, not Mia, who is the raging egomaniac, and Sofia learns the expected lessons (mostly) that come with making assumptions and trashing one's peers. Both in format and in its morality-challenged protagonist, this book aims for a Wimpy Kid vibe, but Sofia's cartoons add little, her tone grates, and her personality is one-note—Cooper never really gets inside the heads of her characters, Sofia included. Ages 10–up.

March 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-This "Pre-Blogging Notebook" recounts the events that take place over a period of one month and chronicles the gossip-gathering of Sophia Becker, a sixth grader with a mission to increase her popularity or decrease Mia St. Claire's. Sophia draws cartoonish illustrations of herself, her best friend, her nemesis, her crush, and various classmates and family members, and comments bluntly about their flaws and shortcomings. She eavesdrops every chance she gets, including multiple trips per day to the girls' bathroom, where she hides in a stall. Given the amount of time she seems to spend there, it's amazing that she can keep up with her schoolwork. After she gathers enough gossip, she posts her findings on the school's blog, where she names the victims along with her gossip. The premise strains credulity. Even though the advisor cautions Sophia that gossip can be hurtful and advises her not to divulge names, what teacher in his or her right mind would allow such a post to be published at all? Sophia is self-centered and unkind and does not seem to grow or show much empathy even after being exposed. The book ends with her wondering about what goes on in the boys' room, promising a sequel. Jeff Kinney's "Wimpy Kid" (Abrams), Rachel Renee Russell's "Dork Diaries" (S & S), and Amy Ignatow's "The Popularity Papers" (Abrams) are much better choices.-Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2010

Aspiring blogger Sofia longs to make it big within her school's blogosphere, thereby improving her "popularity meter" rating. The sixth-grade sleuth spends her time lurking in the farthest stalls of the girls' room, eavesdropping in her quest for the latest scoop, and is not above an occasional snide online remark about her arch-nemesis, Mia St. Claire. Sofia's "pre-blogging journal" covers one tumultuous month as she navigates the rough waters of social status, the monotony of Life Science class and the ultimate embarrassment of her mother's new position as the substitute Spanish teacher at her school. When faced with the biggest news of her career, Sofia must decide how far she is willing to go in her pursuit of popularity. Cooper keenly captures Sofia's quintessential preteen voice: spunky and full of a blustering bravado meant to mask her vulnerability. Sofia's experiences, recorded in faux-hand printing on lined paper, and the many hilarious sketches scattered throughout the journal will garner groans and laughs from readers. (Fiction. 9-13)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

January 1, 2011
Grades 5-8 Sixth-grader Sophia just wants to be one of the popular students at Middlebrooke Middle School. Unfortunately, her plans to accomplish this have not met with success. Sophia and BFF Nona did not end up in super fun elective classes where they could talk to cool kids, and their after-school activities did not make them popular, just sweaty. After the final strawSophias mom taking a substitute-teacher position at the schoolSophia becomes determined to use her anonymous school blog to post gossip about the popular kids in hopes that at least her blog will find popularity. Things go awry though, and Sophia discovers that maybe the popular girl she is trying to bring down isnt so bad after all. Written as a journal with illustrations and asides, this humorous take on trying to fit in will find wide appeal. Hand this to female fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and theyll soon start anticipating Sophias next adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)