About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is transitioning to a larger school and feels the pressure to trade old, reliable friendships for the approval of the 'in-crowd.' It speaks to that intense middle school desire for status and the moral compromises kids often make to get there. The story follows thirteen-year-old Megan as she moves from a small country school to a large town high school. To boost her social standing, she begins writing a local gossip column, only to realize that 'insider' status comes at the cost of her integrity and her real friends. It is a grounded, realistic look at social climbing, peer pressure, and the courage required to own up to one's mistakes. Parents will appreciate the honest depiction of the rural-town divide and the nuanced way it handles the guilt that follows social betrayal. It is best suited for readers ages 11 to 14 who are navigating their own shifting social hierarchies.
