Expressionista: How to Express Your True Self Through (and Despite) Fashion

Gr 5 Up—Walker and McKuen believe that real style comes from dressing to show the world the real you. This title is a mix of fashion advice and self-help that encourages readers to feel confident to express themselves through their clothing and accessories. The authors have divided fashion/style into five main groups-classic, natural, romantic, dramatic, and trend tracker. The quizzes and text help readers identify their Fashion Persona. While the advice is solid, readers may be disappointed by the dense text. Fashion is all about the visual, and the black-and-white illustrations do little to show readers what the Fashion Personas actually look like, and many girls may not have enough real-world experience to be able to visualize what the authors mean. Small sections on closet organization are good, as is the section on money and fashion. Overall, though, the presentation suffers from an unflattering design and a lack of color.—Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta