Popular

Gr 7 Up—Though it entertains like fiction, this audiobook is a true story about a girl who conceived of an experiment in which she used a guide to popularity from the 1950s in hopes of escaping the bottom rung of the middle school social ladder. Each month, Van Wagenen chose a different chapter from Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide to follow in her quest to become more popular. The story is hilarious, heartbreaking, and heart-warming. Her actions included changing her hair style regularly, wearing a skirt (unheard of in her school), using Vaseline around her eyes to simulate eye make-up, and sitting with different groups at lunch to try to make friends. She wore hat and gloves to church and pearls everywhere, as Cornell suggests, and even added a girdle and stockings to her wardrobe. Van Wagenen's best friend wasn't privy to the experiment and thought that Maya was going completely out of her mind. The teen experienced many surprises as a result of her experiment, especially the fact that her new outgoing attitude encouraged other wallflowers. In the end, Van Wagenen gains confidence and a sense of self-worth that will last a lifetime. Narrators Amber Faith and Lee Adams portray teens and adults with realism and personality.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, CA