What Kind of Girl

Gr 9 Up–Mike Parker’s girlfriend of six months goes to the principal with a secret—Mike hit her, causing California’s North Bay Academy to take sides on who they believe. Everyone loves golden boy Mike, a junior and track star, but the incident spurs students to plan a rally against domestic violence. Maya didn’t tell anyone when the abuse started three months ago, not even her best friend Junie, a lesbian who is in therapy for self-harm. Maya has also kept another painful secret—the fact that she is making herself throw up. While the school administration debates how to handle Maya’s accusation against Mike, Maya and Junie attempt to deal with their respective illnesses on their own, but quickly realize that they are stronger together. Though the story takes place over only one week, the pacing is slow near the end, which may cause loss of interest.