Charlotte Cuts It Out

Gr 8 Up—High school junior Charlotte Pringle wants desperately to win the Style Showcase in her cosmetology arts program with her best friend Lydia. Charlotte has a grand plan for them both to attend junior college and then to open a successful salon, scoring hot boyfriends along the way. However, her grand plan is fantastically derailed when Lydia defects to the culinary arts program, the boy she is chasing turns out to be the boy her best friend is dating, and her overbearing personality drives half her team for the showcase to jump ship. Pushy, self-centered Charlotte must learn to see herself and change or else risk losing all the things she cares about. Readers will admire the hero's gumption, grit, and moments of genuine kindness; however, they may also be frustrated by her tendency to talk over others, micromanage situations, and generally act bullheaded. To use Charlotte's pet phrase, "Oh my lanta," this character is difficult to love. Readers will relate to the familiar teen problems of coping with family relationships, choosing a college, and working out friend drama. Yet the setting of an alternative high school makes these familiar conflicts seem unique. The upbeat, smooth-talking dialogue peppered with light swearing moves the story along at a brisk pace.