Dead Little Mean Girl

Gr 6–10—Emma is having the hardest year of her life. Her parents divorced, her mother just came out as lesbian (not a problem, just new), and her mom's girlfriend has the worst daughter in the world. Plus, Emma has to deal with school and friends while dodging the ploys of her evil stepsister, Quinn Littleton, who seems to cause trouble wherever she goes. Quinn is always dressed in the finest clothes and is one of the most beautiful people in school. But it turns out that Quinn isn't as bad as she seems, and maybe Emma isn't that innocent herself. Too bad it takes the death of her mean girl stepsister to make Emma understand the hardships Quinn was experiencing. Though this is an accessible and easy read, it will leave readers with a lot to ponder. Darrows delves into the topic of bullying and goes further, asking the question, Why is the bullying going on in the first place? This YA novel will have teens thinking about how they can stop the cycle.