Don't Call Me Baby

Gr 7–10—At 15, Imogene is exasperated for being known as "Babylicious," the subject of her mother's popular blog since before she was even born. She's tired of posing for pictures, tired of reviewing products sent by sponsors, and, above all, tired of having every detail of her life shared with her mother's readers. While she has an entire speech about her desire for privacy planned out, she's never been able to confront her about the blog. Imogene's best friend, Sage, is the only person who really understands, as her mother is also a blogger, focusing on the vegan lifestyle that Sage rebels against. A yearlong English assignment requiring each student to keep their own blog is the last thing either girl wants, but they soon realize it might be the opportunity they need to make their positions clear to their moms once and for all. There is plenty of humor and heart to be found in this tale as Imogene navigates the peaks and pitfalls of ninth grade and tries, for the first time, to "narrate her own life." Imogene's engaging first-person account is interspersed with the blog posts by "Mommylicious," Imogene, and Sage, adding another dimensional to the story. The narrative addresses themes of privacy, identity, friendship, and, most importantly, mother-daughter relationships, without being heavy-handed. Though a few pop culture references may date it, at its heart, this is an appealing story about a teen finding her own voice.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL