Perfected by Girls

Gr 9 Up—Melinda Radford loves designer clothes, hanging out with her best friend, and participating in school sports. Trouble is, though, her sport is wrestling, and she's the only girl on the championship team. She gets crude comments from classmates, and members of opposing teams refuse to wrestle with her. Off the mat, Melinda has other concerns—her best friend and her older brother are making eyes at each other, her grandmother insists that she take a boring summer internship at her company, and her mother forbids her to see her hot new boyfriend. Melinda's situation turns even uglier at school when she makes a comment to a reporter for the local newspaper, and she's seen as not being a team player or supportive of her coach. But when she starts to question her commitment to the sport, she gets a chance to move from the JV to the varsity team and really compete instead of warming the bench. The protagonist has an authentic voice, and readers will empathize with her isolation throughout the school day. Some may gloss over the detailed wrestling descriptions, but the romance and other aspects of Melinda's life will strike a chord with girls, even those who don't participate in athletics.—Diana Pierce, Leander High School, TX