Piper Perish

Gr 9 Up—High school senior Piper Perish is an art monster. She and her two best friends, Kit and Enzo, find opportunities to embrace their artistic talents in just about any situation, especially when it comes to designing their own outfits. But when their collective plan to attend art school in New York City starts to fall apart, Piper must come to terms with not only her friendships but also her chaotic family life. Although the book takes place in Houston, the setting could really be anywhere-America, as Piper and crew mainly shuttle back and forth among school, one another's houses, and a local diner. Written in Piper's voice, the novel is in journal format, which results in an easy reading experience; however, entire scenes of dialogue are recorded word-for-word, making this title closer in style to Samuel Richardson's classic Pamela than Laura Amy Schlitz's The Hired Girl. Piper's email correspondence with Silas (a student already enrolled in art school) is a bright point in the narrative. Though few and far between, Silas's contributions manage to sketch out, in one case literally, New York City and college life in a way that is alluring and realistic, and his voice is a refreshing contrast to Piper's often tiresome naïveté: "I asked Mom if we were low-income."