The Grumpy Girl's Guide to Good Manners

Gr 6—9—In this hilarious and satirical memoir, written when the author was 16, readers meet Rachel, a uncooperative teen whose mother decreed a week of etiquette lessons in the middle of the Texas desert. What follows is an account of the 15-year-old's trials: a cousin who never stops talking about her ex-boyfriend and instructions on how to hold silverware, apply makeup, dress properly, walk in high heels, and dance with a boy. All these lessons throw Rachel for a loop; she feels awkward, boyish, and ugly. Could the camp experience and the fire-breathing teacher turn her from geeky tomboy into a sophisticated young lady in a week? Occasional bullet point tips are offered on such topics as manicuring nails and a proper handshake. Readers will enjoy the author's conversational style and sympathize with her plight, and, who knows, they just might learn a few manners along the way. Black-line illustrations break up the text, but otherwise don't add much.—Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA