Brunettes Strike Back

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Humor

Scott, Kieran. Brunettes Strike Back. New York : Speak, 2006.



[Book cover credit: www.alibris.com]

Annisa Gobrowski was the new girl on the Sand Dune High School Fighting Crabs cheerleading squad. Will they let the Jersey Girl with the brown hair ruin the look of the team or make her bleach her hair in the name of team unity?

After moving from New Jersey to Florida Annisa Gobrowski made the Sand Dune High School Fighting Crabs varsity cheerleading squad. Not only is she the new cheerleader from out of town, she is also the only non-blonde on the team. As they are preparing for the National competition a suggestion is made that Annisa should dye her hair blonde for Nationals. Are they serious? She also has to deal with troubles between her maybe-boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend that is on the squad, and the High School newspaper reporter that printed a very unflattering picture of her and is now stalking her to get an interview. If things haven’t gotten strange enough she is surprised at Nationals when her best friend and her ex-squad show up for the competition! From page 85:

“I blushed painfully. Suddenly I felt as if I were in the middle of a bad West Side Story remake. I looked from one glowering squad to the other and back again, imagining them decked out in cheerleading uniforms and leather jackets, instead of blades they had poms. And instead of pipes they wielded megaphones.”

What choices will Annisa make? What will happen when her old squad meets her new squad?

Grade 7-10

This is a fun interesting backstage look at a cheerleading squad that shows all the things that have to be considered when preparing for a competition.

This is book #2 in Non-Blonde Cheerleader Series.

Book #1- I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader.

Book #3 - Non-Blonde Cheerleader in Love.

3 Willows the sisterhood grows

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance

Brashares, Ann. 3 Willows: the sisterhood grows. New York : Delacorte Press, 2009.

[Book cover credit: www.alibris.com]

Ama, Polly and Jo have known each other since their first day in third grade. In sixth grade they learned about the legend of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants because the girls went to their local High School. Could their friendship carry the same magic?

Ama, Polly and Jo met their first day in third grade when they were given willow tree projects in science class. As their friendship grew through the year they decided to plant their trees together in a special spot in the woods. When they learned about the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in sixth grade, they wanted to be just like them. By eight grade they have made separate friends and they don’t seem as close. As they go on separate adventures the summer before high school they find out who their real friends are, and who they really want to talk to when the going gets tough. Will their friendships grow as strong as the willow trees they planted?

Grade 7–10

November 10, 2008, Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

2009 - Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"