Author:
Castellucci, Cecil
Title:
The Queen of Cool
Publisher & Date:
Candlewick Press, 2006
Recommended Age Range:
14 and up
Plot Summary:
Libby Brin’s life seems perfect. She’s part of the popular crowd and her parents let her do pretty much anything she wants. But she’s bored. Bored of school, bored of her friends, bored of her family. On a random impulse, she signs up to intern at a local zoo, where she is grouped with two of her seemingly uncool classmates, Tina Carpinteri, a little person, and the shy and nearly-mute Sheldon Black. At the same time, she has to deal with disruptions to domestic peace as her father decides to quit his lucrative job to pursue his long-standing dream to write the Great American Play. At first she hates her internship, but soon she learns that there’s more to life and adolescence than being the “queen of cool.”
Reader Appeal:
This book was a fun read and would appeal to outsiders, bored queen bees, realistic fiction and fans of the reality tv show “Little People, Big World.” This book would not appeal to fans of action, adventure, romance, or fantasy.
Artistic Merit:
The characters of Tina and Sheldon were especially well-written, while Sid seemed like an interesting character to get to know. The character of Libby needed a bit more development, but was realistic in her hypocrisies and character flaws. Overall, the book was an entertaining and fast read.
