cover image Girl vs. Superstar

Girl vs. Superstar

Robin Palmer, Puffin, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-0-399-25489-5

In this breezy but charming novel—first in the Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker series—sixth-grader Lucy is down on her luck. Her best friends have dumped her, her parents are divorced, her father's girlfriend is pregnant, and her mother's new boyfriend is the father of a Hannah Montana–like superstar, Laurel Moses. Laurel makes Lucy more aware of the latter's insecurities—that she has pimples and a bad haircut, is less pretty, less talented, and (much) less popular. As their respective parents' relationship deepens, the girls are thrown together often. Lucy is a rounded character with a consistent voice, and she does have compassion for Laurel; nevertheless, she has a difficult time seeing Laurel's life as anything less than perfect. Of course, Laurel has insecurities of her own, and it turns out that she, too, has been dumped by a friend. While the girls' eventual bonding is predictable, Palmer (Little Miss Red) gives a Hollywood twist to themes of friendship and family, and readers should look forward to the next installment. Ages 8–12. (May)