What It Is About: Seventh grade can be tough. It can be even tougher when you don't fit the seventh grade "mold". Tally doesn't follow the crowd and really doesn't care to. She has her two closest friends and that is all she really needs. When the annual seventh grade trip to Washington D.C. comes up, Tally thinks it will be an awesome time with her two bestie, but comes to learn that the teacher in charge had assigned the students to rooms with a certain roommate. Tally has been put with the queen bee of the seventh grade. Ava is the lead of the popular group and Tally believes the two of them have nothing in common. She is also worried that her two friends are not going to fare well with their room assignments. Once in D.C., all the kids adjust to being on their "own" for a couple of days and sharing a space with someone they don't normally hang with. Tally finds out some secrets about Ava and isn't sure what to do with the information. Should she share with her "old" friends, keep it to herself, or let the whole group know. The trip is a growing experience for all involved.
What I Thought Of It: As I mentioned, I was going to pass this book over, but I'm sure glad I didn't. Even though it was mostly about a group of seventh grade girls, I found myself engaged and invested in the story of Tally. She was such a cool character and stood her own ground which can teach readers a whole lot. The writing was great and it was enjoyable to read about the "evolution" of Tally. She sure learned a lot and grew throughout the story.
Who Should Read It: The book should definitely be put in the hands of fifth, sixth, and seventh grade readers. I do believe girls will be drawn to the story more than boys. They will be able to relate to Tally, Ava, and the whole crew of friends. There are a few mature themes sprinkled through the story, so I'm thinking upper middle-grade and middle-school readers would be best for the novel. Happy Reading!
Rating: 4 STARS out of 5 Stars
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