Ellynne has secret dreams... of being being beautiful, of being popular in her new school, of being a cheerleader. And she dreams of having a handsome boyfriend.
So far her dreams are coming true. She sheds 30 pounds and ends up a perfect size 10. She meets Willie, Redondo High's most popular girl, who introduces her to lots of new friends and helps her with cheerleader tryouts.
And then she meets Kip. He's the most gorgeous boy in the world. But he already has a girl friend—cute, bouncy Merri.
Is it right for Ellynne to want to date him? All she knows is that Kip is very, very special...
I never felt anything about Kip and couldn't understand why Ellynne is so attracted to him, especially when another boy, who is nice, is interested in her.
The next paragraph spoils part of the ending, so do not read it if you want to avoid all spoilers.
Ellynne's new friend, Willie, is black. Willie's a cheerleader, and the squad has room for just two other girls. One of the girls who gets chosen is white and is clearly the best. Another girl is black and is probably the second best. Willie doesn't expect the black girl to get chosen because she expects that the school will want to keep the squad with two white girls and just one black girl. In a surprise twist, the black girl is chosen, so the squad ends up with two black girls and one white girl. That was a pleasant surprise.
This is an overall good book.
"He's never going to notice you. And if he does, then what are you going to do? It's just doomed from the start."
When Beth's best friend tells her this, Beth knows it's too late. Doomed or not, she has a heart-stopping crush on Terry Evans, who is young, green-eyed, interesting, and who also happens to be her English teacher.
Beth wonders if the extra attention he is paying to her is just because he's trying to be a good teacher. Or is it possible he feels something else? Beth is willing to risk a lot to find out, even losing Matt.
This passage from page 74 made me laugh.
This book annoyed me at first, since relationships with teachers are taboo. I don't know what the laws were in 1980, but such a thing is certainly illegal now. By well into the story, I was okay with the plot, even though I knew that the teacher relationship would not likely go anywhere. They wouldn't dare have it work out, for obvious reasons. The book is overall good....he led her to the oldest, most dilapidated car among the dozen or so there. A teacher's car. Beth wondered if there were special lots where they sold used cars only to teachers—no car newer than ten years old, none without at least one rusted-out fender, all with unbent coathangers for radio antenna.
"Today," My father announced, "I bought a farm in North Carolina. We're leaving the city, Marnie. We're going back to the land."
Back to the land? Leaving the city? Marnie Macdonald can't believe her ears. Her parents must be kidding.
Worse, they're going with the Petersons... sharing a house with them. And Marnie can't stand their son, Lucas. At first.
But by April, when the MacDonalds and Petersons have lived and worked together for almost a year, Marnie finds herself head-over-heels in love with Lucas! Now if Lucas would only notice...
The very beginning of the story did not interest me much. After that, I found the book to be very good to excellent. This is the first book written by Caroline B. Cooney that I actually enjoyed, which was a relief since I have purchased other books by her.
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