YOUTH CORRESPONDENT
Book name: "Teen Idol"
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: Read it today; don't put it down unless driving.
Literary significance: Deemed unremarkable by teachers.
Other books by author: "The Princess Diaries" series and "All American Girl."
Plot summary: A movie star comes to a small high school to research a part in his upcoming film. To protect his identity, the school appoints Jenny Greenly--the nice-to-everyone, unofficial-school-psychologist girl--as his "student guide."
Keeping his secret safe becomes a challenge for even someone like Jen, who has more on her plate than most of her peers really know.
Jen's universe includes a best friend who's not speaking to her, a choir teacher who despises her--and the secretive job of being "Annie" for "Ask Annie," the advice column in her school paper.
Interesting: I always love Cabot's books. They're hilarious, and the characters have such well-developed personalities.
By the end of "Teen Idol," you'll feel like you've known Jen, Trina and the rest of the crew your whole life.
Didn't like: I don't think anything really detracted from the book at all.
Compare to: The characters aren't so very different from those of "All American Girl" and "The Princess Diaries," but they have their own little quirks that keep them from being boring or repetitive.
Afterthoughts: I picked up this novel expecting a book that rivals the likes of some my favorite contemporary fiction, such as "Stargirl."
Yet somehow, "Teen Idol" didn't quite live up to the usual standards of Cabot's work. Still, for her fans, this book comes recommended.
BRINKLEY SHARPE is an eighth-grader at Freedom Middle School.