REVIEW: NERD GIRLS by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

 

I really enjoyed this middle grade read. Alan does a wonderful job of accurately portraying the perils of popularity and friendship in the middle grade school world. Thirteen year old Maureen is used to her Dork status . In fact she refers to herself as a Dork all the time. Her isolated world of junk food and repressed emotions is shattered when she figures out three popular girls are about to play a prank on Allergy ridden Alice. The ThreePees plan is to surround Alice at her isolated lunch table and open up an array of allergy inducing foods.

Maureen surprises her self and Alice by stepping in and foiling the girls plan in a most unique way. The heroic act bonds Alice and fellow Dork Barbara together. It also makes the trio the focus of more attacks by the popular girls.

In order to best the girls Barbara comes up with the idea to enter themselves in the school talent contest and steal victory from the ThreePees,

I really like Alan's writing style and the individual personalities of the girls. He tackles some very difficult topics in both the girls family dynamics and their growing friendship. A very satisfying ending and lots of Laugh out loud moments.