Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Cassidy is adjusting to living with her musician father (and still struggling to accept her parents' recent divorce) while she anxiously awaits junior high school; her cousin Rikki is more eager for school's start, looking forward to daytime freedom from her strict family. Although the cousins have always been friends, Cassidy, who rarely speaks up for herself, is feeling increasing distance between them; she is relieved, therefore, when Golden moves into the neighborhood and adds a sarcastic wit and new dynamic to the mix. Narrator Cassidy is initially an idealized character in her role as the good girl who respects her elders, doesn't want to grow up too soon, embraces the ethnic diversity of her neighborhood (Cassidy and Rikki are African American, and the neighborhood is a veritable melting pot of cultures), and loves school and learning. It is therefore a relief to see her finally push boundaries a little, experiencing her first kiss and the consequences of her first big lie. Unfortunately, her ultimate acceptance of her punishment (being sent to private school) seems hasty in light of the lengthy drama around this issue. The strength of this novel, however, lies not in the plot but in the depiction of Boles' preteen heroines, who are authentically conveyed as they conflate a first kiss with true love and anguish over small interpersonal slights as the end of their social world. This lively trio of middle-school girls who argue amongst themselves, obsess about boys, and find their voices may find a welcoming audience among those beginning to assert their own diva selves.