What I Learned from Being a Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose

Title: What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader
Author: Adrianne Ambrose
ISBN: 9781453620977
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Page #: 116
Source: Bound Galley from the Author

Summary:
"Eleven-year-old Elaine Rewitzer is funny, smart, and happy being a geek, but when she wins a spot on the Cross Creek Middle School Buccaneers cheerleading squad, she gets totally into her new life. Her best mega-brain friend Bethany warns that Elaine will just become 'part of the heard,' and her best geek-guy-pal, Tim, (who's struggling with nose polyps) feels forgotten.

Will Elaine survive the roller coaster of pre-teen cheerleader fame? Will she win the heart of the cutest boy on the basketball team? Will she confess her 'uncool' love for comic books? Will she lose Bethany and Tim's friendship for-evah?

And when will she get her pom poms???"
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First Lines:

"Dear Diary...
Saturday September 26

Today is my eleventh birthday, and I've received the following presents:
From my sister Amy:
A pack of gum - Juicy Fruit.
A blue ball - Bouncy.

She's only five, so that's pretty generous for five."
Page 1
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Review:

It's not often that I read Middle Grade fiction - because I work with the older teens. But I'm very glad I was given an opportunity to review this one.

This book brought me back to my sixth grade self in a big way. I used to write in a journal (not a diary because that was too girly) when I was in middle school. Didn't we all?? But the language and the topics were totally spot on. Actually, I kinda wish my brain was as analytical as the girl in the story. It was all drama, drama, drama for me :).

I love that it's mostly girls and comics in this book. A lot of times it seems that comics are connected with boy characters more than girls - but this book does a great job of melding that together and making a new look for comics. I thought it was refreshing. Especially when it's a story of learning to accept who you are - and to be proud of it. Just a nice, happy book.

I think adults would enjoy this along with middle grade readers. Teens should probably just skip it as they are beyond the mindset :). But I think it will ring true with a lot of kids and maybe will even help them develop their own ideas of who they are and who they want to be.

The author has a cool blog that you should probably check out.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Teens Actually Read
Booking Mama
Is this it?? I think more middle grade reading blogs should pick this one up. It's definitely a lot of fun. :)