Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
Although seventh grader Jenna Sampson is editor of the school paper, she couldn't feel further away from being in the know of popular topics, interests, and gossip in her school.
Her parents are opening a juice bar in the middle of the mall, and not only does Jenna hate the mall, but she doesn't even like juice. So, now that her parents are forcing her to work there three days a week (and wear a pineapple hat -- no kidding), Jenna is terrified that her nonexistent popularity could go further into the negative. That is, if anyone notices she's there.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Jenna has just found out that her beloved paper might be cut from the curriculum, along with a bunch of other activities. She writes a front page article about it, begging other students to rise up and fight the budget cuts, but she's horrified to find that no one even reads the paper that she puts so much work into.
Jenna is going to have to find some way to get the other students to take notice. Lucky for her, she seems to overhear a lot of gossip at the counter of the food court. Could a gossip column work to save the school paper?
Even though Jenna comes off as a highly eccentric heroine (sometimes distractingly so), one can appreciate her struggle as she weighs moral choices against accomplishing a worthy, selfless end.
Although seventh grader Jenna Sampson is editor of the school paper, she couldn't feel further away from being in the know of popular topics, interests, and gossip in her school.
Her parents are opening a juice bar in the middle of the mall, and not only does Jenna hate the mall, but she doesn't even like juice. So, now that her parents are forcing her to work there three days a week (and wear a pineapple hat -- no kidding), Jenna is terrified that her nonexistent popularity could go further into the negative. That is, if anyone notices she's there.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Jenna has just found out that her beloved paper might be cut from the curriculum, along with a bunch of other activities. She writes a front page article about it, begging other students to rise up and fight the budget cuts, but she's horrified to find that no one even reads the paper that she puts so much work into.
Jenna is going to have to find some way to get the other students to take notice. Lucky for her, she seems to overhear a lot of gossip at the counter of the food court. Could a gossip column work to save the school paper?
Even though Jenna comes off as a highly eccentric heroine (sometimes distractingly so), one can appreciate her struggle as she weighs moral choices against accomplishing a worthy, selfless end.
