High School High

Gr 8 Up—This first title in a hi/lo series focuses on three best friends just beginning their freshman year of high school in Texas. Brandi, a cheerleader, starts dating an older football player who tries to pressure her to have sex before she is ready. Marisa, a twirler, is dismayed to discover that not only does her class schedule keep her from seeing her friends, but she also has many classes with Brandi's ex-boyfriend. Predictably, they share an illicit kiss, putting her friendship with Brandi at risk. In the meantime, Shane, the photographer for the school newspaper, decides to turn over a new leaf and stop smoking pot, trying to earn back her family's trust. When the pressure becomes too much, she turns to a friend outside of their group and becomes addicted to Adderall. Besides the various clichéd plot points, the sheer number of characters and story lines is likely to confuse readers. The perspective shifts among the girls' points of view and an omniscient narrator throughout the novel. The language tries a bit too hard to win over teen readers ("Christmas break was on and popping"). Freeman also spends too much time explaining how the characters feel. An additional choice for readers who like drama with an ending tied up neatly in a bow.—Lindsay Klemas, JM Rapport School for Career Development, Bronx, NY