Product Description

Maya has been part of the group ever since the day Candace asked her if she wanted to "do lunch" in the cafeteria. Yet when Candace suddenly deems her unworthy, Maya's so-called friends just blow her off. While Maya just wants the girls back like they used to be, she knows that can never happen-because whatever Candace wants, Candace gets, no matter who gets hurt. Maya isn't sure exactly where things went wrong for her, but she knows she has to find out who her real friends are, and who among the girls she can trust.

"[A] suspenseful and realistic portrayal of a popular middle school clique . . . . Readers will identify with and remember these characters." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2176534 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Audio Cassette

From Publishers Weekly
Koss's suspenseful and realistic portrayal of a popular middle school clique's devolution unfolds though six narrators. In a starred review, PW said, "Readers will identify with and remember these characters, and may think twice before sacrificing their individuality for the sake of popularity." Ages 10-14.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-When the other members of Maya's clique decide to ostracize her, the girl is shocked and devastated. She has no clue what she could have done wrong, and neither do Brianna, Ren?e, or Darcy. However, Candace is their leader, the self-assured one, the one who decides who's in and who's not, and, suddenly, Maya's not. In brief chapters that jump from one girl's perspective to another, a picture emerges of social status and peer pressure among middle schoolers who are struggling to figure out who they are, where they belong, and maybe even what is right. The voice of each character is clear and will be familiar to any adolescent. Koss's exceptional skill at evoking not only the girls, but also their families, makes this an important story for those in the midst of the cruelty of middle-school society. This provocative page-turner will be passed from one girl to the next like a note with the latest gossip.
Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Middle-school girls being mean to each other? Unfortunately, it's an all too common and painful experience for most teen girls. Maya feels lucky to be part of a group, but when the leader, Candace, decides Maya is "out," the other three girls blindly follow suit and shun her. Shifts in loyalties, sniping, betrayals, and some kind words fly between the five actresses in this full-cast audio production. This realistic story is not pretty. But it may be cathartic for any middle-school girl trying to find her way through the intricate web of adolescent friendships. M.M.O. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine