The Queen of Cool

Wow! This book was surprisingly good.

I think I bought this book when I was in middle school and it has been sitting on my shelf untouched since. Now I finally got around to reading it and it was amazing. From the plot summary, it sounds like just another teenage reform story, but it is so much more.

It's a quick read but definitely worth it. Castellucci delves into the lives of teenagers and touches on issues that aren't expressed as often in books for teens, like feeling depressed or trying to figure out how other people see the world.

The main character is flat-out a complete jerk, but by having such an unlikable character Castellucci is able to form a caricature of the teenage mind: selfish, rebellious, fearful of not fitting in, just show more figuring out the world. This was such an amazing book. And while the ending is a little too happily-ever-after for my taste, the message was definitely powerful. show less

This was a quick, compulsive read. Although I had a pretty clear idea about what was going to happen in the end, I enjoyed watching the characters figure it out. There were a few moments that beautifully captured that sense of being stuck in between worlds, belonging to none.

Libby is one of the IN kids. She gets whatever she wants from her parents and commands the crowd of popular kids at her high school. When she tapes a pencil to her sweater and declares it Pencil Day, everyone immediately copies her. The problem is, Libby is BORED. She needs a change. Everything is going along the same as it always has, only now it all seems flat and pointless to Libby.

That's why, when she sees a signup sheet for an internship at the LA Zoo, Libby signs up without really thinking about it. And although she wavers on whether or not she actually wants to do it (especially when she goes to orientation and sees that everyone else there is some kind of outcast freak), she sticks with it. She's placed in a group with Tina show more (a.k.a. "Tiny"), a Little Person with a huge personality, and Sheldon, a majorly shy science geek with real career ambition. Can Libby survive her internship? Can she be friends with these people without hurting them? Can she keep up her friendships with the cool kids while still being true to her new friends? Does she even want to? Libby has some big decisions to make... what would YOU do if you were the Queen of Cool?

This was a fun look at the popular kids in high school through the eyes of one of them who is finally starting to question some things. The message in the book is clear without being pushed on you. Some sexual content and plenty of drinking make this book appropriate for older high schoolers. show less

Probably not fair of me to write a review as in my eyes Castellucci can do no wrong. Again the writing isn't anything stupendous but man does she get it. There's a lot of great characterization packed into a small book and it becomes really powerful. Good stuff.

Reviewed by Dena Landon for TeensReadToo.com

Libby Brin is the popular girl. She has the right friends, the right clothes, and goes to all the right parties. Where she leads, the school follows, from "pencil day" to "funny walk day." But she's hiding a deep, dark secret. She's bored. No matter what she does, she doesn't feel alive. Which might explain the temporary insanity that causes her to sign up for an internship...at the zoo. When she's assigned to a team with two of the biggest losers in school she worries that her life as the Queen of Cool might be over.

In this light-hearted and funny novel, Castelluci explores typical teenage themes--finding yourself, and discovering what true friendship means--in her usual frank and honest show more style. Her prose is sparse, with no extra words or long descriptions, and short chapters make for a quick read. She unflinchingly portrays the reality of teenage life, from drinking at parties, to making out with boys, with a non-judgemental attitude that lets the reader draw their own conclusions about Libby's actions. Readers will be able to relate to Libby's struggles to feel like she belongs as she's changing and learning new things about herself, and growing away from friends she's had her whole life.

Recommended, especially for older, reluctant teen readers. show less

This book had a good premise, but I didn't care for the language, the drinking and the constant sex behind the scenes. I thought some of the characters were TOO shallow with no redeeming qualities. Not recommended.

Libby Brin is the Queen of Cool, and suggests wild antics and pranks to her friends, due to her boredom with life. On a whim she signs up to intern at a zoo with Tina, a very tiny girl and Sheldon, a star gazing nerd, and to her surprise, finds out she likes it more than she thought. Suddenly, being the Queen of Cool isn't all it's cracked up to be.