How to be Popular

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Predictable book with a positive point; tweens OK.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this book features a queen bee who ruthlessly torments Steph, the narrator. For her part, Steph spies on her neighbor when he's undressing, helps plan a party, and kisses two different boys. In the end, there's a good message about being true to yourself.

  • Steph eventually learns to like being herself -- not being popular.
  • Not applicable.
  • Steph secretly spies on her neighbor undressing; some kissing; Steph wakes up next to Jason, but both are full clothed.
  • Some stuff, like "ass" or "bitch."
  • Some product name dropping, such as Krispy Kreme, Pizza Hut, BMW, Calvin Klein, Crest Whitestrips.
  • The A-crowd plans a rager, complete with a keg.

What's the story?

With the help of an outdated book about popularity, Steph Landry is determined to trade in her social leper status for life on the A-list.


But as she starts to climb the social ladder, she realizes that popularity isn't everything she dreamed it to be.


Is it any good?

 

Readers will know from the beginning what unpopular Steph will learn as she struggles to hang out with the A-crowd. They'll even know who she'll eventually hook up with (Hint: It's not the school's hot quarterback). They may also wonder how they're supposed to feel about the old book that inspires Steph's popularity plan. Some of the guide's advice is obviously outdated -- the book suggests white kid gloves, for example. But Steph's book also encourages girls to get involved in school activities, smile, and to remember other people's names -- all of which is actually pretty good advice, and does help Steph become popular.

But, even with these holes, readers will find this an entertainting read, and be thrilled when Steph finally figures out what really matters. They may even want to re-read the section where Steph tells Lauren -- the school's queen bee -- to buzz off, because "there are a lot more Steph Landry's in the world -- people who've made fools of themselves in public, people who don't have every hair perfectly in place all the time, people who don't have rich parents who'll buy them a new car every year -- than there are stuck-up beauty queens like you."


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about other books and movies that deal with the concept of popularity. What other titles can you think of? How accurate are their depictions of what it's like to be "popular" -- and not? Are most popular kids really rich, gossipy, and mean? And if so, why would anyone want to be part of an A-group?


This review was written by Kate Pavao
Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Meg Cabot is a genius!!!!!!
This book is a absolute must read for everyone entering something new... I fell in love with the title to start off with, then the whole storyline and every chapter has a new thing on how to be populr and as I read them in my head I knew it was how popular people should act but not how they do act... So I think this story will help entertain you and inform you that you should keep your friends no matter how different they are. Eveyone is weird in their own way!

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Teen, 14 years old
November 1, 2010
 
for kids 11and older
i think its a little inapropriet.

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Teen, 14 years old
August 7, 2009
 
perfect for twelve year olds
i was personaly inspiered by this book and when my school starts again i am going to follow the rules in the book. when o think about it, i realize that i dont actually follow those rules in everyday life.

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Teen, 15 years old
April 18, 2009
 
Awesome Book!
This is a really wonderful book. My friend recommended it to me, and I was pleasantly surprised. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, but I was so glad I kept reading. I highly recommend this book.

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Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 
One of the best Meg Cabot books!

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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Really good
the book teaches a great lesson about how not to turn your back on your friends and where being popular gets you.

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Teen, 17 years old
May 3, 2011
 

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Parent of 13 year old
December 6, 2010
 
Good for teens and tweens
My daughter read this book and loved it.She's 12 years old and read it for a project in literature. She was mainly concerned with the language. I'm just glad that I taught her to not use that kind of language but she won't repeat it. Thank the Lord. I read the book when it first came out and I loved it.

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Teen, 15 years old
April 11, 2009
 
MY FAVROITE MEG CABOT BOOK!
this is a book you can read 10 times and still find intresting!

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Adult
September 19, 2010
 
Great t-weans and older kids.
I can read this book 1,000,000

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This review was written by Kate Pavao
Author:Meg Cabot
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Coming of Age
Publisher:HarperTempest
Publication date:August 29, 2006
Number of pages:304
Hardcover price:$16.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):12 - 17
Read aloud:12
Read alone:12

This review was written by Kate Pavao
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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