The It Chicks (by Tia Williams)

Tangie starts school at a New York City performing arts school, ready to dance. But the drama here happens both on and off the stage: uber-popular (but drug-dependent) Eden starts dating a gangsta rapper, rumors abound about a mysterious new girl who claims to be only 14, and even good-girl Tangie finds herself torn between her soul mate and the school's star dancer.

This book packs in plenty of plot: There are closeted gay characters, a diva who is secretly super insecure -- and even a mystery surrounding Tangie's mom's long disappearance from her daughter's life. All the while the kids are dancing and drawing and acting their little hearts out.

This series debut, about a group of mostly African-American teens at a New York City performing arts school, has a lot of the familiar trappings: backstabbing friends, closeted characters, absent parents, drugs, sex, fashion. But it does have a fun premise and enough lively dialogue to hook readers who like these never-ending soap opera sagas. At least these characters are good at something besides shopping, starving themselves, and gossip (though there's plenty of that here, too) -- they sweat on the dance floor, practice their drama dialogs, etc. Even the drugged-out, popular-but-hollow senior girl is presented as an enormous acting talent.

The big problem with this book -- and a lot of these clique lit series installments -- is that it spews too many story lines. Nothing is resolved here, and characters don't really show any growth. Fans may itch for the next volume, but they really won't have learned anything here.

Author: Tia Williams
Publisher: Jump at the Sun
Publication date: April 1, 2007
Number of pages: 304
Paperback price: $8.99
Read Aloud: 15
Read Alone: 15