I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader

KLIATT

Lighthearted fun, basically: this is a story of a teenager moving to Florida from New Jersey. First she notices that most of the girls are blonde, not necessarily natural blondes, which is just a hint of how regimented the tastes are. Even the African American coach has dyed blond braids. (Actually, it bothered me that this coach is the only African American mentioned in the story, which seems strange when the setting is a high school in Florida—it isn't in the hills of Vermont.) Annisa is funny, smart, and determined. Her older brother Gabe is going to a local college and returns home to provide comedy and chaos. Annisa decides to try out for the cheerleading squad because she has always wanted to go to the competitions . . . never mind that the Florida high school is called Sand Dune High School and the athletes are called Fighting Crabs. "Let's go, Crabs!" is funny in itself. The older cheerleaders—the in-girls—make life difficult for the new member, especially since she is an outsider. There is a lot of attempted humiliation but Annisa doesn't give up. Of course, there is the handsome guy, Daniel, who is going with one of these bullies; but he eventually sees the light and leaves her for Annisa. The most redeeming aspects of this novel are the details of cheerleading—not the rah, rah stuff, but the intricate choreography of the cheers and the intense nature of the cheerleading competitions. The reader gets a clear idea of the talent and hard work that go into this sport. And the rivalries and pranks, related with sardonic wit by Annisa, add to the reader's amusement. (The author has also written The Princess and the Pauper, an ALA Quick Pick, under the penname of Kate Brian.) KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Penguin, Putnam, 246p., Ages 12 to 18.
—Claire Rosser

Kirkus Reviews

The excellent writing in this new offering from Scott, who wrote The V Club (2004) as Kate Brian, belies its silly title. Sophomore Annisa Gobrowski has moved from New Jersey to Florida, and experiences a disastrous first day at Sand Dune High School where every girl in the school is blonde. She makes quick friends with the school outcast and attracts the attention of a wonderful boy, but inadvertently alienates all of the popular girls. Alas, all of them are members of the school's crack cheerleading squad, Annisa's particular enthusiasm. Despite their hostility, she makes the squad, but suffers constant attacks from most of her teammates. Additional problems develop in a prank war with a rival school and slumping grades. The story follows Annisa's efforts to uphold her individuality while trying to make friends. Scott shows incisive insight into the culture of adolescent girls while delivering suspense and well-developed emotional conflicts that should hold young readers' interest throughout. (Fiction. YA)