Freaked Out

I LIKED THIS BOOK. THE AUTHOR DEALS WITH SNOBBISH BEHAVIOR WHICH LEADS TO CERTAIN PEOPLE BEING LEFT OUT WHEN A BIRTHDAY IS UP AND COMING. SOME PEOPLE HAVE HURT FEELINGS. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE STORY WHERE THE BSG HAVE TO DEAL WITH OLDER BOYS DRINKING BEER IN FRONT OF YOUNGER CHILDREN. AND HOW THE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED.

Even though Maeve has managed to work with her dyslexia to become an okay student, her math grade may end up spelling her doom. Mr. "The Crow" Sherman seems to have it in for her, and if Maeve can't pull it together for the midterm math test, she may risk getting left behind. There's even more to worry about with Julie Faber's birthday bash coming up. The whole school is talking about it, and every member of the Beacon Street Girls receives an invitation... except one. The rest of the girls are trapped between loyalty to their friend and their desire to not miss out on the party of the year. Even after it grows painfully obvious that her exclusion is no accident, the left out BSG member struggles with her own insecurities, and tries to keep in mind that plenty of other classmates also did not receive an invitation. Trying to put the problem of the party aside, the girls work to make learning math fun and easy for Maeve, but Maeve's problem may not have anything to do with math itself, but may be more related to how she is approaching the situation. With luck, maybe Maeve can take her mind off of the impending party and focus on her grades to come up with a solution. It was amusing to watch the Beacon Street Girls tackle this common problem among groups of friends. It's nice to see how different opinions and approaches are taken into account, so that the reactions of the characters appear most natural and likely in a real life setting. Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

I think this is one of the best beacon street girls books yet. but the thing i like the best is that it tackles the difficult issue of alcohol. the book portrays drinking as a bad, disgusting idea and has several pages in the back that show what really happens to teenagers who drink. plus, the story line is interesting and i couldn't stop reading!