Front Page Face-Off

Delilah has a rival at school this year, both for her crush and for the lead reporter spot on her school newspaper. Snobby and sophisticated Ava, an exchange student from France, has claimed Delilah's potential boyfriend and the coveted title of Junior Global Reporter. So Delilah resorts to desperate measures: she joins a clique in order to get the scoop on stories around campus. After all, who knows more about social woes than Paige and her troop of popular and power-hungry "Debutantes"? Unfortunately, Paige's help comes at a price. Now Delilah must decide if it's worth ruining the reputation of a rival clique's leader in order to win the boy and the title of Junior Global Reporter. With plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, witty dialogue, and over-the-top antics, this novel is a page-turner. Delilah is tough and smart, and her unlikely friendship with shallow and girly-girl Paige makes for some very funny moments. Deliliah's investigation into the shady past of another clique leader keeps the tension running high, and the whole story culminates in a disaster of a prank war against the detestable Ava. What makes the story really satisfying, though, is its exploration of moral themes surrounding school reporting--Delilah realizes she has already made life hard for one person who's bad side she exposed in the paper, and she must decide if she can do the same again just to promote her own career as a junior reporter.

I like to read the stories my 9 year old reads, so that we can talk about them. This was a great quick read... The story centers around a 12 year old girl named Delilah who dreams of becoming a Junior Global Journalist. She's never really had any competition, but this year there is an exchange student who is not only trying to get the front page of the paper, but her love interest too. I found myself laughing out loud a few times, due to some of the awkward situations Delilah finds herself in. It was really easy to find a kid in that kind of situation. I would definitely recommend this book. Oh, and my daughter loved the book and is reading it again.

FRONT PAGE FACE-OFF JO WHITTEMORE Contemporary Middle Grade Rating: 4 Enchantments Thirteen-year-old Delilah James is one of the top reporters at Brighton Junior Academy. Her goal is to become a Junior Global Journalist. Everything seems to be working in her favor until Ava, a French exchange student and rival, comes and steals not only her spot as top reporter but her crush as well. Delilah finds an ally in the most unlikely place. Paige just happens to be part of the elusive Debutantes, alias "Little Debbies". Paige promises to give Delilah the inside dirt in exchange for some info on the rival group. Will Delilah be able to do this and still win the boy? This is a fun, hilarious tale that is sure to keep you laughing. Delilah's attempts to win back her spot as lead editor are humorous. Delilah is very likable and fun. Her relationship with her stepfather is funny too. I found myself smiling over Delilah's attics which are downright hilarious. One especially funny scene happens when she's at the country club trying to get an interview with the Swirlie Bandit. What happens when she tries to get the attention of her crush and still get her interview are downright hilarious. What I really liked about this story was that the so-called nasty girl really wasn't that bad after all. Whittemore does a great job multi layering her characters with fun quirks and personalities without them being the usual cardboard stereotypes. Delilah's friend Jenner is great too as a surfer with a mega sweet tooth. You can't help but cheer for Delilah and what happens. A great heroine for all! Jo Whittemore has written THE SILVERSKIN LEGACY, a young-adult fantasy trilogy. This is her first middle-grade novel. She currently lives in Texas. For more on Whittemore's books check out her website: [...] Kim Baccellia ENCHANTING REVIEWS February 2010