Bibliography:  Tuttle, Cameron.  2009.  Paisley Hanover Acts Out.  New York:  Dial.  ISBN: 978-0803732865

Plot Summary: Incoming sophomore Paisley Hanover has a plan.  She’s always been on the edge of the popular crowd, but she is going to join the yearbook staff and cement her place in the pecking order and look good for the college of her choice at the same time.  She is stunned when she is voted out by her fellow students and sent to the no man’ s land of -gasp-drama class.  No one is more unpopular than these people.  What’s a girl to do?  Except Paisley discovers there is more to this group than meets the eye and being popular isn’t all its cracked up to be.  Things really take off when she starts writing for the decidedly unpopular school newspaper, exposing all the superficiality of the in crowd.

Critical Analysis: Paisley is an eccentric teen, and her struggles with school and friends new and old will resonate with preteens and teens.  A few serious moments, but for the most part a very witty ride through Paisley’s sophomore year, with some romance and mystery thrown in for good measure.  I also enjoyed the notebook of doodles and notes that is included, but I wish as far as design goes, that it had been incorporated into the text so that you saw it as you read.  Having it separate is a little strange.  The level of writing helps to raise the story over standard series fare, and the lack of explicitness keeps it appropriate for middle schoolers.  Hopefully the quirkiness might broaden appeal to a individualistic high schoolers as well.

Readalikes:

The newspaper aspects of this story reminded me of The BreakUp Bible by Melissa Kantor

A different quirky girl who decides fitting in is not for her is Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

A much more serious take on individuality and unpopularity can be found in Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher