Geek Chic: The Zoey Zone (Geek Chic (Quality))
Grade 4&ndash;6&mdash;This amalgamation of graphic novel and chapter book cleverly integrates wrinkled-looking notes, varied typefaces, wacky line drawings, and movie countdowns with straightforward prose to tell the funny if far-fetched tale of fifth-grader Zoey. Although sixth grade is 198 days away, she's already worried about her place on the "coolability" meter compared with the Bashleys: "Brittany-with-two-Ts and Ashley." An expert on obscure facts about the presidents, Zoey's idea of a good time is to catch bullfrogs and other amphibians with her friend Venus. She's hoping for a fairy godmother to make her cooler but what she finds is her great-grandfather's bowling shirt and fedora, which at least covers her bed-head. She runs into a photo shoot byU Grlof the Bashleys and their friends in the school hall. When the magazine's reps ask for something interesting from a locker, Zoey jumps in. Not only is her locker jam-packed with geeky books, art supplies, and other paraphernalia, and the reps are taken with her sense of style as well.Geek Chicoffers more wish fulfillment than reality for girls&mdash;the staff members all don fedoras like Zoey's. There's nothing new about its message of self-acceptance except that it's aimed at the girls who need to hear it at younger and younger ages. Although slightly confusing in the beginning, the format will attract reluctant readers, and the story will please girls who cultivate offbeat interests with as much enthusiasm and zaniness as Zoey.&mdash;Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.