Written by Jenny McLachlan
After her so-called friend Kat ditches Bea Hogg for her former friend, super-witch Pearl Harris, Bea’s normal adolescent life starts falling apart. To help her come out of her shell and get her mind off her bully problems, Bea’s grandmother coaxes her into taking dancing lessons. There, she gets teamed up with Ollie, school hottie and great dancer. Determined to fight back against her bullies, Bea gets Ollie to sign up with her for the school’s dance competition. As she gets to know Ollie, she starts to have feelings for him, but is concerned his relationship with Pearl might cause him to betray her. Will Bea win the dance competition? Does Ollie have feelings for her? Will she come out of her shell?
Although the pace is a bit slower, readers are pulled into the story by the well-developed, engaging characters. The author does a great job of mixing humor with more serious issues like bullying and self-esteem. Although some readers may have a hard time with some of the British references, they will easily relate to Bea’s common problems. Recommended for readers who like realistic fiction, romance, and a little bit of humor in their books.
Review by Jessica Moody, Olympus Jr. High Media Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 7+
Author Website: http://jennymclachlan.com/
The Ladybirds, #1
Flirty Dancing
Written by Jenny McLachlan
Feiwel & Friends
179 pages
Release Date: April 28, 2015 (USA)
