December 16, 2002
"In this fast-paced first book in the Girlfriends Trilogy, ninth-grader Ellie describes why she's 'feeling so fed up' and the sticky situations in which she finds herself. Tender moments and clever exchanges make for a breezy read," said PW. Ages 12-up.

January 1, 2002
Gr 6-9-Ellie begins ninth grade with a detention for being late for English class. It's bad enough that one of her best friends has an older boyfriend and that the other one is supremely confident, but to start the school year off on such a sour note adds insult to injury. Feeling desperate and fat in comparison to her willowy pals, she transforms an unrequited crush that a younger, geeky guy has on her into a story of a sweeping romance with a gorgeous 15-year-old who lives far away. Ellie's story gets a little out of hand until Dan, who shows up at a party in London where she lives, of course turns out to be nicer, funnier, and more heroic than she had anticipated. Instead of viewing him as an object of derision, she finds herself appreciating his better qualities and realizing that it's what's inside a person that really matters. This British version of a formulaic teen romance has all the stock characters but will appeal to readers who enjoy the familiar and can empathize with Ellie's insecurities and the trials of ninth grade. Colloquialisms add a bit of authenticity to the novel. Wilson inserts lists of "nines" between chapters, such as "nine wishes," "nine things I hate about school," "nine unexpected odd facts," etc., which carry on the theme of ninth grade.-Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2002
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Reviewed with Jacqueline Wilson's \plain\f3\fs24" Girls under Pressure\plain\f3\fs24 .

Gr. 7-10. Starting ninth grade is more difficult than Ellie imagined. She's self-conscious about her hair and weight, and she worries about her father and stepmother. Worst of all, she's not prepared when her two best friends, Magda and Nadine, find boyfriends. \plain\f3\fs24" Girls in Love\plain\f3\fs24, the first title in the British Girls trilogy, explores the three 13-year-olds' forays into romances both real and fantasized (Ellie invents her own guy). In the follow-up, \plain\f3\fs24" Girls under Pressure, \plain\f3\fs24 the friends face body-image challenges, sexual harassment, a lost modeling competition, and, in Ellie's case, a flirtation with anorexia. Readers, even those unfamiliar with the frequent British slang, will immediately take to Ellie's voice--all lighthearted, acerbic teenage wit and mercurial despair. They'll also appreciate the sensitivity and humor Wilson uses to show how common adolescent dilemmas become extraordinary events for each girl. Expect the girls' third adventure in the fall. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2002
In Wilson's (The Story of Tracy Beaker) fast-paced first book in the Girlfriends Trilogy, ninth-grader Ellie describes why she's "feeling so fed up" and the sticky situations in which she finds herself. Ellie's first-person narration possesses a Bridget Jones-like energy and compulsiveness. Her constant obsession with her weight gets old, but her loathing of teachers, family and herself will feel familiar. Ellie's relationship with her two best friends, Nadine and Magda, and especially with nerdy Dan, whom she meets on holiday, serve as good models without being didactic. Feeling jealous after hearing about Nadine's new older boyfriend and Magda's summer flirtations, Ellie pretends that Dan is her boyfriend, though she substitutes his looks with those of a cute boy she's crushing on. As Dan expresses his romantic feelings for her through the letters they exchange, it becomes obvious that she won't be able to keep up her farce forever. Meanwhile, Nadine's boyfriend pressures Nadine for sex, and there's tension between Ellie's dad and stepmother. The short lists at the end of each chapter (like "nine most embarrassing moments") give readers insight into Ellie's past and her character. There are tender moments, such as when the heroine visits heartbroken Nadine, and the funny narrative, filled with British colloquialisms, and clever exchanges with Dan make this a breezy read. Ages 12-up.

December 3, 2001
In Wilson's (The Story of Tracy Beaker) fast-paced first book in the Girlfriends Trilogy, ninth-grader Ellie describes why she's "feeling so fed up" and the sticky situations in which she finds herself. Ellie's first-person narration possesses a Bridget Jones–like energy and compulsiveness. Her constant obsession with her weight gets old, but her loathing of teachers, family and herself will feel familiar. Ellie's relationship with her two best friends, Nadine and Magda, and especially with nerdy Dan, whom she meets on holiday, serve as good models without being didactic. Feeling jealous after hearing about Nadine's new older boyfriend and Magda's summer flirtations, Ellie pretends that Dan is her boyfriend, though she substitutes his looks with those of a cute boy she's crushing on. As Dan expresses his romantic feelings for her through the letters they exchange, it becomes obvious that she won't be able to keep up her farce forever. Meanwhile, Nadine's boyfriend pressures Nadine for sex, and there's tension between Ellie's dad and stepmother. The short lists at the end of each chapter (like "nine most embarrassing moments") give readers insight into Ellie's past and her character. There are tender moments, such as when the heroine visits heartbroken Nadine, and the funny narrative, filled with British colloquialisms, and clever exchanges with Dan make this a breezy read. Ages 12-up.

July 1, 2002
When her best friends Magda and Nadine each get their first boyfriends, Ellie pretends she has a boyfriend, too--but really hes only Dopey Dan, the odd-looking but surprisingly funny guy she met on holiday. British language and setting flavor this humorous look at the anguish of starting high school, living with a blended family, dealing with puberty, and deciding its okay to just be friends.

(Copyright 2002 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)