POP PRINCESS
Rachel Cohn
Simon & Schuster
Fiction
ISBN: 0689852053
311 pages

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Rachel Cohn hits the right notes in POP PRINCESS, with her blend of good writing and fun readability that was also evident in her popular book GINGERBREAD. In POP PRINCESS, fifteen-year-old Wonder Blake is eager to escape her Dairy Queen job and small Cape Cod town. Her desire becomes a reality, thanks to her sister's former manager, who ultimately helps her land a top-ten single. Wonder becomes the star her sister Lucky would likely have been were she not killed by a drunk driver.

Wonder's new life is glamorous, with famous friends and attractive guys, but she feels as if it's all an act and that this lifestyle is not a good fit for her. She makes typical mistakes with her new life --- including some drinking, wrong boyfriend choices and other naiveté --- but that is a major reason why this book is so charming. Cohn is a master at creating voice. Readers will care about Wonder from page one, even if parts of the plot are familiar from real life. Cohn has the talent to make the growing up too far, too fast story fresh and fun to read.

Wonder's mentor Kayla may appear to come right from today's group of pop icons, but she also has many kindnesses and surprising character traits, including a love of reading! Wonder's brother Charles is another great character. A scene in which he unexpectedly tells his sister the reality of her selfish new ways is a major turning point in the book.

There is plenty of humor here, too. Wonder's commentary --- particularly on the phoniness of life and diets in the music business, and scenes in which she avenges bullies from her former life in high school --- is very good reading. POP PRINCESS will be popular longer than a Billboard hit.

   --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

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