“THE CLUELESS GIRL’S GUIDE TO BEING A GENIUS,” by Janie Repka, Dutton Juvenile, Aug. 18, 2011, $16.99 (ages 8 and up)
Aphrodite Wigglesmith and Mindy Loft are anything but similar. One has graduated from Harvard at the ripe old age of 13, while the other spends her spare time perfecting her baton throw for twirling competitions. Still, the two find that friendship grows from more than common tastes and matching fashion sense as they navigate a remedial eighth-grade math class together and attempt to prove that any girl can be a success if only she tries.
Janice Repka has created two very different yet enjoyable characters for readers to meet in this book. Both girls have strengths and weaknesses that many girls experience for themselves such as: a lack of confidence, jealousy, fear and loneliness. For young girls who are looking for a way to navigate school politics with courage and kindness, this book offers two different examples of how to do it. Meanwhile, Mindy’s growing understanding of the importance of friendship as a loving relationship and Aphrodite’s development into a well-rounded teenager are accomplished amidst fun, hilarious, and challenging circumstances that will keep the reader involved and interested.
“The Clueless Girl’s Guide to Being a Genius” is a fun choice for parents and young girls looking for an age-appropriate reading experience about life in middle school, and the fun that can be had while living through it.
