The little Miss(es) Know-It-All

Gigi works her butt off studying in order to get the grades, but she also wouldn't mind getting attention for something - anything - else. An unlikely opportunity rises up after her chemistry teacher accuses her of cheating on a test along with a jock, the carefree Mike. Encouraged by her friends Neerja and Bea, she decides to run for student representative with the intent of changing the strict zero tolerance cheating policies. Unfortunately, this pits Gigi against the gorgeous new guy, Will, whose slightly offbeat personality jives with her own. In a similar effort to get noticed, Bea joins the ski team and Neerja tries out for drama. Each girl has something to overcome - Neerja hopes to win over longtime friend Justin, Bea has to defy her parents in order to go out for skiing, and Gigi has a thing about public speaking that once resulted in her upchucking in front of a class. But bolstered by her old friends - and some brand new ones she makes on the campaign trail - Gigi finds that trying to make a difference in the world around her results in making a difference in how she looks at it.

I wish "peppy" wasn't such an outdated word, because it's kind of the perfect way to describe this book. Smart Girls has a funny, bouncy rhythm and sensibility that will fill readers with glee. Gigi is a pretty cool main character and while her story is not exactly new, the way it's rendered here really makes the whole thing pop. A little confident, a little awkward, and not always self-aware, she is a pitch-perfect narrator and guide to the world of Denton High. The cast of characters is one of the book's highlights: Bea is the friend who doesn't care what others think, Neerja is the friend who tries to look on the bright side, and their classmates are thoughtfully drawn. Particularly well-done is the romance subplot that features Gigi. Who does she end up with? It's likely that the answer may surprise the reader. Mike slowly emerges as an engaging character in his own right, in an unexpected subversion of the "jock" stereotype. The setting and the atmosphere is very authentic - I feel like I'm as familiar with Denton as I am with my own nonfictional high school. The whole story is capped off with a school dance, in a scene that nicely wraps up the plot, provides much-welcomed closure, and underscores the importance of friendship.

For the most part the varied subplots are juggled nicely, and many of them reflect the theme of knowing your own strength and realizing your potential. If I had a complaint, it would be that Bea's story gets crowded out in the second half of the book - Neerja's story got more page time, and it felt mildly unbalanced. It's refreshing that their friendship encounters no drama of its own, but I wish the book had focused a little more on it.

But the fact remains that this is one of the better nerd-centered YA novels I've come across in months. Rating 4.5 purple ski boots out of 5.