Fed up with her parents and all their ridiculous rules (they keep a binder full of them), fifteen-year-old Kendra Bishop writes away to The Black Sheep, a reality TV show that offers the chance to swap families with another teen. But when the camera crew, led by brash TV producer Judy Greenberg, shows up at her Manhattan apartment, Kendra starts to have second thoughts.
Too late. Kendra is whisked away to Monterey, California, to live with the Mulligan family in a household that couldn't be more different from her own-complete with hippie parents, their five kids and a pet ferret. Of course, when Kendra falls for Mitch, the Mulligans' seventeen-year-old son, it only complicates things further, especially since Mitch despises the reality TV show and everything it stands for. But given the chance, Kendra might just be able to juggle first love, her new stardom, and a pushy producer who will stop at nothing for higher ratings.
In this hilarious and touching novel, Kendra learns to live under a new roof but finds true refuge in the unlikeliest of places-her own family.
The Black Sheep was completely unexpected, but I absolutely adored it! In a fit of anger, Kendra writes a lengthy letter to an upcoming TV show ranting about her parents' detailed plans for her life. Every second of her day is scheduled with some class or lesson to groom her into a banker like them, leaving no room for Kendra to explore her own interests. The worst part? They're not even around to see their plans put to work! When they're not working, they're running marathons all over the continent! Well, Kendra has been selected to switch lives with a teen from a hippie family, and soon she's the center of a huge controversy (or two!).
The Black Sheep was so much fun! I think I'm going to be a fan of these behind the scene type stories. I'm sure we all know that reality TV isn't totally real, and Kendra's story is no different. The producer twists just about everything Kendra says to get more ratings! Kendra wasn't exactly the most interesting person to begin with thanks to her parents' micromanagement, but Judy manages to cause quite the ruckus when Kendra gets involved in her host family's cause to save the Southern Sea Otter!
I do have the say that the plot of The Black Sheep did feel preachy in places. Kendra gets deeply involved in saving otters, especially when an exclusive golf course decides to move one of their holes right next to a cove where the little critters live. Luckily, I'm all about environmentalism and saving animals, so I loved it! However, I can see some readers feeling like they're being beaten over the head with the message to protect our oceans. It's a very large part of Kendra finding where her interests lie, and it's the catalyst for the romance.
I just really adored The Black Sheep. I loved the reality TV angle, and the messages on environmentalism. It is one of those "the grass isn't always greener" and all that jazz stories, since Kendra comes to realize that all families have their problems, and it's just a matter of communicating. The ending was quite cheesy and unbelievable, but it made me happy, so I don't care! I just had a blast reading this one and it left me with a big, goofy grin.
