2015 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction New York Times Bestseller
A breakout teen author explores the true meaning of popularity and how to survive middle school in this hysterically funny, touchingly honest contemporary memoir.
“I was inspired by [Maya's] journey and made a point of saving a copy of ‘Popular’ for my sister, who starts middle school this fall. Maybe if I had read it when I was her age, it could have saved me from a world of hurt, or at least put that world in perspective.” —Maude Apatow, New York Times Book Review
Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help a shy girl become popular?
Maya Van Wagenen is about to find out.
Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at “pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya has never been popular. But before starting eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell.
The real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises. Told with humor and grace, Maya’s journey offers readers of all ages a thoroughly contemporary example of kindness and self-confidence, along with a better understanding of what it means to be popular.
Popular is the real life, geek to chic tale of one Maya van Wagenen. Right before the start of her last year of middle school, Maya finds a popularity guide from 1951 tucked away in a closet. Knowing she has trouble making friends and is an aspiring writer, her mother encourages her to give the advice a try and write about her experiences. Of course, mother knows best, and Maya now has her first published book and she found out what it means to popular. Although it did take on a different definition than she expected it would at the start.
I absolutely adored Popular. I knew it was going to be fun, but I didn't expect it to make me cry! Seriously. Maya's story is so touching, and I felt like I was right there with her at the end. I just could not contain my emotions at her discoveries about herself and those around her. Each month of the school year, Maya would employ the advice given by Betty Cornell in her guide on how to become popular. She starts with the easy stuff first, changing her hair and eating habits. Soon she's trying out makeup, wearing pantyhose and a girdle, then finally she expands her social circle. Yes, some of Betty's tips were completely outdated, but Maya follows it all with grace and humor, despite some negative reactions from her classmates. But she was no longer invisible; people knew who she was, and slowly, but surely Maya noticed others making changes in their own relationships.
I don't want to give too much away. Popular is one book that you really need to experience for yourself. Maya is a wonderful narrator, and I loved how upfront and honest she was about her experiment and her life. No matter how embarrassing or personal, Maya lets us in on every step of her journey from quiet geek to the life of the party (or the 8th grad prom!). There are moments where her journey hits some extremely awkward and even sad moments that feel straight out of fiction, but this is her real life! I'm so happy that I decided to pick up Popular, and definitely think you should too if you're into quirky Non-Fiction, or even Contemporary YA.
