Cheetah Girls, The: Wishing on a Star - Book #1 [Paperback]

Deborah Gregory (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cheetah Girls | Publication Date: January 1, 1900

THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gregory, in her first book for children, kicks off The Cheetah Girlz series, aimed at African-American preteens, with a choppy tale that tries hard to be hip. At center stage is narrator Galleria Garibaldi, a 14-year-old whose 250-pound mother looks like a "Black opera diva" and whose father is "Eye-talian... from Bologna, Italy." It's the eve of her enrollment in Manhattan's Fashion Industries High, which she'll attend with her best friend, Chanel ("a blend of Dominican and Puerto Rican on her mother's side, Jamaican and Cuban on her father's side--and sneaky-deaky through and through!"). When the pair hooks up with three other girls to form a singing group, they unleash their "growl power" and discover the "jiggy jungle: that magical, cheetah-licious place inside of every dangerous, scary, crowded city where dreams really do come true." The narrative consists almost entirely of glib dialogue that is often either cutesy (on the Internet with Chanel, Galleria types, "You're a burp!... Boougie, undone, ridiculoso, and princess-y to the max. Don't deny it") or, despite a glossary that translates words like "chomp-a-roni" (i.e., "Trying to catch a nibble on the sneak tip") difficult to decipher. After the singers' debut performance, one of them announces, "The Spice Rack Girls had better bounce, baby, 'cause the Cheetah Girlz are 'bout to pounce!" Alas, the competition need not fear: these players have considerably more bark than bite. Due out the same month is the group's next act, Shop in the Name of Love. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Straight out of the "jiggy jungle" ("a magical place inside every big city where dreams really come true-and every cheetah has its day") comes a new series just for "divettes-in-training" ("girls who can't afford Prada or Gucci-yet"). Galleria, named after a famous shopping mall, and her friend Chanel live in New York City and dream of becoming famous. They decide that two singers are not enough and convince three other girls to join them. Most of the plot centers around forming a group, booking a gig at the Kats and Kittys Halloween Bash, designing costumes, and practicing for the big event. Along the way, the five girls learn about one another, quarrel, and, of course, forgive. They are true series characters, growing just enough to leave room for more stories. Gregory's playful use of language is consistent and fun. For other "peeps" (people), a handy glossary is appended. Cameo photos of young models posing as the characters grace the front and back covers. The Cheetah Girl Credo is printed at the beginning of the book and is spoken on the mini-CD that accompanies the book. The credo suggests all Cheetah Girls are created equal, but not alike, and is upheld by the characters, who are mixed-race African American, Italian, and Dominican. A light read for young teens who dream of stardom.-Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Jump At The Sun; Min Pap/Co edition (January 1, 1900)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786813849
• ISBN-13: 978-0786813841
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,031,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deborah Gregory is the author of the Catwalk trilogy, the second of which Catwalk: Strike A Pose is currently purring. The entire Catwalk trilogy(Laurel-Leaf imprint, division of Random House) will be published on September 13th 2011) in a special OMNI edition ($9.99). The Catwalk trilogy contains three novels--Catwalk, Catwak: Strike A Pose and Catwalk: Rip the Runway. Gregory is also the author creator producer of the wildly popular franchise, The Cheetah Girls, which consists of 26 books, three Disney Channel original movies, three nationwide 88-city concert tours, extensive spotty merchandise and ferocious fans around the globe. The inspiration for the CATWALK book series comes from Gregory's background as a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology and a former runway model in Europe as well as a plus-size designer and boutique owner (Toto in New York...Fun In Larger Sizes which was located on West Broadway in Soho). Actually, the larger than life leopard clad character of Galleria's Mom, Dorothea Garibaldi (DG) in The Cheetah Girls is Gregory herself as is her pooch Cappuccino who plays the Cheetah Girls mascot, Toto (Toto who slept in the store window in his cheetah bed was the original inspiration and may he RIP). Gregory was raised in the foster care system under ACS in New York City and aged out of the system at 18. Thus, the inspiration for the adult novel she is currently writing about a girl who ages out of the foster care system in the Bronx and is trapped in New York's underworld until she finds a way to reinvent herself and find redemption. Gregory lived in Paris, Firenze and Milan as a runway model. She currently lives in Manhattan with her pooch Cappuccino, her second adorable, feisty bichon frise pooch. Visit the author at: www.cheetahrama.com