Populazzi [Hardcover]

Elise Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2011

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fresh, funny, and sometimes wrenching, Populazzi nails what it's like to try to find yourself while navigating the crazy world of high school. I loved it." —Hilary Duff

"Populazzi is a fresh, fun peek behind the popularity curtain. Elise Allen is a welcome new voice in YA fiction." —Eileen Cook, Author of The Education of Hailey Kendrick

"Populazzi is a smart, fun, and energetic ride through the twisting hallways of high school popularity." —Deb Caletti, author of The Secret Life of Prince Charming

"Hilarious, physiologically chewy, downright Machiavellian, and heartfelt in all the most satisfying ways." —Matthew Quick, author of Sorta Like a Rock Star

"In her first solo novel, Allen (coauthor of Elixir with Hilary Duff) offers a smart mix of hilarity and tragedy in this Macbeth—meets—Mean Girls tale."—Publishers Weekly

"The story unflinchingly depicts the dark and dangerous side of high-school popularity, making it a captivating read."—Kirkus Reviews

"Satisfying chick-lit...This brilliantly titled novel delivers exactly the right escapist fluff while remaining clean and innocent enough to appear on both junior high and high school shelves...and it should." —School Library Journal

About the Author

ELISE ALLEN is a vibrant new voice in teen fiction. Populazzi is her first book for young adults. She has written for children's television and film and is co-writing Hilary Duff's first novel for teens, Elixir. She lives with her family in sunny Southern California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; None edition (August 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547481535
• ISBN-13: 978-0547481531
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,528,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Though Elise Allen hails from Philadelphia (home of Tastykakes, the best soft pretzels ever, and her beloved Philadelphia Eagles), she resides in Los Angeles, where it never has the audacity to snow. Elise has a wildly eclectic writing career, including sitcoms, kids' TV shows, Barbie movies, and internet shows starring her heroes, The Muppets. She is Hilary Duff's co-author for the book ELIXIR, and looks forward to the release of her first solo YA novel, POPULAZZI.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars How far would YOU go to climb to the top of the high school social ladder? August 10, 2011

By ConnieP VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Although it was several years ago, I still remember high school well. Like Cara, the main character in the story, I had moved and hoped for a chance to climb the ladder at my new school. I, too, hurt a good friend along the way and did things that were against my better judgment, although certainly nothing as extreme as Cara! Claudia, Cara's best friend from her "old" school, conceived a ladder climbing scheme for Cara, and somehow convinced the initially skeptic Cara to go along with it. And once she agreed to go along with it, Cara became obsessed with climbing the rungs, doing whatever it took to get to the top, and stepping on various people along the way. However, in the end, we all learn we are who we are, and that we need to stay true to ourselves. The story, although a little far-fetched, was a fun book. It would make interesting reading for most teenage girls.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What Price Popularity... July 31, 2011

By delicateflower152 TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

If you remember middle school or high school, if you have a child in middle school or high school, then the theme of Elise Allen's "Populazzi" will resonate with you. Focusing on a private school's social hierarchy and one girl's efforts to climb the "Ladder," "Populazzi" is a witty, well written, character-driven book.

"Populazzi" takes the reader on a journey with Cara, a high school junior, as she attempts to gain acceptance into her school's highest social group, the Populazzi. Having moved to a new school, Cara is seen by Claudia, her best friend since kindergarten, as having an opportunity to climb the "Ladder" and to increase her social standing. In her zeal to help her friend succeed, Claudia creates a notebook which contains the steps she sees as necessary to move from one rung of the "Ladder" to the next higher level. Cara immediately puts this plan, which is worthy of a five-star general, into action. As she succeeds in moving from one social group to the next, Cara must also come to terms with the sacrifices and moral decisions she makes. In the end, Cara discovers the price she has paid to climb the "Ladder." She recognizes that those who are truly important to her and who really care about her may have been individuals she passed as she moved from rung to rung.

Although set in a private school and having characters from wealthier families, the issues addressed in "Populazzi" are those many young people commonly confront. Elise Allen has done an outstanding job of capturing the trials and tribulations of today's teens' daily lives. In doing so, she has also given readers, both parents and children, numerous avenues for discussion.

I highly recommend that parents read this book and then use it, in a family setting, to discuss topics such as self esteem, individuality, the price of being "popular" and the value of true friendships. Parents of `tweens and more conservative individuals should be aware that the "f-bomb" is used in the characters' conversations, drug use and drinking occupy some scenes, characters "hook up," one character presents himself as straight in order to remain a member of the Poppulazi, and one character deals with an eating disorder. Nevertheless, these issues are an integral part of the story; they are neither idealized nor judged. Further, these are issues our children may be confronted by during their middle school and high school years. "Populazzi" seems to be an excellent starting point for discussion and for sharing those values which you personally view as being important.

I have rated this book as a 5-star read, both for its writing and its value as a discussion tool. It is a book that will hold the interest of almost any reader. Because it is a novel which engages the reader in the charcters' lives and challenges, it is hard to put down. It is a novel to be read and shared.

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute and funny... December 30, 2012

By Sarah Woodard

Format:Hardcover

Cara is a really unique and realistic teen girl. She was down to earth and sweet. She reminded me of myself when I was her age. I found Archer to be really nice and adorable. At times, I found Claudia to be annoying. Cara's mom and Stepfather Karl were so infuriating. It reminded me of one of my friend's parents and I couldn't like them after that. It is horrid to think that someone would do that to their stepdaughter or daughter. The cliques in this book didn't seem over done and I think that it was really accurate. I really liked the plot. It was fun and full of drama. I really enjoyed seeing Cara as she went through the other groups. Allen's writing is amazing. Even though this book is almost 400 pages, I enjoyed every moment. My only complaint is that I didn't get to see Archer enough. I recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins. It was an amazing debut with great characters.