Customer Reviews

The Queen of Cool

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Libby Brin is cool. She's a member of the coolest clique on campus, throws amazing parties, and starts the newest, hottest (if short-lived) trends.

And she's bored.

It's not enough anymore for Libby to have money, sex without strings, and the ability to do pretty much whatever she wants. She's growing tired of her shallow friends and their lackluster ambitions. Her need to become something more than she is leads her to do the unexplainable, even the unthinkable, the uncoolest thing she's ever done: She signs up for an internship at the Los Angeles Zoo.

At the zoo, she is assigned to work with Tina, a Little Person with a big personality, and Sheldon, who is overweight, shy, and incredibly smart. As Libby becomes more interested in her work at the zoo, she begins drifting from her friends and is soon the last person to find out about the latest trends. This Queen of Cool, though, is starting to figure out that there's a lot more to being cool than fashion-slave t-shirts and wearing pencils taped to your jeans.

Minimalist writing, where the change in the main character comes slowly over pages of sparse, carefully chosen words, isn't something you see a lot of in teen literature. Let's hope THE QUEEN OF COOL changes some of that. On the surface, this is an easy read that you might dismiss as being "for younger kids." Once you start reading, though, you'll fill in the spaces between the words and maybe even change a few of your own thoughts on what makes for cool.

--- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

When IT girl Libby Brin changes her formula for cool, taking time away from her A-List friends to do an internship at the zoo with Those Most Likely To Wear An L On Their Foreheads, she takes her first step toward being not just cool on the outdide, but cool on the inside as well, the kind of cool that readers really respect. The Queen of Cool is one of my favorite YAs thus far this year and its reversal of expectations is the perfect anecdote for those readers fatugued with the materialism of the Gossip Girls or even those simply looking for something fun but with depth.

Dudes, this is a great book. It's a book that makes you want to be a better person--while at the same time making your snicker and sniffle and giggle. This Cecil chick knows how to write!!!

It also makes you want better toes. Or at least better toe art. Are there crown decals at my local Rite-Aid? No, there are not! I WANT CROWN DECALS FOR MY TOES!!!! :)

Libby Brin is the popular girl. She has the right friends, the right clothes, and goes to all the right parties. Where she leads, the school follows, from "pencil day" to "funny walk day." But she's hiding a deep, dark secret. She's bored. No matter what she does, she doesn't feel alive. Which might explain the temporary insanity that causes her to sign up for an internship...at the zoo. When she's assigned to a team with two of the biggest losers in school she worries that her life as the Queen of Cool might be over.

In this light-hearted and funny novel, Castelluci explores typical teenage themes--finding yourself, and discovering what true friendship means--in her usual frank and honest style. Her prose is sparse, with no extra words or long descriptions, and short chapters make for a quick read. She unflinchingly portrays the reality of teenage life, from drinking at parties, to making out with boys, with a non-judgemental attitude that lets the reader draw their own conclusions about Libby's actions. Readers will be able to relate to Libby's struggles to feel like she belongs as she's changing and learning new things about herself, and growing away from friends she's had her whole life.

Recommended, especially for older, reluctant teen readers.

Reviewed by: Dena Landon

Libby's just cruising along with the world, coasting, hanging on to coolness because she can and because it's easy. She's casually with the cool guys because she can have them, drinking because that's what you do when you're cool, ranking on the less cool because it keeps the social order.
But then Libby grows tired of it all. She considers that her life might be more real if she stops worrying so much about how cool she is. When she joins a group of students volunteering at the zoo, she discovers how great it is to be true to herself without worrying about what the cool group thinks. She likes the feel but knows what it means. Will she have to give up her title as queen of cool?

OMG its so funny!!! I started laughing so much!!! And im only on chapter 17.... this author really knows how to make a person laugh!!! I'm soooo gonna tell my friends about this book and tell them to read it!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 !!!!!!!!!!!

Meet Libby Brin. She has everything - she in the 'IN' crowd at school, she has academic success without even really trying. She has friends, and status and clothes, and yet she realizes she is bored out of her skull. Her life seems to be perfect but inside she is screaming. Then in a moment of personal insanity she signs up for an internship at the Los Angeles Zoo. She gets paired with Tina (aka Tiny), a little person, and Sheldon the school geek. Each day her life seems to be getting less and less satisfying. The only thing she is really enjoying is her job at the Zoo, but her clique mocks it and keeps pressuring her to quit.

This second book in Cecil Castellucci's LA Trilogy is a lot about relationships, a little about science, and about what is true friendship. It follows Boy Proof and is followed by Beige. Well-written and entertaining, this book will transport you back to high school and maybe help you to challenge your underlying thinking and approach to life. Castelluci has a flowing style of writing; she captures the nuances of a person who is learning to be, or learning to be good at being. I know that her books are among those I will read again and again.

This book has been sitting on my shelf since 2006 - and I'm not even sure where I got it from. It is slim book and I totally forgot about it even being on the bookshelf until I was going through books to take with me when I move downstate. I found this one right next to Boy Proof, Castellucci's first novel, and was intrigued by the summary on the book. It helped that this book is pretty short, but I completely devoured this book. I had forgotten how much I loved Castellucci's writing and story telling!

Libby, as expected, was a snobby rich girl at the beginning of the novel. Despite that, I found that there was something I liked about her. I think everyone can relate in a least a small part to the feelings Libby has about the monotony of the same friends and meaningless activities day after day. It really is Libby's transformations and the lessons she learns that make the book though.

I really enjoyed many of the minor characters in the book, including Tina, Sheldon, and Sid. I wish that there was continuation of this book just so that I wouldn't have to give these amazing characters up! Tina was one of the most inspiring characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading - she was so strong and confident in herself despite overwhelming adversity and judgement!

I thought the zoo internship was an interesting idea. Having Libby become a better observer and a hard worker played a big role in her changes throughout the book. Plus, zoos are awesome!

Queen of Cool is a light, cheerful, quick read that will mostly appeal to older teen girls. There is some language and sex, but certainly no more than on primetime TV (or in most teen's lives, for that matter).

Libby is a popular, trend-setting high school student who seems to have it all: shallow but available friends, pleasantly low-impact parents, money, a no-strings-attached relationship with a handsome boy, an active social life. Why, then, is she so unhappy? She just can't seem to shake that "is this all there is?" feeling.

Libby's ever-present ennui leads her to impulsively sign up for a school internship at the local zoo where she is paired with Tina (aka "Tiny"), a dwarf schoolmate, and Sheldon, a brilliant but socially and fashionably challenged science nerd. At first Libby glides along, letting Tina and Sheldon do all the work, but gradually she comes to like her new job. Peer pressure, of course, leads Libby to make a decision that has unfortunate impact on her relationship with her new friends, and with her employers at the zoo. Will she be able to redeem herself? Will there be a happy ending? Yes, of course, there will-- this is light and frothy fiction--everything always works out in the end. The point of this kind of novel isn't to surprise, or shock, or provide a trick ending. The journey is what's important.

In Queen of Cool, the journey is a satisfying one. Libby, initially a shallow and irritating person, becomes likable. The supporting cast does its job--the popular kids are delightfully loath-able, and the nerdy kids are quirky but fun. There is plenty of sometimes very witty humor, and Libby (and perhaps the reader) learns a lesson, almost in spite of herself.

Queen of Cool is a literary lightweight, but I liked it because I think that it depicts the inner-life of a teenage girl very well. Recently there has been much talk about "trashy" YA novels aimed at girls that are full of sex, and language, and alcohol, and drugs without any redeeming value (the Gossip Girls series being a case in point). It is my opinion--humble though it is--that teens, like adults, would rather read books that are realistic and believable than those that are not. And that's what we want, isn't it? For them to read the books.

THE QUEEN OF COOL is a short, fast read about Libby, the coolest girl in school. But is Libby really too cool for school, or just bored with her friends and their pleasure-seeking lives? Her best friend is the school beauty, just coasting until her Hollywood producer father creates a reality show for her to star in. Her boyfriend is not so much a caring lover as he is someone to hook up with at parties. Her parents are well-meaning, but have problems of their own; when her father quits his job to return to his first love, playwrighting, it creates tension at home. Only Sid, an aspiring musician who is just barely cool enough to hang with Libby's gang, seems to think there is more to Libby than the social queen bee who comes up with "Wear Pencils on Your Clothes" day.

Feeling increasing out of sorts with her life, Libby finds herself signing up for an internship at the Los Angeles Zoo. Her friends pressure her to give it up because it means she will be less available for parties and hanging out, but Libby sticks to her whim. She is assigned to a group that includes Tina, a Little Person who also goes to her private high school, and Sheldon, a science geek with bad skin. At first Libby treats her teammates with disdain. But before too long, Libby discovers that she enjoys her work at the zoo, and comes to appreciate Tina and Sheldon - while seeing her old friends with a sharper, clearer eye.

As The Queen of Cool, Libby doesn't care about anyone or anything except herself. But the Intern Libby is learning to appreciate passion and the people who have it. Her two worlds can't remain separate for long, and Libby is faced with a choice: lose her social status or lose her internship. Will Libby appreciate her newly acquired sense of worth enough to make the right decision?

While THE QUEEN OF COOL is a slim book, the impact of Libby's story lingers. Author Castellucci is never preachy or condescending. Libby is a three-dimensional character who feels aching real. Highly recommended.