Vintage Veronica [Hardcover]

Erica S. Perl (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 9, 2010

Veronica Walsh is 15, fashion-minded, fat, and friendless. Her summer job in the Consignment Corner section (Employees Only!) of a vintage clothing store is a dream come true. There Veronica can spend her days separating the one-of-a-kind gem garments from the Dollar-a-Pound duds, without having to deal with people. But when two outrageous yet charismatic salesgirls befriend her and urge her to spy on and follow the mysterious and awkward stock boy Veronica has nicknamed the Nail, Veronica’s summer takes a turn for the weird. Suddenly, what began as a prank turns into something else entirely. Which means Veronica may have to come out of hiding and follow something even riskier for the first time: her heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Almost 16, Veronica has lied about her age to get a job at the largest used-clothing store in the Northeast (“The Original Dollar-a-Pound!”). Veronica separates the wheat from the chaff, marking the true vintage for the “Real Deal” floor. Despite her weight, Veronica has an eye for fashion, which manifests itself in crinolines and bowling shirts (together) and sketching. She catches the eye of several of her coworkers, including mean girls Zoe and Ginger and a thin, twitchy guy she thinks of as the Nail. In her first novel, Perl masterfully sets her scene. The store, with its giant chute dumping clothes into “the pile” for the customers (aka “the pickers”), is almost a character in itself. But the author is also quite adept at writing people, especially the reptile-loving Nail, whose rejections and longings match Veronica’s. With her pigtails, bulk, and hybrid outfits, it’s hard to envision Veronica as the fashion icon others admire. But her story is filled with emotions (and language!) that are both earthy and real, and a romance that’s as complicated as it is sweet. Grades 9-12. --Ilene Cooper

Review

Review, School Library Journal, February 2010:
"The protagonist is a self-described “fat girl” who is not obsessed with losing weight–a much-needed character in young adult fiction. An enjoyable read filled with quirky characters."

Review, Booklist, February 2010:
"In her first novel, Perl masterfully sets her scene."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (March 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375859233
• ISBN-13: 978-0375859236
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,102,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Erica S. Perl is an award winning children's book author. Her new middle grade novel, When Life Gives You O.J., is a "warm novel about family, friendship, and fitting in that offers a refreshing take on the grandparent-grandchild rapport and strikes an admirable balance of humor and pathos--at times in the same scene." (Publishers Weekly).

Erica is the author of Dotty (illustrated by Julia Denos), which is perfect for back-to-school and has been called "a charmer" (Kirkus Reviews) and "an unadulterated delight" (Publishers Weekly). She is also the author of Chicken Butt! (now available in plush from Merrymakers!), Chicken Butt's Back!, Ninety-three In My Family and Chicken Bedtime is Really Early.

In addition, Erica is the author of the YA novel, Vintage Veronica. Publishers Weekly calls Vintage Veronica "wonderfully fun." Booklist says Erica "masterfully" creates "earthy and real" emotional lives for her characters, building "a romance that's as complicated as it is sweet," and School Library Journal cheers Veronica as "a much needed character in young adult fiction."

When she is not writing, Erica likes to sing, dance, draw, read, and eat stale red licorice. She loves animals and kids and is wonderful with them, but she is terrible with plants. Seriously - ask any plant.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful novel filled with quirky characters! May 14, 2010

By Sara VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

When I first read the plot summary for VINTAGE VERONICA, I classified it as a cute and didn't really expect it to have any depth, but that first impression was entirely off! Erica Perl has written a novel full of quirky characters that captured my heart and has managed to tell a story that the Veronica in all of us can relate to.

The setting and characters of VV were colorful and utterly unforgettable. The only way that I can really describe the feel of the book as is off beat. The easiest way I can describe the novel is by referencing Ellen Page films, like JUNO and WHIP IT. The characters in those films are quirky and seem to stick in your mind as if held there by superglue. Veronica is the star of the novel, but I was most drawn to Len, the mysterious and awkward stock boy. He is so much more than what he seems when the reader is briefly introduced to him at the beginning of the novel. I loved discovering the magic of Len as Veronica spends more time with him. I really liked that he isn't the normal heartthrob character or the tortured bad boy; he's just Len - and that's all he needs to be.

Given that I adore Len, it is understandable that I'm a fan of the romance between him and Veronica. However, it wasn't simply my feelings about Len's character that pulled me into their love story, it was the truthfulness. Len and Veronica's relationship is not perfect, but it is awkward, painful, and so, so tender. There are some romances that take you by storm and you are so totally enraptured in one another that there really isn't very much awkwardness. This is not the case in VV, partly because Veronica tries so hard to keep a cool head about the whole situation and doesn't allow herself to be overwhelmed by her feelings, in the beginning at least. And when one overanalyzes as much as Veronica, there is always going to be some uncomfortable moments. I think that in real life, people generally fit into that second category, so I found this love story particularly touching.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars pitch perfect voices March 22, 2010

By J. Chessen

Format:Hardcover

I related to this first novel by Erica Perl in so many ways. The lonely "fat girl" told the story from her point of view but Perl has an amazing ability to use Veronica's voice to describe the mean girls, "geeky" boys and struggling parents in a way that makes us relate to all of them - and understand why they act the way they do. Veronica's voice was pitch perfect - lonely but strong and I fell in love with her character almost immediately. Her first true love affair with the "Nail" was sweet and innocent and real. There are no stereotypes in this book - everyone will surprise you.

It is very difficult to believe that this is Perl's debut novel. I also think a mature fifth grader could read this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise! June 18, 2010

By Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

Format:Hardcover

Don't you just love it when a book surprises you in such a way that it blows you away? I know I do, so I was so glad when I discovered this was the case for Vintage Veronica, Erica S. Perl's debut YA novel.

Vintage Veronica has a lot going for it, in my opinion, since it contains funny, adorable, and relatable main characters, a setting that's catchy, leaving it to be a place that not only Erica brought to life with her writing but one I would love to visit if was real, and a plot that ended up surprising me in more than one aspect, a trait I wasn't expecting to find in this.

I've read in other reviews that some found Veronica hard to relate to, but I found it to be the opposite case between me and her, since I felt that her issues were universal. Because who hasn't felt a lack of trust towards others? Or have been hurt badly with past friendships? Or felt they can never live up to the mold their parent(s) want them to fit? I know I can relate to a least one of those, and I have feeling many others can as well. Further more, her relationship with Len, called Dead Boy Walking or The Nail, was something I really enjoyed about Vintage Veronica. Since not only was it another one of those cutesy type romances but he, along with Bill (a character who surprised me), taught her some valuable life lessons, one's that she truly needed to hear. Lastily, I liked how her friendships with the floorines, Ginger and Zoe, explored toxic friendships and how even while you may think someone may be perfect, in all truth, they probably aren't, far from it actually.

The plot of this was fun as well. I always adored seeing the bits and bolts of how a vintage clothing store runs and the crazy world that ensues inside of it all, along with Veronica's friendship/romantic relationship with the infamous Len. Also, as I've mentioned before, the setting of this one was nearly my favorite part of the book, and I have to say I'm majorly impressed of Erica for being able to describe and pull it off so efficiently.

Though I did have a couple problem with Vintage Veronica. One was the constant use of the f world, among other words in that genre. For the most part, I have no problem with swearing in YA books if it's done tastefully and doesn't feel awkward, but for this one it felt out of place to the point were I always winced when the f-bomb was dropped. Also, I felt the ending of this book was a wrapped up a little too quickly and nicely. But overall? Not the biggest of problems.

In all, Vintage Veronica proves to be a load of fun with some substance mixed in as well. So my suggestion to all of my readers out there? Read it because I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did!

Grade: A-