A dyslexic bookworm joins her school’s cheerleading squad to investigate her sister’s strange behavior in this insightful and sharp middle grade novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
Seventh grader Bag loves to read. It doesn’t come easy to her, thanks to her dyslexia, but she’s determined, and she spends every afternoon after school at the library. It’s a ritual she refuses to miss.
Then a new career opportunity for her mother means Bag will no longer have a ride to her cherished library. Instead, Bag will have to wait for a ride at school. With her sister, Minerva. At cheerleading practice.
Bag is uncoordinated and completely uninterested in school spirit. But she is curious about what her sister has been hiding. Minerva has been acting stranger than usual, and Bag has been noticing. So while cheerleading practice may be the last place Bag wants to be, she’s going to use her time wisely and get to the bottom of Minerva’s secrets.---from the publisher
288 pages 978-1665955270 Ages 10-13
Keywords: coming of age, sisters, dyslexia, reading, cheerleader, secrets, understanding others, sisterhood, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, 13 year old
******
Seventh grader Bag does not fit in. Her popular cheerleader sister Minerva who used to be a fun sister has never been more distant, and Bag knows she's hiding a secret. Minerva is downright rude, bratty and AWFUL, calling attention to Bag in front of the entire cheer squad.
Worse, their mother has just landed a part in an off, off, off Broadway play and can no longer give Bag a ride to the library after school. She tells Bag to wait at cheer practice with Minerva to be picked up.
This is the last thing either sister wants. Minerva's absences while the squad is warming up, concerns Bag. She asks the sponsor, Mrs. Yoh, where her sister is, and learns Minerva is "writing cheers." Curious, Bag goes in search of Minerva.
She spots her with another cheerleader near the dumpsters which is very mysterious and secretive. Determined, Bag sets out to find just what her sister is up to. Meanwhile, things between their parents are broken as Dad has moved out and seems in a "bad" place.
Bag wants to turn to her Bff Ridgeey but he, too, seems distant.
Bad Cheerleader is a quick read. The characters are almost believable except Bag seems too naive for a seventh grader. She seems more like grade three or four. She has zero knowledge about smoking and marijuana. Even the most sheltered child has some knowledge from tv or the internet.
Grades 5 and up.
Recommended by: Pamela Thompson, Librarian Blogger, Florida USA
See more of her recommendations:
http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/
