Bad Girls

Cynthia Voigt. Scholastic, 1997. ISBN: 978-0590601351

Plot Summary: Mikey and Margalo meet on the first day of 5th grade. They are both new to the school and uneasy about fitting into their new class. The seating is alphabetical which puts them together. They discover very quickly that while on the surface they appear very different, inside they both like being bad, although for different reasons. As a pair, they quickly put the rest of the class on alert. No-one knows what the pair will do next. Mikey likes to settle things physically, while Margalo schemes and manipulates. Together they become a force to be reckoned with as they slowly begin to trust each other and form a friendship.

Critical Evaluation: This would make a good read for tween girls. It deals with a lot of issues that are big for that age group such as fitting in, problems with teachers, and how to manage anger and hurt. The characters of the two girls makes for an interesting examination of the motivation behind "bad" behavior as they each have very different motivations. The book is well written and tackles difficult issues while still being accessible to a tween audience.

Reader's Annotation: Mikey and Margalo share more than the same initials, they share a love of causing trouble in their 5th grade classroom. No-one is a match for these two as between them they have brain and brawn.

About the Author: Cynthia Voigt is the author of numerous books for youth and young adults. She has won a number of awards and is recognized as a writer of quality youth fiction. Other works include: Homecoming, The Runner, Dicey's Song.
Genre: Humor, Fiction
Curriculum Ties: None
Booktalking: Focus on relationship between Margalo and Mikey, focus on pranks they pull in the classroom.
Interest Level: Ages 9-12
Challenge Issues: There is physical violence between students.
If reader's object, they can be directed to research the author or reviews of the book.
Selection Process: I read it for my author study.