The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door
Before, Celia had a friend. She had parents living together in the same house. She had not yet been publicly humiliated by vacuous Sandy Firestone. By the time she turns 14, however, her friend is gone, her parents are on a “trial separation,” and the terrible memory of Sandy’s prank burns in Celia’s heart. Her transformation into an angry, vengeful spirit is complete by the time she walks through the doors of Hershey High School, but her gloom is unexpectedly disrupted by the surprising friendship of Drake, a gorgeous new student. Celia is smitten, and the teens grow close enough for Drake to reveal his biggest secret, which breaks Celia’s heart. Increasingly, her poems are her solace, and Celia’s true vitality emerges in her love of language. Suggest this to fans of David Levithan’s and A. S. King’s books, as well as all teens who feel outside the frenzy of high-school social life. Grades 8-10, --Diane Colson