Art Geeks and Prom Queens » (First Edition)

ALYSON NOËL lives in Laguna Beach, California. Blue Moon is her eighth young adult novel.

Dorks, dweebs, prom queens, and jocks—Alyson Noel's second book is a funny, fast-paced, and realistic teen novel that explores the social jungle of one Southern Californian highschool.

Judy DaPolito - Children's Literature

When Rio Jones's wealthy family moves from New York City to southern California in the middle of her junior year, Rio is worried. She saw herself as an unattractive geek in her old school, but she was happy with her friends Paige and Hud. The first day at her new school brings her up against Kristi, a petite, beautiful cheerleader who is also the class bully. In AP Art, she meets Mason and Jas, who befriend her but also cause her to get a week's detention for leaving campus at lunchtime. When Rio later comes to school in the trendy clothes her mother convinces her to wear, Kristi decides to bring her into her circle as long as she agrees to reject Mason and Jas. Feeling that it is her first chance to be popular, she goes along with Kristi although she has a crush on Jas. Her mother, a former model, encourages her friendship with Kristi, not knowing that the association will teach Rio to drink till she gets sick, use cocaine, mistreat less popular people, and go farther sexually than she really wants to. After she talks back to Kristi at a party, Kristi destroys her reputation at school and turns her into an outcast. Finally, she tells her mother everything that has been going on. The next day at school she stands up to Kristi publicly and renews her friendship with Mason. At the end, Jas asks her to be his girlfriend. Both Rio's passive descent and her active reformation seem far too easy. Although she sheds a lot of tears, her conversion is not convincing and no long-lasting negative consequences result from her behavior. 2005, Griffin/St.Martin's, Ages 12 up.