cover image Stella: On the Edge of Popularity

Stella: On the Edge of Popularity

Lauren Lee. Polychrome Publishing Corporation, $10.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-879965-08-9

Promoting tolerance through literature may be a worthy goal, but this uninspired first novel falls severely short. Stella Kim, a studious seventh grader, lives with her family in a Chicago suburb. She courts popularity by obliging cruel, inexplicably influential Eileen--wearing what Eileen tells her to, helping Eileen with homework and coaching her for the school's all-important spelling bee. Racist comments and taunts from Eileen and others have made Stella ashamed of her Korean heritage. Rachel, who is Jewish, easily recognizes Eileen's blatant insincerity, but Stella, fearful of losing her tenuous place with the in group, rebuffs Rachel's overtures. There are few surprises here, and the climactic spelling bee simply becomes embarrassing for the reader when Stella wins a round by spelling camaraderie ``cameraderie'' (``Was the root word camera?'') and another contest word is given as ``immaleable.'' Ages 8-up. (May)