Seventeen-year-oldChristinekeepsajournalofaneventfulyearinherlifeinmid-90s,whilejugglingtroubledfriendshipsandlookingforlove.It’sJanuary1,1996,andhighschooljuniorChristinewantsmorethananythingtobethatcoolgirleveryonenotices,likehergorgeousbestfriend,Landry.SheusuallyhatesNewYear’sresolutions,butthisyearshevowstobethatshinykindofgirl--andrecorditallinherdiarythroughprose,illustration,andcomics.WhenLandrydropsher,Christineissurprisedtodiscoverjusthowmuchshedoesn’tmissherandherdrama.Butamisguidedkisswithfilm-obsessedPaul,heronlyotherclosefriend,alsocausesarift,andshefindsherselffacingalong,lonelysummer.Withnothingtolose,Christinefindsanewsenseofcourage.Shegetsajobatherneighborhoodvideostore,experimentswithherart,andbecomesromanticallyentangledwithhernext-doorneighborWhit,who’seitherthecoolestguyeveroratotaljerk.Inspiteofallthis,shedoesn’tquitefeelshiny--untilashockingbetrayalshowsherthevalueofthewordsanddrawingsshehidesinherdiary,andshefinallyunderstandsthatshedoesn’tneedtobecooltobenoticed--sheonlyneedstobeherself.Eisner-awardwinningauthorandillustrator,HopeLarson,hascreatedapowerfulcoming-of-agestorysetinatimebeforetheInternetthatexploresthemesofbetrayal,firstlove,self-expression,andthepowerofart.AJuniorLibraryGuildGoldStandardSelection
illustration 1996 90S EXPRESSION ILLUSTRATION WAY YEAR
