Livin' Large! (The Cheetah Girls, Vol. 1-4) by Deborah Gregory

by Deborah Gregory

The Cheetah Girls are starring in a movie of their own on the Disney Channel in 2003. They're spicier than hot sauce and as cool as iced cappuccino. They outshine any diamond with their supa-dupa inner sparkle! Now see how it all began in the first books of the series starring Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda, Anginette, and Aquanette. Each bind-up features four Cheetah-licious tales about girls having guts, brains, courage, and friends (while flashin' some style and always shining from the heart).

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Media Tie In, Humor

Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first four books in The Cheetah Girls series. Now I watched the movie made by Disney Chanel before I read the books and I must say I am very disappointed with Disney. They changed so much it's not even funny. So yes I definitely thought the books were better, even if I have the soundtrack to the first two movies.

[Jazmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda, and twins; Aquanette and Anginette form a singing group called the Cheetah Girls and are on their quest to the “jiggy jungle,” a magical place where dreams really do come true and every cheetah has their time to shine. They come from different backgrounds, but it’s what’s in their heart that makes them a Cheetah Girl. The Cheetah Girls face many “hyenas” (obstacles) on their journey to stardom such as a sneaky manager, a loss at the Apollo Amateur Hour Contest, delayed flight, overused credit card, strange “spells and witchcraft”, and more. In the end, however, they head off to Hollywood for a talent showcase after they please a big time singer, Kahlua.
I was engrossed completely in the compelling tale of the Cheetah Girls. I kept wondering if this was based off of a real girl group’s rise to fame. Their lingo was unique and fun, and thankfully they had a glossary after each book. I also liked how they included the song lyrics after each book, too. I thought it was a creative choice to make each story from a different Cheetah Girl’s point of view because then you could learn more about them as the author fully developed the character. It had lovely imagery and sensory details. The tale was very realistic and inspirational.

[Ginnielee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read the first one but I couldn't find it. These books were horrible. Even as a little girl I knew bad writing when I saw it.

[Bria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was a good book. The only thing I didn't like about it is that I wanted it to be just like the movies were; I didn't really want it to be completely different. I still don't understand why there is a fifth girl in the book but not in the movie... Other than that I thought that it was a good book. I especially like that throughout the books, there was a glossary that explained the random words they used and that they had the lyrics to the songs they sang in the book (which are completely different than the songs in the movie.)

[Amory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute young adult book collection. I would recommend it to tweens/young teens who enjoyed The Cheetah Girls movie, or who just generally enjoy the style of Disney Channel original movies. I do like that the collection contains one book from each girl's point of view (with the exception of the twins, who share a book). However, some of the characters have more of an annoying narration style than others.

[Carmen B.]

This book was very boring. It had a slow start to the book and it didn't catch my attention. Also the author used words like 'peeps', 'yo', and 'holler' which made me confused because those words were used in the early 2000's but now it's 2016.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were significantly better than I was expecting. I'll echo another review here by saying I was unsure when reading through the first book, as the tween "growl power" voice can definitely be a bit grating, but by the second book, everything was so incredibly over the top that I was constantly sharing plot points and sentences with friends. Absolutely gonna read the others.

[Amelia Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Dorinda is the best. ✌🏻

[Shannon Mulholland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of this book is dramatic, but somehow it all worked together. I enjoyed the lingo they used in the book because it flowed really well.

[Rena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this movie as a kid. I realize this book is geared toward kids, but it kinda fell short of what I was expecting.

[Brandon Session · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually have the book, but never finished reading it

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago, but I loved every second of it. I was a HUGE Cheetah Girls fan as a kid, so OF COURSE I had to read this book. It is a heartfelt story of friendship among four girls who have the same dream of making it big in the music business and the obstacles along the way.

[Emerson School Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I booktalked this to my third graders today as they prepared to start finding books for their African-American author reports. (I talked about it right after showcasing Andrea Davis Pinkney's inspiring Let It Shine Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, since she was the one who got this book published! What a hilarious juxtaposition that was.) I'm copying my earlier review in italics below.

Um, I kind of loved it?

I spent most of this book alternately amused and horrified. I'd picked it up for a few reasons. First, I knew from The Brown Bookshelf that Andrea Davis Pinkney picked it up at Jump At The Sun, and that intrigued me. Second, the cover is hot pink and glittery... which leads to: Third, I knew some of my reluctant girl readers might go nuts for it, especially with the Disney tie-in that they already love, and I wanted them to be able to read something fun and playful starring tween girls of color. Finally, I came across all the books were on remainder for $4.98 at my local indie bookstore.

Pros: often hilarious, full of puns, size-positive (for real!!), with some good life lessons and a racially and culturally diverse set of characters.

Cons: shamelessly materialistic, flat characters. Now that it's a series, it's almost like a huge commercial for Disney in the library... though to be fair, that was not the case when these were written. Pretty darn trashy. Also, it took me 100 pages to get past the incessant cutesy rhyming. GAG.

More pros: by the second book, I was much more entertained than annoyed. I kept reading passages out loud to my partner because I was giggling so much. It's so over-the-top that it became loveable. The closest comparison I can think of is the movie Clueless. It really has much more of a Clueless vibe than a trashy urban fiction vibe. And did I mention size-positive? Seriously. Rare.

Twelve hours and 400 pages later, I brought the second (400 page) book in from the car, just in case.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um, I kind of loved it?

I spent most of this book alternately amused and horrified. I'd picked it up for a few reasons. First, I knew from The Brown Bookshelf that Andrea Davis Pinkney picked it up at Jump At The Sun, and that intrigued me. Second, the cover is hot pink and glittery... which leads to: Third, I knew some of my reluctant girl readers might go nuts for it, especially with the Disney tie-in that they already love, and I wanted them to be able to read something fun and playful starring tween girls of color. Finally, I came across all the books were on remainder for $4.98 at my local indie bookstore.

Pros: often hilarious, full of puns, size-positive (for real!!), with some good life lessons and a racially and culturally diverse set of characters.

Cons: shamelessly materialistic, flat characters. Now that it's a series, it's almost like a huge commercial for Disney in the library... though to be fair, that was not the case when these were written. Pretty darn trashy. Also, it took me 100 pages to get past the incessant cutesy rhyming. GAG.

More pros: by the second book, I was much more entertained than annoyed. I kept reading passages out loud to my partner because I was giggling so much. It's so over-the-top that it became loveable. The closest comparison I can think of is the movie Clueless. It really has much more of a Clueless vibe than a trashy urban fiction vibe. And did I mention size-positive? Seriously. Rare.

Twelve hours and 400 pages later, I brought the second (400 page) book in from the car, just in case.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I worked night shift and was allowed to read on breaks and slow nights.... well, I had a super slow night and I finished the book I took with me yet, still had hours to go on my shift so I grabbed this from the cottage bookshelf. And I wished I hadn't very soon after cracking the cover. The writing... if I may even call it that was terrible. I was not a kid when I was reading this, but I was barely own enough to drink either and the "slang" was just to much. To me, the author was trying too hard. Even the young girls at the center that I worked were disgusted by it. It was beyond a puff-piece of crap... I never finished the first book in it before I just sat staring at a wall til my shift was over.

[Abby Allan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but I feel like it was missing something. The fact that there are 4 books in one makes me upset because it had so much opportunity. When you finish a book you (usually) are really happy because of the ending, but this was the opposite. I was happy when it ended because it was boring! If someone brought this book to me and said "Should I read this book?" I would say "don't waste your time.

[Masey Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cheetah girls the author is Deborah Gregory. The genre is nonfiction.The story is about 4 girls who love to sing and try to fit in, but they try different clubs to fit in so they made up their own club named The Cheetah girls. The reason why I rated this book 5 stars is because it was kinda like the movie I saw of the Bratz and it reminded me of them. The characters acted just the same as they did in The Cheetah Girls. What happens in the story, they become known as the Bratz and they become very popular girls because of their singing talents and also their style.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the Cheetah Girls different perspective and what they think. They have struggles in there lives and sometimes they are just happy on what they are doing. They tell what they are doing in school, what there family is like, and how the get along.

(For girls I think you will be interested, as for boys not so interested.)

[Cierra Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about hey they had dreams of becoming famous.But,they didnt know where to start so they turned to Galleria mother for help.

[Bree:] · Rating 1 out of 5]

again

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a very good book. It talks about girls wanting to become stars and trying to reach their dreams.

[Mckensie · Rating 4 out of 5]

its good. i really liked it

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good! But gosh, they changed a lot of stuff for the movie.

[Parmeet]

COOL

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book looks really dumb but I'm reading it anyways.

After reading

It definitely is dumb.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really liked it. It was better than the movie.

[laysia!!!!]

this book is fun my and i love the cheetah girls this book shows that no matter what comes between them they will still stick together

[Janet]

Very good. I think the books are more interesting than the cut out movies.

[London Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

[Sieara DeLone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it when I was little. But it was very entertaining. Kept my attention.