What do you think?
Rate this book
Fabulous Five #2
The Trouble With Flirting
Melanie Edwards insists that she is not boy crazy, even though the rest of The Fabulous Five think otherwise. She just cannot resist trying out some flirting tips from a teen magazine on three different boys--her boyfriend from her old school, a boy from her new school, and a very cute eighth grader!
- GenresYoung AdultChildrens
118 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1988
1 person is currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Betsy Haynes
122 books109 followersABOUT ME
Maybe it's because my feisty grandma chased tarantulas around with a broom when we lived on an oil lease property when I was a baby that made me love danger and adventure. And maybe it was my father's spending nights as a trombonist with the bands of his day and his days spent drawing sketches that sparked my artistic side. Do you suppose that because my mother stood only four feet ten inches tall that I feel like a giant at five feet? And I'm sure my FBI (Full Blooded Italian) step-father, his seven brothers and sisters and their families are responsible for my LOVE of Italian food. That's who I am. Who are you?
My First Book, Peppy The Frog That I Wrote In The 2nd Grade
I'll always be a child at heart. Whenever I close my eyes, wonderful, funny, awful, embarrassing memories of middle school/junior high come flooding back to fill the pages of my contemporary novels. My childhood friendships and rivalries with old enemies all find their way into my books. I've even spied on my own kids for story ideas.
Unlike most kids who can't wait to grow up, I've gotten younger--at least my stories have. I've stepped into the world of 7 to 10 year olds.
I and my husband, Jim, live in Texas on Lake Lewisville north of Dallas. We are owned by our greyhound, Miller. Our favorite things to do are traveling the world and boating.
Maybe it's because my feisty grandma chased tarantulas around with a broom when we lived on an oil lease property when I was a baby that made me love danger and adventure. And maybe it was my father's spending nights as a trombonist with the bands of his day and his days spent drawing sketches that sparked my artistic side. Do you suppose that because my mother stood only four feet ten inches tall that I feel like a giant at five feet? And I'm sure my FBI (Full Blooded Italian) step-father, his seven brothers and sisters and their families are responsible for my LOVE of Italian food. That's who I am. Who are you?
My First Book, Peppy The Frog That I Wrote In The 2nd Grade
I'll always be a child at heart. Whenever I close my eyes, wonderful, funny, awful, embarrassing memories of middle school/junior high come flooding back to fill the pages of my contemporary novels. My childhood friendships and rivalries with old enemies all find their way into my books. I've even spied on my own kids for story ideas.
Unlike most kids who can't wait to grow up, I've gotten younger--at least my stories have. I've stepped into the world of 7 to 10 year olds.
I and my husband, Jim, live in Texas on Lake Lewisville north of Dallas. We are owned by our greyhound, Miller. Our favorite things to do are traveling the world and boating.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 3, 2021
"I have to make the cheerleading squad. I just have to. It could end my boy troubles forever and make all my dreams come true."
Hilarious, cheesy, and awkward as hell. A blast from the past that put me in a better mood.
Hilarious, cheesy, and awkward as hell. A blast from the past that put me in a better mood.
Read
July 29, 2020 As a kid every Saturday we went to Kmart, and every Saturday my mom would let me buy one thing, and it was ALWAYS a fabulous five book. (The cover looks like a spiral notebook cover... I thought that was very clever)
I also managed to track down all the Taffy Sinclair books at a thrift store.
I wonder if this series is still at my parents I would definitely read them again.
I remember in the Taffy books Melanie was chubby and it make references to her eating brownies and then one day she was like NO i don't want the brownie... and then she got skinny.
This is a very vague memory... so don't quote me on this one, what you CAN quote me on is that Taffy had a crooked bicuspid, and Jana ate cream cheese and jam sandwiches,... which I tried because of her and they were DIS-GUS-TING, and I never trusted her again.
I also managed to track down all the Taffy Sinclair books at a thrift store.
I wonder if this series is still at my parents I would definitely read them again.
I remember in the Taffy books Melanie was chubby and it make references to her eating brownies and then one day she was like NO i don't want the brownie... and then she got skinny.
This is a very vague memory... so don't quote me on this one, what you CAN quote me on is that Taffy had a crooked bicuspid, and Jana ate cream cheese and jam sandwiches,... which I tried because of her and they were DIS-GUS-TING, and I never trusted her again.
July 7, 2020
Oh yay, eleventy billion pages of empty-headed, boy-crazy twittery. 😐
April 15, 2018
The Trouble With Flirting
PLOT: Melanie has been dating Scott since the sixth grade, but then now she's beginning to notice Shane (one of the coolest boys in the seventh grade at Wakeman). And then she lays her eyes on Garrett Boldt (a photographer for the Wigwam). Despite Laura (whose throwing an all boy party and can't probably want to get her hands on all the Five's guys) and Taffy (whose also into Garrett) Melanie vows that no one is taking either one of her guys away from her.
CRITICISMS: No WAY this plot would have worked out this smoothly! Scott would not have been cool with letting one of the coolest boys in the school dance with the girl he'd been dating. Practically giving him permission. Garett probably would have liked Melanie but still been attracted to (and possibly tried to hook up with) Taffy on the side.
MY THOUGHTS: On the good side. These books really do make you think about middle school/high school and what it was like to have that cute guy you have your eye on and you've passed notes about wave at you, or speak to you, or offer to help you in class. And how you use to write their names over and over in your diary. And wanting to go out for the cheerleading squad (Been there). But on the critical side. Now even though guys do this kind of juggling act ALL the time I don't know how Melanie thinks she's going to date Scott, Shane, and Garett at the same time. Not to say there aren't some female's out there that can play just as hard as guys. But it's gonna be a little tricky when all her guys go to the SAME school. I could see if they all went to different ones. But then there still would be the challenge of running into one with you're with one of the others. Hmm. Not to mention the fact that she's in a relationship with Scott and she barely knows Shane or Garett she gets angry at the thought of someone (Laura) stealing them away from her. Which is unreal because neither Shane nor Garett are yours! So it really is kind of ridiculous to read about how she agonizes over all three like she has a personal claim on all of them. Honestly tho why would you want a guy that wasn't feeling you (Garett)? And Shane doesn't seem all that bright (He keeps forgetting her name). But still, she's determined. Yup Melanie is a true player. Play on Playette! But she needs some work on her game I think. Even though I have to give Melanie credit. Her plan of having all three guys in the same spot at the same time and trying to attract them all is BOLD! I couldn't do it. What's even more ridiculous is Laura's all boy party. Does she plan to just go through all of them, seduce them, and then have her way with them all? This doesn't even sound like a seventh-grade thing. I don't know adult women who would have a party with all men. Well, I could see the allure but… I just think this wrapped up way too easily.
RATE. I give this book a 7. Melanie truly did have some skills. She totally worked that injury to her advantage.
PLOT: Melanie has been dating Scott since the sixth grade, but then now she's beginning to notice Shane (one of the coolest boys in the seventh grade at Wakeman). And then she lays her eyes on Garrett Boldt (a photographer for the Wigwam). Despite Laura (whose throwing an all boy party and can't probably want to get her hands on all the Five's guys) and Taffy (whose also into Garrett) Melanie vows that no one is taking either one of her guys away from her.
CRITICISMS: No WAY this plot would have worked out this smoothly! Scott would not have been cool with letting one of the coolest boys in the school dance with the girl he'd been dating. Practically giving him permission. Garett probably would have liked Melanie but still been attracted to (and possibly tried to hook up with) Taffy on the side.
MY THOUGHTS: On the good side. These books really do make you think about middle school/high school and what it was like to have that cute guy you have your eye on and you've passed notes about wave at you, or speak to you, or offer to help you in class. And how you use to write their names over and over in your diary. And wanting to go out for the cheerleading squad (Been there). But on the critical side. Now even though guys do this kind of juggling act ALL the time I don't know how Melanie thinks she's going to date Scott, Shane, and Garett at the same time. Not to say there aren't some female's out there that can play just as hard as guys. But it's gonna be a little tricky when all her guys go to the SAME school. I could see if they all went to different ones. But then there still would be the challenge of running into one with you're with one of the others. Hmm. Not to mention the fact that she's in a relationship with Scott and she barely knows Shane or Garett she gets angry at the thought of someone (Laura) stealing them away from her. Which is unreal because neither Shane nor Garett are yours! So it really is kind of ridiculous to read about how she agonizes over all three like she has a personal claim on all of them. Honestly tho why would you want a guy that wasn't feeling you (Garett)? And Shane doesn't seem all that bright (He keeps forgetting her name). But still, she's determined. Yup Melanie is a true player. Play on Playette! But she needs some work on her game I think. Even though I have to give Melanie credit. Her plan of having all three guys in the same spot at the same time and trying to attract them all is BOLD! I couldn't do it. What's even more ridiculous is Laura's all boy party. Does she plan to just go through all of them, seduce them, and then have her way with them all? This doesn't even sound like a seventh-grade thing. I don't know adult women who would have a party with all men. Well, I could see the allure but… I just think this wrapped up way too easily.
RATE. I give this book a 7. Melanie truly did have some skills. She totally worked that injury to her advantage.
Read
July 21, 2016I read several Fabulous Fives growing up - they didn't stand out as too interesting and were a little over-dramatic, but they worked for my age group at the time. I liked the clique and the girls involved as they went through different situations at home, school, and together.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews