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Claudia Cristina Cortez
Whatever!: The Complicated Life of Claudia Cristina Cortez
Claudia, Becca, and Monica have their own club--the Whatever Club. What are they supposed to do when Claudia’s friend Adam wants to join? He doesn’t play by the club’s rules, and he’s making the Whatever Club miserable. But Claudia doesn’t want to lose one of her best friends.
88 pages, Library Binding
First published August 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Diana G. Gallagher
157 books54 followersDiana G. Gallagher was an American author who wrote books for children and young adults. She also wrote the space opera The Alien Dark (1990), but was best known for her tie-in work for television properties including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Star Trek and The Secret World of Alex Mack, among others.
She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke.
Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990).
Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.
She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke.
Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990).
Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 1, 2011
Whitney Gibson
November 2011
Whatever!
By Diana G. Gallagher
The main character in this book is Claudia. She practically saves the day in this story. Everyone loves her and she is not the popular girl in school. However, everyone sees her as a trustworthy friend. She goes to Pine Grove Middle School and she loves her two best friends, Monica and Becca. Claudia is thirteen years old and she is in seventh grade. Middle school is not what she thought it would be like because she was all up in the clouds. She needs to wake up and stop dreaming. that’s why her and her two best friends have created the Whatever club.
The antagonist of this novel is Anna. She is the popular girl in school, but also the meanest. She is so popular, even the jocks and cheerleaders look up to her. Trust me, you do not want to be friends with this witch. This queen bee is the only one in charge and if you don’t think so, you will regret it. She has also created a club just like Claudia’s, except hers is called the Glory Girls. They sit at the same place everyday and all they do is gossip. Anna and her two friends are the first initial members of the club. But then they decided to let the athletes and other cool kids join.
The main problem of the story is that Monica is in love with Tommy and Anna does not know that. But after everything she’s always observing with those two, She’s planning to start a rumor about those two. Well now that the rumor has spread to just about half of the school in the last thirty minutes. Everyone is looking at them differently. No body wants to talk to them. Anna already gave Claudia a clue that she was going to start the rumor. now she has a pretty good feeling that it’s out. at the next Whatever club meeting, she finally tells Monica the rumor. Bout that’s when she told them that she really liked him. No one at the school told Tommy what was going on because they all assumed that he knew. So sooner or later, they are going to have to tell him the truth anyway because the truth always comes out, even when you don’t know it.
The other main problem in the story is that the Whatever club has decided to let Adam join. Monica was excited, but the other girls were’nt so sure about him so they gave him a trial date. Depending on how he feels about the club, would determine wether he joins or not. Also depending on how the other members feel. But they didn’t tell him that. Therefore, the protagonist is still Claudia but the antagonist is a different character. It’s Claudia’s best friend Adam. This all Started because Adam asked Claudia if she wanted to hang out with him after school. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. So she told him that she was busy. After school was over, Adam went to Claudia’s house and saw that she was with Monica and Becca. He became infuriated because he thought that Claudia was avoiding him. Claudia told him the truth and it was that they were having their Whatever club meeting. After a few weeks of being into the club, Adam has not been acting fair and the girls don’t like it at all. So now Adam took himself out of the group.
I believe that the universal theme of the novel is that you can’t let the little stuff get to you because it will just fustrate you even more. For instance, the rumor about tommy and Monica liking each other was going around. Monica told Tommy the truth and now everything is all good. The whole rumor that was spread around the whole school by Anna is now over. Secondly, Adam realized that he was wrong. Now everything is back to normal. The damage on Claudia’s part was hard because she had to try to keep everyone happy. She can’t do it all at the same time. Trying to prove to Adam that they are still best friends. Making sure that Monica and Becca are okay and she is very sorry for blowing them off. But she also has to babysit her evil, annoying, and malicious neighbor Nick and worst of all, she has to make sure that the Whatever club stays together.
The setting takes place in many different places. But it mostly takes place in school, at the cafeteria, during lunch time. Also, at the Whatever club treehouse. Ocassionally, they change up for their meetings. Mostly, it depends on what they are discussing. They wait for each other after school to discuss where they will hold the meeting. If not, then they will talk to see where they will meet when school is finished.
In the beginning of the book, the author introduces the characters and the first problem. In a way, Anna and Claudia are battling each other. Anna as the popular girl, really despises Claudia for no reason. Well actually, She hates everyone for no reason. Anna is just mean because she rules the school. Claudia is a nobody in Anna’s eyes. But everyone else thinks she is an amazing friend.
The middle of the story has a whole lot of drama. This is when the whole rumor about Tommy and Monica spreads. Eventually, Monica told Tommy and everything was cool. Plus, this is also when Adam feels abandoned by Claudia and wants to join the club. Things were cool at first. But then Adam was being totally selfish. Claudia did not want to disappoint Adam. But she did not want to forget Monica and Becca. But she spent more time with Adam and things got way out of hand. Therefore, it led to Adam leaving the club by choice.
At the end of the story, everyone became friends. Things worked itself out. Adam, Monica, Tommy, Becca, and Claudia are still friends. Becca and Tommy are officially a couple. Anna is still a mean nasty ogre. But no one really cares about her. Looks like claudia has stopped daydreaming about middle school. Which is actually really good because then she would wake up to a rude awakening.
The major turning point in the story is when Claudia and Adam made up again. Except more people started becoming friends with Claudia. So it’s almost like she is the popular girl now. The athletes left Anna, except for the three initial members of the Glory Girls. Now everything has backfired on Anna because she went from dreul to cool and now Claudia has gone from dreul to cool. Anna is getting exactly what she deserves. If I were Claudia, I would take chance I could of making Anna’s life miserable. But at the same time, it is also kind of sad to see her suffer, so I wouldn’t torture her that much.
The problems being resolved in the story never really needed strategy. I guess everything happened own its own. Claudia is now popular, but she does not take it for granted like Anna did. She is fair, loving, considerate of other people’ feelings, and she tries to do the right thing. Anna is a nobody in everyone else’ eyes, but not Claudia. Claudia just thinks she is a normal person. Everybody who were apart of the
Glory Girls are now trying to join the Whatever Club because they think its awesome. However, Claudia needs to let people know that we all can’t fit in. Be yourself!
November 2011
Whatever!
By Diana G. Gallagher
The main character in this book is Claudia. She practically saves the day in this story. Everyone loves her and she is not the popular girl in school. However, everyone sees her as a trustworthy friend. She goes to Pine Grove Middle School and she loves her two best friends, Monica and Becca. Claudia is thirteen years old and she is in seventh grade. Middle school is not what she thought it would be like because she was all up in the clouds. She needs to wake up and stop dreaming. that’s why her and her two best friends have created the Whatever club.
The antagonist of this novel is Anna. She is the popular girl in school, but also the meanest. She is so popular, even the jocks and cheerleaders look up to her. Trust me, you do not want to be friends with this witch. This queen bee is the only one in charge and if you don’t think so, you will regret it. She has also created a club just like Claudia’s, except hers is called the Glory Girls. They sit at the same place everyday and all they do is gossip. Anna and her two friends are the first initial members of the club. But then they decided to let the athletes and other cool kids join.
The main problem of the story is that Monica is in love with Tommy and Anna does not know that. But after everything she’s always observing with those two, She’s planning to start a rumor about those two. Well now that the rumor has spread to just about half of the school in the last thirty minutes. Everyone is looking at them differently. No body wants to talk to them. Anna already gave Claudia a clue that she was going to start the rumor. now she has a pretty good feeling that it’s out. at the next Whatever club meeting, she finally tells Monica the rumor. Bout that’s when she told them that she really liked him. No one at the school told Tommy what was going on because they all assumed that he knew. So sooner or later, they are going to have to tell him the truth anyway because the truth always comes out, even when you don’t know it.
The other main problem in the story is that the Whatever club has decided to let Adam join. Monica was excited, but the other girls were’nt so sure about him so they gave him a trial date. Depending on how he feels about the club, would determine wether he joins or not. Also depending on how the other members feel. But they didn’t tell him that. Therefore, the protagonist is still Claudia but the antagonist is a different character. It’s Claudia’s best friend Adam. This all Started because Adam asked Claudia if she wanted to hang out with him after school. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. So she told him that she was busy. After school was over, Adam went to Claudia’s house and saw that she was with Monica and Becca. He became infuriated because he thought that Claudia was avoiding him. Claudia told him the truth and it was that they were having their Whatever club meeting. After a few weeks of being into the club, Adam has not been acting fair and the girls don’t like it at all. So now Adam took himself out of the group.
I believe that the universal theme of the novel is that you can’t let the little stuff get to you because it will just fustrate you even more. For instance, the rumor about tommy and Monica liking each other was going around. Monica told Tommy the truth and now everything is all good. The whole rumor that was spread around the whole school by Anna is now over. Secondly, Adam realized that he was wrong. Now everything is back to normal. The damage on Claudia’s part was hard because she had to try to keep everyone happy. She can’t do it all at the same time. Trying to prove to Adam that they are still best friends. Making sure that Monica and Becca are okay and she is very sorry for blowing them off. But she also has to babysit her evil, annoying, and malicious neighbor Nick and worst of all, she has to make sure that the Whatever club stays together.
The setting takes place in many different places. But it mostly takes place in school, at the cafeteria, during lunch time. Also, at the Whatever club treehouse. Ocassionally, they change up for their meetings. Mostly, it depends on what they are discussing. They wait for each other after school to discuss where they will hold the meeting. If not, then they will talk to see where they will meet when school is finished.
In the beginning of the book, the author introduces the characters and the first problem. In a way, Anna and Claudia are battling each other. Anna as the popular girl, really despises Claudia for no reason. Well actually, She hates everyone for no reason. Anna is just mean because she rules the school. Claudia is a nobody in Anna’s eyes. But everyone else thinks she is an amazing friend.
The middle of the story has a whole lot of drama. This is when the whole rumor about Tommy and Monica spreads. Eventually, Monica told Tommy and everything was cool. Plus, this is also when Adam feels abandoned by Claudia and wants to join the club. Things were cool at first. But then Adam was being totally selfish. Claudia did not want to disappoint Adam. But she did not want to forget Monica and Becca. But she spent more time with Adam and things got way out of hand. Therefore, it led to Adam leaving the club by choice.
At the end of the story, everyone became friends. Things worked itself out. Adam, Monica, Tommy, Becca, and Claudia are still friends. Becca and Tommy are officially a couple. Anna is still a mean nasty ogre. But no one really cares about her. Looks like claudia has stopped daydreaming about middle school. Which is actually really good because then she would wake up to a rude awakening.
The major turning point in the story is when Claudia and Adam made up again. Except more people started becoming friends with Claudia. So it’s almost like she is the popular girl now. The athletes left Anna, except for the three initial members of the Glory Girls. Now everything has backfired on Anna because she went from dreul to cool and now Claudia has gone from dreul to cool. Anna is getting exactly what she deserves. If I were Claudia, I would take chance I could of making Anna’s life miserable. But at the same time, it is also kind of sad to see her suffer, so I wouldn’t torture her that much.
The problems being resolved in the story never really needed strategy. I guess everything happened own its own. Claudia is now popular, but she does not take it for granted like Anna did. She is fair, loving, considerate of other people’ feelings, and she tries to do the right thing. Anna is a nobody in everyone else’ eyes, but not Claudia. Claudia just thinks she is a normal person. Everybody who were apart of the
Glory Girls are now trying to join the Whatever Club because they think its awesome. However, Claudia needs to let people know that we all can’t fit in. Be yourself!
May 5, 2018
Gallagher covers typical children's territory - navigating friendships. The girls enjoy crafting and reading, but sometimes these activities bore young friends who are boys. Adam prefers to play catch or watch video games. All four of these kids learn the art of negotiation and maintaining friendships.
A quick read for third grade level students.
A quick read for third grade level students.
July 11, 2017
I enjoy these middle school characters and their adventures. The characters are plausible and fun and these books are inspiration for my own stories.
March 18, 2020
Easy chapter book for 3rd - up.
May 19, 2012
Jeannine.K
April 2012
Claudia Cristina Cortez, Whatever!
By: Diana G.Gallagher
I think that the main character Claudia is very helpful and very determined. One reason she is so helpful is that when she was with her friends hanging out she still took her neighbor's little son. She is also determined because she was determined to let her friend Adam join the club so she had to change their minds.
I think that the antagonist of the story are the mother and father of Claudia. I think that they are the protagonists because every time she goes and tries to hangout with her friends they make her babysit her neighbor even when she doesn’t want to.Also they make her stay there at home doing chores.
I think that the main conflict of the story is that at first Claudia wanted her friend Adam to join her all girl club with her two female friends. Then later she wishes she had not let him in. So her and her friends had to get him out. They were so unhappy.
I think that the lesson of this book is that think about your decisions before coming out and telling them to people and not to do it before being sure.I think that that is the lesson because Claudia had regretted letting Adam into the club.
I think that the setting of this story takes place in the Whatever Club tree house and at Claudia’s school. I think that it mostly takes place in the tree house though because that is where they mostly go. They hang out there and they talk they go right after school and stay for a couple of hours. It would have been school but sometimes they don’t talk about school they just say after school they went to the tree house.
I think that in the beginning of the book Claudia was with her two friends all of the time. Their names were Becca and Monica. They were always going to the tree house after school. They were all three excited and planning for their next meeting for the Whatever club. They were talking about how they were collecting beads and other jewelry for the meeting because they were going to be making their own cool jewelry and stuff.
In the middle of the book Claudia was in school with her friends at lunch talking to them all. During lunch Claudia’s male friend Adam asked her if after school she wanted to meet up with him so that they can go to the park. He wanted her to help him practice playing baseball so that he can get better. He asked her because them two have always been into baseball. Even when they were younger they used to play they even traded baseball cards. He thought that she would enjoy it. She wanted to go but she had to turn down his offer since her and her two female friends have to go to their club meeting.They both felt like they stopped spending enough time together since middle school started and it was true. So Claudia had to come up with idea that would make it so that they can both spend more time together. So she decided to let Adam join the club when he he got there he wanted to do what he wanted to do.So they all gave in and played baseball. Then the next day watch a dinosaur movie and all the girls became unhappy. He never voted for what they wanted to do. So Monica and Becca left Claudia’s house and they went to Becca’s house.
So in the end of the book the girls had to vote him out and they didn’t tell him. They just had a meeting without him and agreed that it was time to stand up to him and tell him the truth about how he was taking advantage of them by never voting for things they want but if they don’t vote for what he wants he gets mad. So they all decided that he will only come on days that he will only come on days that he likes what they are doing he liked that idea very much and they tell him what they are doing very much.
I think that a major turning point in this book is when Claudia was all with the idea of Adam joining the Whatever club and thought it was gonna be fun until he really joined for a while. Then Claudia wanted him out. I thought that was the turning point because I expected her to like having her boy best friend around like old times.
The major conflict was solved because they worked something out and they decided that they were gonna let him come only when they know that he is gonna enjoy what they are doing such as watching tv or talking about sports.
April 2012
Claudia Cristina Cortez, Whatever!
By: Diana G.Gallagher
I think that the main character Claudia is very helpful and very determined. One reason she is so helpful is that when she was with her friends hanging out she still took her neighbor's little son. She is also determined because she was determined to let her friend Adam join the club so she had to change their minds.
I think that the antagonist of the story are the mother and father of Claudia. I think that they are the protagonists because every time she goes and tries to hangout with her friends they make her babysit her neighbor even when she doesn’t want to.Also they make her stay there at home doing chores.
I think that the main conflict of the story is that at first Claudia wanted her friend Adam to join her all girl club with her two female friends. Then later she wishes she had not let him in. So her and her friends had to get him out. They were so unhappy.
I think that the lesson of this book is that think about your decisions before coming out and telling them to people and not to do it before being sure.I think that that is the lesson because Claudia had regretted letting Adam into the club.
I think that the setting of this story takes place in the Whatever Club tree house and at Claudia’s school. I think that it mostly takes place in the tree house though because that is where they mostly go. They hang out there and they talk they go right after school and stay for a couple of hours. It would have been school but sometimes they don’t talk about school they just say after school they went to the tree house.
I think that in the beginning of the book Claudia was with her two friends all of the time. Their names were Becca and Monica. They were always going to the tree house after school. They were all three excited and planning for their next meeting for the Whatever club. They were talking about how they were collecting beads and other jewelry for the meeting because they were going to be making their own cool jewelry and stuff.
In the middle of the book Claudia was in school with her friends at lunch talking to them all. During lunch Claudia’s male friend Adam asked her if after school she wanted to meet up with him so that they can go to the park. He wanted her to help him practice playing baseball so that he can get better. He asked her because them two have always been into baseball. Even when they were younger they used to play they even traded baseball cards. He thought that she would enjoy it. She wanted to go but she had to turn down his offer since her and her two female friends have to go to their club meeting.They both felt like they stopped spending enough time together since middle school started and it was true. So Claudia had to come up with idea that would make it so that they can both spend more time together. So she decided to let Adam join the club when he he got there he wanted to do what he wanted to do.So they all gave in and played baseball. Then the next day watch a dinosaur movie and all the girls became unhappy. He never voted for what they wanted to do. So Monica and Becca left Claudia’s house and they went to Becca’s house.
So in the end of the book the girls had to vote him out and they didn’t tell him. They just had a meeting without him and agreed that it was time to stand up to him and tell him the truth about how he was taking advantage of them by never voting for things they want but if they don’t vote for what he wants he gets mad. So they all decided that he will only come on days that he will only come on days that he likes what they are doing he liked that idea very much and they tell him what they are doing very much.
I think that a major turning point in this book is when Claudia was all with the idea of Adam joining the Whatever club and thought it was gonna be fun until he really joined for a while. Then Claudia wanted him out. I thought that was the turning point because I expected her to like having her boy best friend around like old times.
The major conflict was solved because they worked something out and they decided that they were gonna let him come only when they know that he is gonna enjoy what they are doing such as watching tv or talking about sports.
Read
August 20, 2012 I like my book because it was funny.
For example on page seven it says nick
is just my annoying seven year old ne-
ighbor. I also liked this book because
Anna is like me bossy and mean(pg10).
Aisha would like this book because
last year she read the whole series of
the book. Also if she liked hilarious b-
ooks
One challenge that I had was know-
ing the settings because the author w-
asn't clear on the setting.
Cludia is a good friend because she
always stood by her friends even if they
were wrong.
For example on page seven it says nick
is just my annoying seven year old ne-
ighbor. I also liked this book because
Anna is like me bossy and mean(pg10).
Aisha would like this book because
last year she read the whole series of
the book. Also if she liked hilarious b-
ooks
One challenge that I had was know-
ing the settings because the author w-
asn't clear on the setting.
Cludia is a good friend because she
always stood by her friends even if they
were wrong.
October 28, 2008
This book was pretty cool and i tought me ALOT!
It tought me not to keep people out of stuff but too choose correctly who you want to have in your club.It shows girls how to show the difference of how boys react to girls club house.They act like as if they are the most important person in that club just like in the story. So that is how the book was and it was like a adventure to me.
It tought me not to keep people out of stuff but too choose correctly who you want to have in your club.It shows girls how to show the difference of how boys react to girls club house.They act like as if they are the most important person in that club just like in the story. So that is how the book was and it was like a adventure to me.
February 26, 2010
The formatting is perfect for the target age group because it is basically how 13-year-olds think and write. This book took me right back to middle school which leads me to believe that middle schoolers will relate to it. There is a glossary at the end to help with some of the bigger words, discussion questions, and writing prompts. Short and easy which is exactly what some kids need.
March 23, 2008
Seventh-grader Claudia Cristina Cortez has a complicated life! This series looks like it will be a nice answer to high/low reading recommendations for older girls though I can't imagine it appealing to anyone beyond a middle-school level.
October 5, 2013
I like it
Want to read
April 13, 2013I love it!!!!!
December 11, 2016
This was my first book that i read before i started reading all her other books, and i really like how i got the fact that shes in 7th grade and shes a nice girl
Read
June 12, 2008JF Gal
Currently reading
July 17, 2017httttrrs
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September 27, 2017In this awesome book Whatever by Diana G. Gallagher the main charter are Claudia and her friend are Monica , Becca ,and Adam are stared a group thing were gong good before Adam join thing stared to go wrong well thing go back like the were ?
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September 27, 2017In this amazing book whatever the complicated life of Claudia Cristina Cortez by Diana G. Gallagher. The mean characters was Claudia and her friends. The names of her friends are Becca and Monica. Claudia and her friends didn't along with the Glory Girls.Would Claudia, Becca , and Monica ever get along with the Glory Girls?
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews