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Jessica Darling's It List #1
The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity
Move over, Dork Diaries! Jessica Darling, star of Megan McCafferty's bestselling Jessica Darling series for adults, is back in a hilarious new series perfect for tween (10 to 14) girls.
I hadn't even gotten to homeroom yet and I'd already discovered five hard truths about junior high:
1. My best friend had turned pretty.
2. She didn't know it yet.
3. It wouldn't be long before she did.
4. That knowledge would change everything between us.
5. And there wasn't a thing I could do about it.
It's the first day of seventh grade. Is Jessica Darling doomed for dorkdom?
New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty's hilarious series opener will have you laughing, cringing, and cheering for Jessica Darling as she learns that being herself beats being popular, pretty & perfect any day.
I hadn't even gotten to homeroom yet and I'd already discovered five hard truths about junior high:
1. My best friend had turned pretty.
2. She didn't know it yet.
3. It wouldn't be long before she did.
4. That knowledge would change everything between us.
5. And there wasn't a thing I could do about it.
It's the first day of seventh grade. Is Jessica Darling doomed for dorkdom?
New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty's hilarious series opener will have you laughing, cringing, and cheering for Jessica Darling as she learns that being herself beats being popular, pretty & perfect any day.
99 pages, Unknown Binding
First published September 3, 2013
80 people are currently reading
2084 people want to read
About the author
Megan McCafferty
27 books2,535 followersMegan McCafferty writes fiction for tweens, teens and teens-at-heart of all ages. The author of twelve novels, she’s best known for SLOPPY FIRSTS and four more sequels in the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series--available throughout 2021 in updated 20th anniversary editions. She published two new books in 2020: TRUE TO YOUR SELFIE (MG, Scholastic) and THE MALL (YA, Wednesday Books). Described in her first review as “Judy Blume meets Dorothy Parker” (Wall Street Journal), she’s been trying to live up to that high standard ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
August 28, 2013
As a huge fan of the original Jessica Darling series, or, at least, as huge of a fan as one can be while intentionally deciding not to finish said series, I was super curious about Megan McCafferty's prequel. I mean, more Jessica Darling is pretty much always acceptable, except for the fact that I had my reasons in stopping after two books, but that's an issue from another time. Anyway, now we can see Jessica tackle junior high, and McCafferty brings Jessica's trademark wit, observational skills and honesty to middle school.
Middle school Jessica does have a lot in common with high school Jessica, which is probably not all that surprising given that they are the same person separated by some timey-wimey stuff known as life. McCafferty does a good job making the narration similar but a bit different than that of the original series. This Jessica does come across a good deal younger. She's not got as impressive of a vocabulary, though she's starting to build it because she's discovered that her English teacher will really raise her essay grades for each thesaurus phrase substituted for a normal term. Plus, middle school Jessica is a lot more naive and less confident than high school Jessica.
By high school, Jessica Darling has pretty much comes to terms with her role in the social hierarchy and that she will never be the most popular girl in school. In middle school, Jessica's still trying to be what she's not. The series title, Jessica Darling's It List, is actually a bit misleading. In fact, this is Bethany's It List. Jessica's much older sister Bethany, in a rare instance of sisterly feeling, has decided to help Jessica avoid the curse of dorkdom by passing down the patented method for achieving popularity. Unsurprisingly, the It List does not work so well for Jessica.
See, Jessica, intelligent though she is, does not excel at pretending to be something she is not. Her half-hearted attempts end up fooling no one. Jessica's a bit of a dork and a teacher's pet, and there's no changing that. If she doesn't care about boys, she won't pretend to and she has trouble caring about her friends' woes over such things either. In fact, her biggest seventh grade fails occur when she stops being Jessica, like when she signs up for CHEER TEAM!!!, which she does not have the spirit for.
Megan McCafferty totally captures all the awkwardness of middle school. The romantic awkwardness, like how the boys chant at Bridget on the bus, like hooting like a pack of monkeys is really endearing. Or how Aleck (aka young Marcus Flutie) flirts with a "wear her down" annoyance tactic. The friendship awkwardness, which is pretty much encapsulated by Bridget becoming gorgeous just in time for seventh grade, leaving Jessica to be a normal. The middle school years especially are a time of transition where friendships come and go, and many BFFs are actually trying to climb on top of one another up the social ladder. Then there's the budding friendship between Hope and Jessica, who any readers of the original series know will be besties eventually, bonded by their judgment of everyone else's stupidity and ridiculous social rituals.
The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection is the middle school version of Mean Girls, I swear. I can even cast them for you. Bridget would be the obvious choice for Regina George since she's the prettiest and most popular seventh grader, but she's actually more of a Karen Smith, because she doesn't really know what's going on a lot of the time and is very easily led. Manda is the Regina. She even makes up slang (mondo) and decides when it's over. Sara, though she wants to be a queen bee, is Gretchen Wieners, a born follower, who does everything Manda says and always will, even though she resents Regina's treatment of her. Jessica's the Cady and Hope is Janis/Damian, only they could never care enough to make Jessica into the evil popular girl, and Jessica would never want Burke Roy, the Aaron Samuels figure. Also, I'm sure you all didn't need to know all of that, but, whatever, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
Though it's been too long for me to say with any assurance how well the occurrences here mesh with those of Sloppy Firsts, The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection does stand very nicely on its own. McCafferty's depiction of middle school cliques, awkwardness and romance shines with her trademark humor.
Middle school Jessica does have a lot in common with high school Jessica, which is probably not all that surprising given that they are the same person separated by some timey-wimey stuff known as life. McCafferty does a good job making the narration similar but a bit different than that of the original series. This Jessica does come across a good deal younger. She's not got as impressive of a vocabulary, though she's starting to build it because she's discovered that her English teacher will really raise her essay grades for each thesaurus phrase substituted for a normal term. Plus, middle school Jessica is a lot more naive and less confident than high school Jessica.
By high school, Jessica Darling has pretty much comes to terms with her role in the social hierarchy and that she will never be the most popular girl in school. In middle school, Jessica's still trying to be what she's not. The series title, Jessica Darling's It List, is actually a bit misleading. In fact, this is Bethany's It List. Jessica's much older sister Bethany, in a rare instance of sisterly feeling, has decided to help Jessica avoid the curse of dorkdom by passing down the patented method for achieving popularity. Unsurprisingly, the It List does not work so well for Jessica.
See, Jessica, intelligent though she is, does not excel at pretending to be something she is not. Her half-hearted attempts end up fooling no one. Jessica's a bit of a dork and a teacher's pet, and there's no changing that. If she doesn't care about boys, she won't pretend to and she has trouble caring about her friends' woes over such things either. In fact, her biggest seventh grade fails occur when she stops being Jessica, like when she signs up for CHEER TEAM!!!, which she does not have the spirit for.
Megan McCafferty totally captures all the awkwardness of middle school. The romantic awkwardness, like how the boys chant at Bridget on the bus, like hooting like a pack of monkeys is really endearing. Or how Aleck (aka young Marcus Flutie) flirts with a "wear her down" annoyance tactic. The friendship awkwardness, which is pretty much encapsulated by Bridget becoming gorgeous just in time for seventh grade, leaving Jessica to be a normal. The middle school years especially are a time of transition where friendships come and go, and many BFFs are actually trying to climb on top of one another up the social ladder. Then there's the budding friendship between Hope and Jessica, who any readers of the original series know will be besties eventually, bonded by their judgment of everyone else's stupidity and ridiculous social rituals.
The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection is the middle school version of Mean Girls, I swear. I can even cast them for you. Bridget would be the obvious choice for Regina George since she's the prettiest and most popular seventh grader, but she's actually more of a Karen Smith, because she doesn't really know what's going on a lot of the time and is very easily led. Manda is the Regina. She even makes up slang (mondo) and decides when it's over. Sara, though she wants to be a queen bee, is Gretchen Wieners, a born follower, who does everything Manda says and always will, even though she resents Regina's treatment of her. Jessica's the Cady and Hope is Janis/Damian, only they could never care enough to make Jessica into the evil popular girl, and Jessica would never want Burke Roy, the Aaron Samuels figure. Also, I'm sure you all didn't need to know all of that, but, whatever, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
Though it's been too long for me to say with any assurance how well the occurrences here mesh with those of Sloppy Firsts, The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection does stand very nicely on its own. McCafferty's depiction of middle school cliques, awkwardness and romance shines with her trademark humor.
September 29, 2013
I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE HOW GOOD THIS WAS.
Actually I finished reading this a few weeks ago and couldn't even put it into words. Still can't. A gift to JD fans.
Full review to come on AnnaReads.com: http://www.annareads.com/2013/09/jess...
xoxo,
#1 JD Superfan Always aka Anna
Actually I finished reading this a few weeks ago and couldn't even put it into words. Still can't. A gift to JD fans.
Full review to come on AnnaReads.com: http://www.annareads.com/2013/09/jess...
xoxo,
#1 JD Superfan Always aka Anna
September 17, 2013
This book really feels like a flashback to middle school for me. Remember that time when your bff realized that she was pretty? Or when you all of a sudden decided to change your group of friends and leave the old ones behind? Remember the tragedy when your friends all end up in one class and you're the only one with a screwed-up schedule and in the class that no one wants to take? That's Jessica's life in It List. You'll recognize yourself in Jessica, and you'll want to cheer her on because this feels like YOUR life.
In Sloppy Firsts, the original Jessica Darling book, Jessica is seriously depressed, but also completely self-aware and precocious. It List shows us Jessica before that depression, when Bridget is her best friend and they've really grown up getting each other through everything. Twelve-year old Jessica is pretty self-aware, but she's also way more optimistic, accepting, and loving of her family than her sixteen-year old self.
There's a lot of innocence in Jessica. She's more comfortable in herself and her decisions than her sixteen-year old self...that is, until her older sister Bethany shows up to bust her bubble and freak her out about starting junior high.
Thus, the It List - Bethany's guide to how Jessica will become super popular and rule the junior high halls. Except that, of course, every time Jessica attempts to follow Bethany's rules, it all goes kablooey in her face. Jessica at twelve is not afraid to try new things, and she doesn't really realize yet that she might be an odd duck when it comes to her smarts and her ideas. That fuels her to do what she thinks is right...which sometimes leads her to disastrous consequences, like being stuck in a seagull costume as the school mascot, but sometimes, also, gives her signals to who and what she might want to be.
One of those signals is her friendship with Hope. It's clear that Hope and Jessica have a lot in common right from the beginning - but it's also clear that both of them have never experienced what true friendship is. They're cautious around each other, sizing each other up and taking time to really choose each other as friends. It's an amazing, gentle unfolding of a relationship that will define the Jessica that we know from the original books - and now we know why.
And before you ask, yes, there's totally some Marcus Flutie in this book - I do feel like McCafferty may have been pulling a bit of a deus ex machina in how Jessica and Marcus interact in this book, but frankly...I don't care. It's done so cutely and sensitively that it's totally right.
Someone on Goodreads wrote that this book is a gift to Jessica Darling fans. It is. It's a prequel that delivers many of the things that I feel like I probably needed to know at age ten to twelve, but it's also so wonderful as an adult fan of the series to be able to revisit these characters, and to see how they got their roots.
Read the rest of this review at Mostly YA Lit
In Sloppy Firsts, the original Jessica Darling book, Jessica is seriously depressed, but also completely self-aware and precocious. It List shows us Jessica before that depression, when Bridget is her best friend and they've really grown up getting each other through everything. Twelve-year old Jessica is pretty self-aware, but she's also way more optimistic, accepting, and loving of her family than her sixteen-year old self.
There's a lot of innocence in Jessica. She's more comfortable in herself and her decisions than her sixteen-year old self...that is, until her older sister Bethany shows up to bust her bubble and freak her out about starting junior high.
Thus, the It List - Bethany's guide to how Jessica will become super popular and rule the junior high halls. Except that, of course, every time Jessica attempts to follow Bethany's rules, it all goes kablooey in her face. Jessica at twelve is not afraid to try new things, and she doesn't really realize yet that she might be an odd duck when it comes to her smarts and her ideas. That fuels her to do what she thinks is right...which sometimes leads her to disastrous consequences, like being stuck in a seagull costume as the school mascot, but sometimes, also, gives her signals to who and what she might want to be.
One of those signals is her friendship with Hope. It's clear that Hope and Jessica have a lot in common right from the beginning - but it's also clear that both of them have never experienced what true friendship is. They're cautious around each other, sizing each other up and taking time to really choose each other as friends. It's an amazing, gentle unfolding of a relationship that will define the Jessica that we know from the original books - and now we know why.
And before you ask, yes, there's totally some Marcus Flutie in this book - I do feel like McCafferty may have been pulling a bit of a deus ex machina in how Jessica and Marcus interact in this book, but frankly...I don't care. It's done so cutely and sensitively that it's totally right.
Someone on Goodreads wrote that this book is a gift to Jessica Darling fans. It is. It's a prequel that delivers many of the things that I feel like I probably needed to know at age ten to twelve, but it's also so wonderful as an adult fan of the series to be able to revisit these characters, and to see how they got their roots.
Read the rest of this review at Mostly YA Lit
November 8, 2016
Jessica Darling basically got me through high school. It was cute to see flashbacks to all the characters I already know and love. It's not for adults at all but was too adorable to care.
August 7, 2013
I have wanted to read Megan McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series for a very long time. I bought Sloppy Firsts a while back but haven’t gotten around to reading it. When I got the opportunity to read and review her new prequel middle grade series I jumped at the chance and I am so happy that I did. The IT List was funny, sweet and incredibly authentic for the age group.
The great thing about middle grade novels is the amount of social awkwardness that is piled into the pages. Jessica is just starting the 7th grade and she really has no idea who she should be. We watch her try to be pretty and popular and right off the bat we see that that’s just not her. She changes a lot throughout the story; making new friends, losing old ones and just finding out who she is at her core and what works for her. I loved her outlook on things, it was pretty mature for her age as she was able to see through a lot of the drama that most kids her age aren’t able to and it totally worked. I was rooting for her as she had snarky thoughts about all the girls I would have hated at that age.
The novel also comes full of laughs. There are some scenes that had me sitting there laughing out loud and my husband staring at me like I was off my rocker. Not only certain scenes had me laughing but the friendship between Jessica and Bridget was very cute. They were growing up but had been friends for so long that some of the weird stuff they did as children crept back up and was great fun. Bridget came to be someone that I really liked. She goes through a change and becomes super pretty right before she starts school but it never goes to her head and she stays incredibly grounded throughout the story. She had every opportunity to jump to the top of the social ladder but I don’t think she even wanted that.
As I have come to expect from novels of this age level, we also see our fair share of family dynamics. Jessica’s parents are ever present and interested in their child’s life which is, of course, great. But we also see Jessica struggle with growing up in the light that her sister, Bethany left behind. Bethany was incredibly popular in junior high and had everything going for her. She is the one to give Jessica The IT List and really get the ball rolling on all the drama. I completely understood Jessica’s need to impress her older sibling and find ways to have her interested in her life in any way she could (even if it meant telling a little lie.) But we quickly see that Bethany’s life is not as perfect as it once was and that little bit of mystery was interesting to watch unfold.
A sweet start to what is definitely going to be a hilarious and authentic series, Jessica Darling’s IT List is one that I am sure people of all ages will be able to love. This has me even more excited to start Sloppy Firsts and see how Jessica is in high school and I also can’t wait for The IT List #2!
An Advanced Reading Copy was gifted by a friend.
--
You can read all of my reviews at
The great thing about middle grade novels is the amount of social awkwardness that is piled into the pages. Jessica is just starting the 7th grade and she really has no idea who she should be. We watch her try to be pretty and popular and right off the bat we see that that’s just not her. She changes a lot throughout the story; making new friends, losing old ones and just finding out who she is at her core and what works for her. I loved her outlook on things, it was pretty mature for her age as she was able to see through a lot of the drama that most kids her age aren’t able to and it totally worked. I was rooting for her as she had snarky thoughts about all the girls I would have hated at that age.
The novel also comes full of laughs. There are some scenes that had me sitting there laughing out loud and my husband staring at me like I was off my rocker. Not only certain scenes had me laughing but the friendship between Jessica and Bridget was very cute. They were growing up but had been friends for so long that some of the weird stuff they did as children crept back up and was great fun. Bridget came to be someone that I really liked. She goes through a change and becomes super pretty right before she starts school but it never goes to her head and she stays incredibly grounded throughout the story. She had every opportunity to jump to the top of the social ladder but I don’t think she even wanted that.
As I have come to expect from novels of this age level, we also see our fair share of family dynamics. Jessica’s parents are ever present and interested in their child’s life which is, of course, great. But we also see Jessica struggle with growing up in the light that her sister, Bethany left behind. Bethany was incredibly popular in junior high and had everything going for her. She is the one to give Jessica The IT List and really get the ball rolling on all the drama. I completely understood Jessica’s need to impress her older sibling and find ways to have her interested in her life in any way she could (even if it meant telling a little lie.) But we quickly see that Bethany’s life is not as perfect as it once was and that little bit of mystery was interesting to watch unfold.
A sweet start to what is definitely going to be a hilarious and authentic series, Jessica Darling’s IT List is one that I am sure people of all ages will be able to love. This has me even more excited to start Sloppy Firsts and see how Jessica is in high school and I also can’t wait for The IT List #2!
An Advanced Reading Copy was gifted by a friend.
--
You can read all of my reviews at
October 8, 2013
Thank you Megan McCafferty for reminding me who I am as a reader. I have spent the last year wrapped up in this romance with books full of all kinds of drama and debauchery. I think I kind of forgot the girl who fell in love with reading.
Don't take this as an insult to all the amazing books I've read lately. This book just reminded me of my roots in reading, and really had me thinking about the way I've been choosing books. I forgot how much I loved books that got into my heart and not my panties.
Junior High Jessica was just as funny and witty as High School/College Jessica. It was exactly like the Jessica I know and love, just a little younger.
I haven't read a middle grade book in almost ten years so I was uneasy about the middle grade label, but I had no need to be. The fact that the book was about Jessica Darling probably gave it the edge. I don't expect to be running off to the middle grade section, but I will definitely be throwing in a few MG books now and then.
It was great getting to know pre-Clueless Crew Jessica. We get more insight into how distance grew between Jessica and Bridget. We also get to meet a young Hope, though she didn't play a huge part in the book. But, most importantly, we get to meet young Marcus. Here's one thing you should know about me, Marcus Flutie is my #1 BBF forever. He was my first, and will never be able to be replaced.
The one thing that bugged me, and it didn't even really bug me, was the small exchanges between Marcus and Jessica. How could Jessica not remember these exchanges she had with Marcus? It kind of doesn't fit, but MM did a really great job with the way she had them interact. I actually went back[er... forward?] and read Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, and Charmed Thirds and it made me a little more open minded about the situation.
Those of us who are already well acquainted with Jessica will probably read this book waiting for certain people to show up, and by certain people I mean Marcus, but there is so much more to this book. I'm envious of all the young girls who will get a chance to grow up with Jessica from the beginning, but I hope they fall in love with the series the way I did.
Don't take this as an insult to all the amazing books I've read lately. This book just reminded me of my roots in reading, and really had me thinking about the way I've been choosing books. I forgot how much I loved books that got into my heart and not my panties.
Junior High Jessica was just as funny and witty as High School/College Jessica. It was exactly like the Jessica I know and love, just a little younger.
I haven't read a middle grade book in almost ten years so I was uneasy about the middle grade label, but I had no need to be. The fact that the book was about Jessica Darling probably gave it the edge. I don't expect to be running off to the middle grade section, but I will definitely be throwing in a few MG books now and then.
It was great getting to know pre-Clueless Crew Jessica. We get more insight into how distance grew between Jessica and Bridget. We also get to meet a young Hope, though she didn't play a huge part in the book. But, most importantly, we get to meet young Marcus. Here's one thing you should know about me, Marcus Flutie is my #1 BBF forever. He was my first, and will never be able to be replaced.
The one thing that bugged me, and it didn't even really bug me, was the small exchanges between Marcus and Jessica. How could Jessica not remember these exchanges she had with Marcus? It kind of doesn't fit, but MM did a really great job with the way she had them interact. I actually went back[er... forward?] and read Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, and Charmed Thirds and it made me a little more open minded about the situation.
Those of us who are already well acquainted with Jessica will probably read this book waiting for certain people to show up, and by certain people I mean Marcus, but there is so much more to this book. I'm envious of all the young girls who will get a chance to grow up with Jessica from the beginning, but I hope they fall in love with the series the way I did.
July 16, 2013
JESSICA DARLING IS BACK, EVERYONE.
It's the day before seventh grade is about to start and Jessica is feeling pretty good. Well, at least until her much older sister, Bethany, comes home and says that she has the perfect guide to not only surviving, but flourishing, in junior high. It's her IT list and as long as Jessica follows it, she's guaranteed a fulfilling experience.
The list consists of trying out for CHEER TEAM!!!, finding and staying friends with the IT clique and choosing your boyfriend carefully. Jessica never wanted to be a cheerleader, doesn't easily make friends and boys? What's that all about? Jessica goes from feeling fine to a nervous wreck. How was she supposed to succeed? At least she has her best friend, Bridget, to help her.
But middle school isn't easy. Friendships aren't easy. Learning who you are isn't easy and Jessica is getting a crash course.
I cannot even express how much I absolutely loved this book. I got to meet everyone I knew already when Jessica met them. It's so great. The writing, as per usual with McCafferty, is fantastic. It's smart, witty, sarcastic, downright funny, but it also has a lot of heart. And did I mention the best part? JUNIOR HIGH MARCUS FLUTIE. You know he's in there somewhere and you can tell he's there before you even read his name. I nearly giggled my face off when he showed up.
If you've read Jessica Darling, you'll love it. If you haven't read Jessica Darling, this is a cute way to start. If you haven't read Jessica Darling, what is wrong with you?
It's the day before seventh grade is about to start and Jessica is feeling pretty good. Well, at least until her much older sister, Bethany, comes home and says that she has the perfect guide to not only surviving, but flourishing, in junior high. It's her IT list and as long as Jessica follows it, she's guaranteed a fulfilling experience.
The list consists of trying out for CHEER TEAM!!!, finding and staying friends with the IT clique and choosing your boyfriend carefully. Jessica never wanted to be a cheerleader, doesn't easily make friends and boys? What's that all about? Jessica goes from feeling fine to a nervous wreck. How was she supposed to succeed? At least she has her best friend, Bridget, to help her.
But middle school isn't easy. Friendships aren't easy. Learning who you are isn't easy and Jessica is getting a crash course.
I cannot even express how much I absolutely loved this book. I got to meet everyone I knew already when Jessica met them. It's so great. The writing, as per usual with McCafferty, is fantastic. It's smart, witty, sarcastic, downright funny, but it also has a lot of heart. And did I mention the best part? JUNIOR HIGH MARCUS FLUTIE. You know he's in there somewhere and you can tell he's there before you even read his name. I nearly giggled my face off when he showed up.
If you've read Jessica Darling, you'll love it. If you haven't read Jessica Darling, this is a cute way to start. If you haven't read Jessica Darling, what is wrong with you?
November 19, 2013
It thrills me to no end that middle school girls are going to get to grow up with Jessica Darling. Somehow, this gives me optimism for the future. Like many of you, I did not read the Jessica Darling books until high school — well, for me, the were published in high school and I actually totally only read ‘Second Helpings‘ because of course, my school library did not have them. Sigh. ANYWAYS, needless to say, I eventually read the series in kind of a fever pitch a few years ago. Keeping with tradition, I read Jessica Darling’s It List #1: The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection in a sort of frenzy as well, all in lines at Book Expo America 2013, because instead of making friends and talking to people in line, I would rather do my own thing and read my book.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review will post and link will work on February 19, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review will post and link will work on February 19, 2014
October 27, 2020
This Book grabbed my attention Idmeatly it keepes you on your toes and you don't want to put it down a lot of things surprised me now I won't give any spoilers but this book is great and is worth giving it a 5 STAR RATING.
December 27, 2024
This is exactly what I was like when I was a tween
Atlas and I read this out loud like an audiobook to each other LOLLL nobody understands how much this book changed me when I was like 10
Atlas and I read this out loud like an audiobook to each other LOLLL nobody understands how much this book changed me when I was like 10
September 19, 2013
The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection is a fabulous start to Jessica Darling's It List series. Fans of the original Jessica Darling series will love this glimpse into pre-teen Jessica's life and mind!
Jessica Darling's It List series is very much middle grade. The writing is simple, the humor is aimed for younger readers, and the characters are not very mature. However, it totally works in this case. It's set in junior high and Jessica Darling and her friends are exactly how you would expect them to be. Megan McCafferty really captured the feel of junior high with this book.
Jessica Darling is probably one of the most awkward characters I've ever read about. It's probably what makes me love her so much. She recognizes her awkwardness and while it does bother her sometimes, she embraces it most of the time. She's remarkably self-assured for a pre-teen girl. She cares very little about what everyone else thinks and worries only about what she thinks. She's a great heroine for young readers to look up to.
Her friends aren't so awesome. Bridget, Manda, Sara, and Hope are quite a crew. Bridget starts off as a nice girl but that quickly changes once she realizes how pretty she is and how she can use it to her advantage. I didn't like her at all. Manda and Sara were even worse. They considered each other friends but they were terrible to each other. And everyone else. Hope was the only one I liked and I felt like there was very little of her in the book. I look forward to learning more about her throughout the rest of the series.
The story is nothing special. It's Jessica's first year in junior high and let me tell you, she goes through some crazy stuff. There's friend troubles, boy troubles, cheer team, woodshop, and so much more. I'll just put it this way; everything that could go wrong, did. It's a quick read that definitely made me think of my own days in junior high.
Overall, The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection is perfect for fans of the original Jessica Darling series or for readers looking to start it. Middle grade readers should greatly enjoy this one and I definitely recommend checking it out!
Jessica Darling's It List series is very much middle grade. The writing is simple, the humor is aimed for younger readers, and the characters are not very mature. However, it totally works in this case. It's set in junior high and Jessica Darling and her friends are exactly how you would expect them to be. Megan McCafferty really captured the feel of junior high with this book.
Jessica Darling is probably one of the most awkward characters I've ever read about. It's probably what makes me love her so much. She recognizes her awkwardness and while it does bother her sometimes, she embraces it most of the time. She's remarkably self-assured for a pre-teen girl. She cares very little about what everyone else thinks and worries only about what she thinks. She's a great heroine for young readers to look up to.
Her friends aren't so awesome. Bridget, Manda, Sara, and Hope are quite a crew. Bridget starts off as a nice girl but that quickly changes once she realizes how pretty she is and how she can use it to her advantage. I didn't like her at all. Manda and Sara were even worse. They considered each other friends but they were terrible to each other. And everyone else. Hope was the only one I liked and I felt like there was very little of her in the book. I look forward to learning more about her throughout the rest of the series.
The story is nothing special. It's Jessica's first year in junior high and let me tell you, she goes through some crazy stuff. There's friend troubles, boy troubles, cheer team, woodshop, and so much more. I'll just put it this way; everything that could go wrong, did. It's a quick read that definitely made me think of my own days in junior high.
Overall, The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection is perfect for fans of the original Jessica Darling series or for readers looking to start it. Middle grade readers should greatly enjoy this one and I definitely recommend checking it out!
January 29, 2018
Being a huge fan of the Jessica Darling series (although the last half of the series couldn't hold a candle to the first two books), I was super excite to read this prequel. And I wasn't expecting anything of
Sloppy Firsts
or
Second Helpings
calibre, I was happy with what it was. A quick and easy glimpse into junior high aged Jessica, which is a good time to set the books, as you get to see the beginnings of her friendships with Hope, and the Clueless Two.
That's probably the best thing about this book, getting some backstory. Truthfully, I've never been a fan of Hope, but it was neat to see the tentative first steps of their friendship. And with Hope not being an "on-screen" character in the first two books, I still feel like it's a treat to have her as a character in the books. I've always loved Bridget as a friend, and I really liked her in this book - in fact, it makes me sad that eventually teenage Jessica lumps her in with Manda and Sara as a member of the Clueless Crew, especially when they seemed so close in this book.
One thing I didn't really like was Aleck.
I'm looking forward to the next book - I wonder how many are in this series, because I enjoyed this start!
See my movie review here!
That's probably the best thing about this book, getting some backstory. Truthfully, I've never been a fan of Hope, but it was neat to see the tentative first steps of their friendship. And with Hope not being an "on-screen" character in the first two books, I still feel like it's a treat to have her as a character in the books. I've always loved Bridget as a friend, and I really liked her in this book - in fact, it makes me sad that eventually teenage Jessica lumps her in with Manda and Sara as a member of the Clueless Crew, especially when they seemed so close in this book.
One thing I didn't really like was Aleck.
I'm looking forward to the next book - I wonder how many are in this series, because I enjoyed this start!
See my movie review here!
January 15, 2015
I currently finished this amazing book by Megan McCafferty called Jessica’s Darlings It List; The (totally not) guaranteed guide to popularity, prettiness, and perfection.
This book is the most relatable book that I have ever read, it’s so funny and very realistic. Sometimes when it’s quiet I can imagine the events in my head. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Jessica tries out for the CHEER TEAM!!!, that is one of my favorite parts because that’s when her old friend and best friend do a duo and awe the whole class including the coach. Right after they finish their routine Jessica goes next (its funny because she has no flexibility skills or anything like that). She ends up failing to do her routine and passes out, when she wakes up she's in her bed. Her sister Bethany is there and is to seem to be rummaging through their mail to find something. Then Jessica get’s a phone call from the coach to say that “You’re going to be the mascot!!!” Her sister, Bethany, thinks she’s like the head cheerleader or something like that it’s kinda funny because when she realizes that shes not Bethany gets mad/sad, shes mad because this will ruin her “reputation” and shes sad because she feels bad for her little sister having to be the school mascot.
I really like this book, I thinks it kind of relates to my life because my friend just got her braces off, she dead drop gorgeous, and I'm not, so that are some reasons why I fell in love with the characters, plot, and reasoning's. If Jessica was a little bit more confident (like her sister) in the beginning of the book I feel like she would've been more popular. That's just one of the many predictions I had during reading this AMAZING book.
This book is the most relatable book that I have ever read, it’s so funny and very realistic. Sometimes when it’s quiet I can imagine the events in my head. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Jessica tries out for the CHEER TEAM!!!, that is one of my favorite parts because that’s when her old friend and best friend do a duo and awe the whole class including the coach. Right after they finish their routine Jessica goes next (its funny because she has no flexibility skills or anything like that). She ends up failing to do her routine and passes out, when she wakes up she's in her bed. Her sister Bethany is there and is to seem to be rummaging through their mail to find something. Then Jessica get’s a phone call from the coach to say that “You’re going to be the mascot!!!” Her sister, Bethany, thinks she’s like the head cheerleader or something like that it’s kinda funny because when she realizes that shes not Bethany gets mad/sad, shes mad because this will ruin her “reputation” and shes sad because she feels bad for her little sister having to be the school mascot.
I really like this book, I thinks it kind of relates to my life because my friend just got her braces off, she dead drop gorgeous, and I'm not, so that are some reasons why I fell in love with the characters, plot, and reasoning's. If Jessica was a little bit more confident (like her sister) in the beginning of the book I feel like she would've been more popular. That's just one of the many predictions I had during reading this AMAZING book.
October 17, 2013
Oh my god. I loved this book. The joy, the meetings, the slang, the loveliness.
For those of you who have not read the Sloppy Firsts/Jessica Darling series, I urge you to do so immediately, and for those of you who have already read the SF/JD series, you will understand my pure, unadulterated, utter, blissful, mondo joy at reading this book and re-entering the head of Miss Jessica Notso Darling.
I don't read a lot of YA that falls on the younger end of the YA spectrum, I feel like that is called middle grade, but it's like between middle grade and YA, since most YA seems to have 16 year-old protagonists. At any rate, it was wonderful.
I just really, really loved going back into this world and it makes me desperately want to re-read the entire Jessica Darling series because even now, I can see how things are getting set up for those books. It's really cool seeing Jessica pre-Hope and them meeting and slowly starting to become friends. I think that'll be focused on more in #2, I dearly hope so. Haha, Hope. Seriously, I'm so giddy right now.
It was really funny and snarky and I kind of forgot just how much I adore Jessica. Also, no spoiler but there is something that happens at some point in the book (those of you that have read it and the Jessica Darling series probably know what I'm talking about) but it made me scream out loud and then frantically hit myself in the face and squeeze my cheeks while smiling uncontrollably.
I loved this and I can't wait for the next one to come out!
For those of you who have not read the Sloppy Firsts/Jessica Darling series, I urge you to do so immediately, and for those of you who have already read the SF/JD series, you will understand my pure, unadulterated, utter, blissful, mondo joy at reading this book and re-entering the head of Miss Jessica Notso Darling.
I don't read a lot of YA that falls on the younger end of the YA spectrum, I feel like that is called middle grade, but it's like between middle grade and YA, since most YA seems to have 16 year-old protagonists. At any rate, it was wonderful.
I just really, really loved going back into this world and it makes me desperately want to re-read the entire Jessica Darling series because even now, I can see how things are getting set up for those books. It's really cool seeing Jessica pre-Hope and them meeting and slowly starting to become friends. I think that'll be focused on more in #2, I dearly hope so. Haha, Hope. Seriously, I'm so giddy right now.
It was really funny and snarky and I kind of forgot just how much I adore Jessica. Also, no spoiler but there is something that happens at some point in the book (those of you that have read it and the Jessica Darling series probably know what I'm talking about) but it made me scream out loud and then frantically hit myself in the face and squeeze my cheeks while smiling uncontrollably.
I loved this and I can't wait for the next one to come out!
September 30, 2013
I love the original Jessica Darling books to a ridiculous and possibly unhealthy degree. This is a prequel to those books (which begin when she's in high school and follow her through to early adulthood) and our Jess is in middle school.
Middle school is pretty much an awful time for everyone, but certainly more uncomfortable than most for her, because she's so completely not a joiner and not someone who's effortlessly cool. (Is anyone, though?)
The best part of this for me is seeing Jessica and her friends, seeing how she first encounters Hope and Marcus Flutie, two people who (we know) will be a huge part of her life going forward.
This book would be an excellent gift for people you know entering middle school (which is, what, sixth grade now?). The tone is definitely much younger than her other books, and I think even elementary school readers would enjoy it.
Is it as good as the original books? No. But it's incredibly enjoyable and an excellent gateway into Jessica Darling's story.
Middle school is pretty much an awful time for everyone, but certainly more uncomfortable than most for her, because she's so completely not a joiner and not someone who's effortlessly cool. (Is anyone, though?)
The best part of this for me is seeing Jessica and her friends, seeing how she first encounters Hope and Marcus Flutie, two people who (we know) will be a huge part of her life going forward.
This book would be an excellent gift for people you know entering middle school (which is, what, sixth grade now?). The tone is definitely much younger than her other books, and I think even elementary school readers would enjoy it.
Is it as good as the original books? No. But it's incredibly enjoyable and an excellent gateway into Jessica Darling's story.
December 11, 2020
I haven’t read this book since I was in seventh grade, but reading this as a sophomore in college took me right back to that time. I just felt like her (Jessica) vocabulary was limiting and almost elementary like, even though she was 12 or 13. Even I had a better vocabulary than her in seventh grade. Plus wasn’t she in the Gifted program? I’ve been in plenty of “Gifted” and advanced classes, and they expect more out of us even in middle school. I wish she spoke her mind (truth) more instead of lying. However, the last 3 or so chapters of the book provide tremendous strides in character development. I really appreciated that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2013
!!!!!!!
Megan McCafferty is back with a prequel series to her excellent Jessica Darling books. Here, Jessica is attempting to navigate junior high with help from her older sister's guide to being on the IT list. The voice is just perfect - it's clearly Jessica Darling's acerbic wit, but a little more naive, just what I would imagine middle-school Jessica to sound like.
This is a series sure to win over fans of the original series and attract new fans. I devoured the first book and can't wait for more!
Megan McCafferty is back with a prequel series to her excellent Jessica Darling books. Here, Jessica is attempting to navigate junior high with help from her older sister's guide to being on the IT list. The voice is just perfect - it's clearly Jessica Darling's acerbic wit, but a little more naive, just what I would imagine middle-school Jessica to sound like.
This is a series sure to win over fans of the original series and attract new fans. I devoured the first book and can't wait for more!
August 23, 2017
Welcome to the Jessica Darling’s It List series, where we witness Jessica in her younger years as a middle schooler. Here, she enters seventh grade aiming to be “popular, pretty and perfect,” which has Jessica turning to her older sister, Bethany, for some top tips on how to survive and thrive. Little does young Jess know, the It List is going to change her life in ways she did not ask for!
Read the rest of my review on Bookbed.
Read the rest of my review on Bookbed.
September 4, 2015
I loved this book because it was dorky but cute.I fell in love with this book. I loved how Jessica is worried about her first day of middle school while her sister was the it girl at Pineville middle school. Now she has to follow her sister's It List to try to fit in at her new school. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who likes dorky books.I am most positivly EXTREMELY exited to read the next book.
June 4, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. I am a huge fan of the Jessica Darling series and I was initially
concerned about a prequel. It was a totally unfounded fear, Jessica is still the same character we love in the other books. I didn't realize how much I missed new stories involving these characters. Now I'm so excited for the follow up to this book!
concerned about a prequel. It was a totally unfounded fear, Jessica is still the same character we love in the other books. I didn't realize how much I missed new stories involving these characters. Now I'm so excited for the follow up to this book!
December 18, 2014
What a fun story! This book takes you back to the seventh grade year of Jessica Darling and introduces you to all of the major players in the original series. It was so good to see a humorous Jessica that is not so cynical and jaded by all the years, as you see by the end of book 5. I still miss the diary format though...
September 24, 2014
Jessica darling it list is about a girl named jessica and she has a popular older sister that wants jessica to be popular too. jessicas sister gives jessica the "it list" but lets just say it didnt exacly help jessica. I would recomend this book to people that like Drama and comedy
January 25, 2014
Reminded me of when i was in middle school. I guess I was not the only girl trying to find my way!
February 2, 2017
I thought it was a great book about friendships and going though junior high. It was like a girl in junior high was writing the book. loved this book and would like all my friends to read it.
February 8, 2020
I've wanted to read this since seeing there was a show from it on netflix. It's not the best, but it is very good.
July 4, 2018
Super fun and sweet book about the perils and joys of middle school.
Book is written for middle school readers so fun and easy to read with nice short chapters and a plot that keeps things moving!
Jessica is a great female character! I love that while she falls into the trap a bit about trying to become popular she ends up staying true to herself. She experiences some crazy and semi embarrassing moments but has a great outlook and even if she doesn’t live what happened she appreciates who she has become because of it.
Love the fact that she’s in woodshop; love her mantra of “cheer without fear”; love that even though she is girly she doesn’t want to end up so “girly that she can’t take care of herself.
The mean girls in the book are just that...mean...but they don’t ever really act out cruelly which is nice.
There is some focus on liking boys and what not but it doesn’t take over Jessica’s life which I really love.
Also like that her best friend Brittney has one of those overnight transitions where she becomes beautiful and popular but for the most part, she really doesn’t let that change her too much (she does end up with a boyfriend at the very end and her relationship with Jessica clearly changes but none of that is depicted as bad...just different than before).
Recommend: 9 and up- pretty clean story with no language, not too much focus on boy/girl relationships and lots of good female role model moments with people choosing to be who they are and what makes them unique!
Book is written for middle school readers so fun and easy to read with nice short chapters and a plot that keeps things moving!
Jessica is a great female character! I love that while she falls into the trap a bit about trying to become popular she ends up staying true to herself. She experiences some crazy and semi embarrassing moments but has a great outlook and even if she doesn’t live what happened she appreciates who she has become because of it.
Love the fact that she’s in woodshop; love her mantra of “cheer without fear”; love that even though she is girly she doesn’t want to end up so “girly that she can’t take care of herself.
The mean girls in the book are just that...mean...but they don’t ever really act out cruelly which is nice.
There is some focus on liking boys and what not but it doesn’t take over Jessica’s life which I really love.
Also like that her best friend Brittney has one of those overnight transitions where she becomes beautiful and popular but for the most part, she really doesn’t let that change her too much (she does end up with a boyfriend at the very end and her relationship with Jessica clearly changes but none of that is depicted as bad...just different than before).
Recommend: 9 and up- pretty clean story with no language, not too much focus on boy/girl relationships and lots of good female role model moments with people choosing to be who they are and what makes them unique!
September 22, 2018
This is the first book in a quasi prequel series to McCafferty's other Jessica Darling books. I am a huge fan of the first Jessica Darling series and have reread them numerous times. I was nervous to go into Jessica Darling's It List because the cover screams JR HIGH!!! BFFs 4-EVA!!! and generally made me afraid that McCafferty's intelligent and funny writing was going to be toned down too much. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the humor was still there and that in such a short book McCafferty was able to portray junior high life extremely well. The characters and the situations among them are realistic and relatable. Jessica has to deal with the "mean girls" but she really portrays that real life dynamic of knowing the mean girls are mean but also wanting to be friends with them because you see the good in them too. Jessica is still that lovable nerdy character who is just trying to figure life out while staying true to herself. I also loved that the infamous Marcus Flutie, a key player in the later series, also makes a fantastic appearance.
Now that I have read these I guess I will have to start my biannual reread of the other Jessica Darling books :)
Now that I have read these I guess I will have to start my biannual reread of the other Jessica Darling books :)
May 23, 2017
Starting high school is a big step, especially if you want to be popular like your sister was!
For Jess, her sister Bethany guides her with a list of things to accomplish to have a great school experience, she needs to choose a great boyfriend, join cheer group and make the right friends.
However, her best friend Bridget soon becomes everything the list needs, getting on cheer team, bagging a boyfriend and fitting straight in while Jessica realises that maybe being herself is best?
After all Jess makes cheer team but not as it seems, makes friends and loses them in some ways and learns of growing apart as well as having enough best friend boyfriend drama to do without boy drama of her own!
There's also the fact that she's in the wrong elective and takes woodshop with eleven boys and she's the only girl. Still, it means she meets Aleck, Marcus as he's really known.
Yet as Jessica's sister confides in her a huge secret to do with school, Jess realises she maybe doesn't have it as bad as she thinks.
For Jess, her sister Bethany guides her with a list of things to accomplish to have a great school experience, she needs to choose a great boyfriend, join cheer group and make the right friends.
However, her best friend Bridget soon becomes everything the list needs, getting on cheer team, bagging a boyfriend and fitting straight in while Jessica realises that maybe being herself is best?
After all Jess makes cheer team but not as it seems, makes friends and loses them in some ways and learns of growing apart as well as having enough best friend boyfriend drama to do without boy drama of her own!
There's also the fact that she's in the wrong elective and takes woodshop with eleven boys and she's the only girl. Still, it means she meets Aleck, Marcus as he's really known.
Yet as Jessica's sister confides in her a huge secret to do with school, Jess realises she maybe doesn't have it as bad as she thinks.
March 6, 2020
The novel Jessica Darling’s It List by Megan McCafferty is a fiction book. The novel represents life as a middle school student, it shows all the drama of middle school in just 240 short pages, and it leaves you thinking and feeling bad for poor Jessica. Before school, she was given a guide written by her sister, Bethany, written when she was the most popular seventh grade girl. The only four tasks on the list are: always wear something different every day, make the CHEER TEAM!, pick your first boyfriend wisely, and stick with the “It Clique”. Jessica learned hard facts that would definitely change how her school year would go. I enjoyed this book. The author had a very well written, relatable book. She used words that seventh grade girls could relate too. I would recommend this book for girls in seventh grade. This book I would highly recommend to newer readers. Also, the movie is just as good as the book. In conclusion, I enjoyed the book, and I would highly reccomend it
February 5, 2019
I only read this book because I wanted to read the later Jessica Darling books. I think this is only the second middle grade book I have read in my adult years. I read Judy Blume’s, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret a few years back.
I thought I would find this one to be cute and humorous, and that it would make me recall my middle school years. Not so. I don’t know if it’s because I can no longer relate to childhood drama or if it just wasn’t a good book. I found Jessica, her sister, and her friends to be superficial and the story so silly. I do have to credit Mccafferty for conveying the message that popularity is not everything. That said, I won’t be continuing on in the series.
I thought I would find this one to be cute and humorous, and that it would make me recall my middle school years. Not so. I don’t know if it’s because I can no longer relate to childhood drama or if it just wasn’t a good book. I found Jessica, her sister, and her friends to be superficial and the story so silly. I do have to credit Mccafferty for conveying the message that popularity is not everything. That said, I won’t be continuing on in the series.
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