A Matter of Attitude

by Hayden

America's Next Top Designer

Fashionista with the fiercest style sense and head-turning clothes? That's Angela Jenkins. Even though her cutting-edge designs and graphic legwear sometimes draw criticism from her peers, Angela knows that one day she will be a top designer, and her best friend at Kressler High, Adrian Gomez, is her biggest supporter. But at fifteen, how is anyone (like the extremely cute JaRoli Spencer) supposed to check her out when she's stuck working at her family's Caribbean-style restaurant all the time? The getting elected director of her school's holiday fashion show.

But Angela's got designer-clad the very popular Karen Frasier, who has it all—including JaRoli. So when Shayla Mercer, the girl with the toughest street rep, offers to make sure Angela wins—for a fee—

Angela says yes. And she learns that the price of popularity can be too high.

Genres: Teen

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Anaiya]

I like this book. Hayden really worked hard, She showed me how still make your goal with or without friends and everything isn't gone go your way. Listen to your elders it's a 50% chance they right. You won't ever make your dreams worried about a boy. I think people who worried about making a boy happy instead of doing it from your heart should read this book.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Matter of Attitude (Updated)
Angela wakes up to the sounds of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” on her alarm clock. She’s supposed to be helping out at her family’s restaurant “The Island Shack” but instead of getting up, she hits the arlam and dozes back off. She wakes to her mother yelling her name and realizing she slept for half an hour. Angela is *not* in the mood today and knows when she’s there someone will work her nerves. Despite the saying Angela does NOT go for “the customer is always right” and isn’t scared to let them know. So, she tries to get out of it by faking a stomachache. Her mother just tells her hard work will take her mind off it.

We learn that Angela inherited her skill with fabric from her Grandmother Racheal (who everyone would come to for outfits for special events in Mississippi) and her devil-may-care sense of style (the book calls it). Her best friend Adrian comes by and they talk about the start of their freshman year at Kressler High. Angela is excited to be going because they have a top-notch fashion design department and the freshman’s get to put on a holiday fashion show. The winners even get to spend time in a real designer studio (Gucci, Baby Phat, Channel). That could get Angela more respect than hate. At breakfast, we learn that her dad Manny wants to get back into wrestling, is now a garbage man, and is being bugged by his wife to take a bigger role in the restaurant but he isn’t interested.

Armani (the assistant manager from Africa) puts Angela on fish duty in the basement (aka “The Cave”). She has some help by another employee Marcy. She asks Angela if she’s going to C-Ice’s party (a DJ that used to live in the projects). Ja-Roli is gonna be there (the cutest guy in there junior high and Angela’s had her eye on him for a while. She just hasn’t had the confidence to talk to him). When Armi comes to check on her, Angela uses this as her chance to switch jobs and get on the register.

Angela finds out from her mom that the numbers aren’t adding up. So, this means no more giving out or taking freebies. A rude customer comes into the restaurant demanding to be served breakfast at 11:30 and a boy that Angela doesn’t like eggs it on (Tyrone). Angela tells her to either order lunch or leave. Angela finds out from Adrian (and Macy) on break, Quick hasn’t been on his game at parties lately. She also finds out the girl that came in is Shayla Mercer and she’s the cousin of LaQuita Mercer. Angela wonders how she could have gotten into it with the cousin of the roughest girl in the projects.

Adrian and Angela do some shopping at Khans and Sneaker Explosion (she sees some silver sneakers for 180 that she can’t afford but Adrian buys them for her). Adrian buys some pink sneakers. Adrian has a lot of boyfriends and they hook her up with money, clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. Outside the store they see Ja Roli and his boy Tyrell who just stepped out the barber shop with fresh braids. We also find out about a girl named Karen (who goes over to Ja Roli) whose Angela’s frenemy. She cut her off when she didn’t approve of Angela’s signiture stripped tights. She’s sometimey. She speaks at church but not when she’s with her friends.

They stop by Karen’s parents store to look at some charm bracelets. Angela sees a light blue one she likes and when she doesn’t have the 10.00 for it, she takes it. It’s the very time she’s ever stolen anything. She doesn’t even tell Adrian When they get to Adrian’s, all hell breaks loose when Adrian’s mother tells her she can’t go to the party. She needs to babysit her little brother. When she sees Quick Digits, he says he has to stay focused and he’s not taking her and Adrian. She gets into too much ish and Angela decides she’s going to the party Quick Digits or not. Angela irritates Quick further when she tells him she wants to go with him so he won’t be so nervous. Then brings up his bombing on stage. She tells Omar she’ll be spending the night at Marcy’s (but he knows she’s lying).

C-Ice turns the party out. Adrian and Angela meet up with their girl Tia whose been away all summer. Angela sees Jaroli alone and decides to shot her shot, but Karen appears and drags him away. He says he’ll catch Angela later. Adrian advises her she better use what she’s got to get what she wants. She needs to get out there and claim what’s hers. We also meet Adrian and Angela’s other friend Kenny. Because of his attention to Adrian, Adrian feels plain and wonders if something went down between the two of them. The night goes downhill from here. Angela embarrasses herself trying to dance and accidently spills punch on Shayla who punch’s her in the face and she falls into the desert table and jumped on. Quick Digits comes to her rescue and the bouncer pulls her off. Then Adrian and Shaylah go back and forth. Security kicks them out. Ja-Roli and Karen are staring. Even Quick Digits is kicked out. So, he misses the chance to be seen by a producer. Despite her brother telling her to go home, she decides to stay at Adrian’s.

She wakes up to find she has a lump over her eye. She isn’t quite able to sneak back in. Her mother catches her but she doesn’t question that she spends the night at Marcy’s. She tells her ask next time. At breakfast, Angela’s dad announces he has a fight coming up in two weeks. Angela is concerned but because he’s always supported her she’ll be loyal. Their mother isn’t happy She says she wishes she wouldn’t take the fight. Something about it doesn’t feel right. She’s also not happy that he took money for boxing lessons. Later we learn that he did it because he messed up his chances to be a star boxer by taking a bribe to throw a a fight and after that it lost appeal. So, I guess he’s trying to prove something to himself but the message was don’t sell yourself short.
Angela’s mother makes her, her brothers, and her father go to church. Then she makes them go to a picnic afterwards. She finds Marcy and tries to pull her away from where Karen is. She’s not quick enough because her mother comes over and asks if she and Angela had fun last night. Angela quickly answers for her they did have fun watching movies. Marcy doesn’t “get it” and says yesterday it was just her and Latrice at her house.

Angela gets a lecture about how much of a bad influence Adrian is. She won’t be getting any pay checks or allowances as punishment. Angela goes with her mother to take Omar back to school. Embarrassingly her mother can’t come up with the tuition and she’s given a one-week extension. Omar doesn’t make it a secret he doesn’t want them to stay and help him unpack. This makes Angela’s mom mad which makes Angela kind of happy that she’s being dismissed by her “golden child”.

The first day of school, Angela has to wear an old outfit. The holiday fashion show is announced. They say if they want the position of director in the show they’ll have to campaign. There’s a challenge issued between Karen and Angela about who’ll get to be director. Unfortunately, Shaylah is in Angela’s homeroom. After class, she immediately shoves her and makes her fall to the floor. Angela gets to her feet and shoves her back, but it’s broken up by a teacher. He says if there’s any more fights they’ll be suspended and Angela hopes Shaylah takes this seriously cause she’s sick of brawling with her.

During the first meeting, Mrs. Yetti tells them they’ll have to come up with a theme and create an outfit for the presentation. he winner would also receive a bunch of other prizes: a laptop, a video game system, a sewing machine, patterns and an assortment of CDs and DVDs. They’ll have to make posters and give a speech. Karen’s crew is there. Angela’s isn’t. She sees someone standing by the garbage after class. It’s Shaylah and she calls her over. She asks if she has any cigarettes. Then she asks about the fashion show and offers to help her win. She says she’ll help her get votes if she can get her some cash. A voice tells her to walk away. She says she’s not twisting her arm. She’ll make the same offer to Karen. Angela asks how much she wants and she says 200.00. Then she introduces Angela to her people (Big Bruce) who’s aware of who Angela’s people are.

Angela thinks on the way home WTH just happened, but can’t deny having Shaylah down with her will give her power and street creed and just maybe she can win this thing. On the night of her dad’s fight, Angela surprises her father with a red and black silk fighter’s robe. It has his name on the back and “Lightning Fist”. Quick Digits friend Marlon comes by. (Angela has just developed a crush on him). He and Quick have a mega-music feast coming up. Quick is the opening act. Angela tells him to get her tickets. Quick says he’ll see. No promises. Surprisingly, Ja-Roli shows up for the fight. He’s been taking boxing lessons and his coach teold him to stick around for the fight. He sits with Angela and they end up talking about the music-feast. She asks if he and Karen are together and he says nah. Just friends. Angela says she’ll try to get him ticket. Things get BAD! Manny gets his behind whipped. Ja-Roli grabs Angela’s hand because she’s freaking out and trying to get the match called off but Rockman knocks Manny out of the ring and onto the judges table and it’s a WRAP!

(Clyde shows up in a pimp fur and we find out he’s paid for Omar to continue school). Angela’s friends come by to help her work on posters. Angela tells them about her idea to do a Rock N Roll Victorian fashion show (inspired by Prince). They ask how she’ll present them (hangers). Angela says mannequins. They said good cause none of them ain’t modeling (which makes Angela mad). When she mentions Shaylah, they all get quiet. They ask how she’s gonna help beating everyone up. They say she’s stupid if she thinks she’ll have her back. She says at least Shaylah would model for her. Tia and Marcy get upset and leave. Angela goes after Adrian and she finds out she’s in the bathroom throwing up. After she leaves, Adrian wonders if she’s pregnant and thinks how messed up that would be. Their friendship would change. Angela knows she has to take a chance and “borrows” some money from her mom’s cash box. She knows she’s crossing a line and isn’t sure how she’ll find her way back.

After their fight, Angela doesn’t see her friends for several days. Ja Roli comes over to her at school and asks to exchange numbers. He says don’t forget him if the tickets come through and kisses her on the cheek. When she sees Shaylah she gives her the money and tells her to make sure she wins. Shaylah introduces her to her cousin Lakeda. Angela is a witness to how they roll when they punch one of the girls on the court to get them to give them the court. Then they skip and go to Sterling’s (a 50’s style diner). Then they drop Angela off at “The Island Shack”. Armeda “greets” her with an issue and says she needs to speak to her mother. The employees haven’t gotten paid in three weeks. Marcy warns her to stay away from Shaylah. Angela tells her sometimes she has to step her game up to be on top. Armani and Clyde get into it and he says he told her not to tell Cora. HE pulls her into the back room to speak to her privately. Shaylah and a men walk into the restaurant and give Angela their order. Her mom walks in and goes to talk to Clyde. The dude is gone by the time, Angela comes back. Shaylah tells her they had an argument about her seeing someone else on the side and she’s short. She says she’ll owe her. Marcy says she got played big time. Angela says she’ll handle it just cover for her. She tells herself it’ll all work out once she wins the competition.

Armani finds out and sends her to clean fish. Marcy says she didn’t tell. Quick tells Angela some big time label execs are coming out to his show. Angela pleads with Quick for messing up his other opportunity but he says he’s learned that out of bad things good things comes and he admits to her he’s been struggling with stage fright and taking classes for it. Quick and Angela discuss The Island Shack’s financial problems and he says he’s going to perform their Saturday to bring in a crowd. He agrees also to get her and Ja-Roli some tickets. The next morning is the primary results. Angela’s mother tells her she’s the most talented girl in the school and she’s already won. Her mother questions her father of taking the money in her box, but he denies it. Angela feels guilty but doesn’t fess up for fear they’ll make her drop the contest.

Angela makes her presentation. She gets heckled by some but Shaylah is there to back her up. She and Karen are the two winners. Ja-Roli congratulates her but doesn’t show any preference between her and Karen (winning). He tells her to just keep doing her. She and Adrian hang out after school. (The others are still mad she’s hanging with Shaylah). Angela asks her if she’s pregnant. She says she doesn’t know. She’s a month late. After she leaves, she runs into Shaylah and asks for the money she owes her. Shayah says she’ll repay her with fabric. Since, Angela needs a new outfit she doesn’t turn down the offer. Shaylah instructs Angela to not act like their together while they’re in the store and touch the fabric she wants. Then leave. Shaylah comes out of the car running and yells for Angela to get in the car. Security catches up with them but LaQuita pulls off. Angela can’t believe she stole the fabric. Shaylah says she did it because they were friends, but she says because of what she did she’ll need 300.00 more dollars and she’d better find it. Or else. When she gets home, she stuffs the bag in the back of the closet.

Quick Digits is on another level the night of the concert. Ja-Roli even holds Angela’s hand, looks into her eyes, and sings her a love song. But when she asks if he’d consider making her his girl he tells her he’s not ready for a serious relationship. His parents made him promise to wait until sophomore years so it won’t take his focus off his game and school work. He asks if they can still be friends but Angela thinks once she wins the director’s spot he and his parents will be so impressed they’ll see she’s the one. After this, Quick tells his family he got offered a 7 figure deal, but when he preforms at the Island Shack the place is robbed by two men (who Angela recognizes as Big Bruce and the man Shaylah brought in) and gets shot trying to go over the man with the gun for punching his mother. Angela doesn’t speak up to the cops but confronts Shaylah and threats are exchanged until a man pulls her away. When she’s home she confesses almost everything to her parents leaving out the stolen merchandise. When Adrian comes by she throws it out. Adrain tells her she *was* pregnant but had a miscarriage and they both plan to do things differently.
Quick pulls through. Angela stays out of school for a little while because of the threats. Angela wins the position of director for the fashion show. Angela wants to turn it down but Quick says she won on her own talent.


My Thoughts:
My first thought was Angela reminds me a little of Raven Symone in That’s So Raven. Think of all the similarities. She has an attic bedroom. It’s got a mannequin. She’s into fashion design. Her clothes are on the unusal side and she’s made a lot of them. Her family has a restaurant. She and her younger brother argue all the time. A couple of times I even wanted to type Corey instead of Omar. Angela even gives a “Raven” snap. “Go back to the hole your troll”. She even looks like Raven on the cover.

I kind of got Angela as a character because it’s not always easy to make your voice heard in a family where they all seem to be doing just that much better than you are. Even though you (yourself) may be talented, sometimes when you weigh where they are in life and where you are in life it seems like they’re coming out WAY ahead. I also know what it’s like to have to work at a job you can’t stand and have half ass friends that are there sometimes and then others they’re nowhere to be found. Jaroli comes off as a user. I wasn’t feeling his “I’m not ready to be in a relationship right now” bs. But you could hold Angela’s hand during the fight, kiss her on the check at school, accept her tickets, and look into her eyes and sing her love songs hunh?


HOWEVER, was Angela VERY naïve? YES! You don’t need half a brain to know how Shaylah intended to “persuade” people to vote for her. COME ON! Did she really think she was gonna honestly go around talking about her strong points and why she'd make the best candidate? Snorts! And you JUST saw her beat those girls up on the court. Nor did you need one to figure out if someone can’t pay you back and then suggest you go shopping and come up with this elaborate plan not to be seen together, they’re gonna shoplift. Plus, you know this girl is hood! So maybe just a little unrealistic that Angela was slow to pick up on all this.

However, in the end, she’s quick to put the pieces together who attempted to rob her family’s restaurant and shoot Quick. It was a nice tie to show like daughter like father, in how they both tried to chase their dreams but got caught up in doing the wrong thing. Both involving paying someone off. I wonder how this book *really* ends. If Angela holds up to her word and snitches on those guys, they might seriously have to consider moving because there *will* be some kind of retaliation. You know that’s not the end and the story doesn't end here. Eventually, they really will kill Quick, unless he moves. They might even try to run up on him wherever he ends up. And the Island Shack you already know is gonna to be torched to the ground. So the lesson is stay in your lane. Adrian is enough of a friend that’s “on the edge”.


Rating: 7

[Alysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended by one of my good friends. I'm not really into drama but i really enjoyed this book. this book was about a girl name Angela who had a passion for designing but couldn't because of lack of support that was really needed. Angela had good taste in fashion she showed that she was a independent young lady and she also portrayed that life don't always goes as planned. i thought this book that would be about two young girls pursuing their dream in fashion. My impression was slightly wrong with big gaps, I learned that if you work hard for what you have a great passion about and never take a short cut and take the harder way it will be worth the wait at the end. Also, never depend on anyone to have a easier way through.

[Akilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was really eye opening. The author covers a lot of real life issues that teens go through. It's really funny too and there's a plot twist toward the end and a surprise around every corner. I would recomend this book to people who enjoy KIMANI tru books.

[i am sorry for not being the girl you want andnot · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of my books that i am reading right now and it is about a girl who wants to be a famous designer only at 15 years old but when she trys to show off her work she cant because she working at her parents caribbean restaurant


apil 4th o8
today well reading i came past a chapter o by the way i am on chapter 2 ok so well reading i read that the girl who worked with her mom had a crush on this boy in her class


apirl21,08
today i read a couple pages of the book every time i read it it gets getting better


apirl22,08
today well reading i came to a text to self because of something that the girl did and that came to me the same way it happed

apirl 23,o8

same o, same o the girl is trying to go fasion and at the same time help her dad and mom

[Kayla Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl name Angela who wants to be a designer and has a good sense of style depsite negative critisim by her peers. I heard about this book from my local library. My first impression about this book was that it was going to be on 2 girls compassion on designing clothes. I think the author's style of writing was very descriptive and gave me a vivid picture in my head so I could imagine the characters. I learned based on the book that you should never try to get the easier way out because the easier way out always causes you to end up in the harder way anway.

[tiffany ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl name Angela who wants to be a designer and has a good sense of style depsite negative critisim by her peers. I heard about this book from my local library. My first impression about this book was that it was going to be on 2 girls compassion on designing clothes. I think the author's style of writing was very descriptive and gave me a vivid picture in my head so I could imagine the characters. I learned based on the book that you should never try to get the easier way out because the easier way out always causes you to end up in the harder way anway

[Geralda8f]

So far this book is about a girl Name Angela who is 15 years old who loves fashion butt she can't really express that because she is always working at her parents resturant

[Christina M.]

I HAVENT READ IT YET BUT IM GOING TO READ IT OVER THE WEEKEND.

[Deangela]

some people should read this book because it gives a lot of information like what was all the people names and what the like to do and that is why people should read this book

[Shakira*7D*]

need to read

[Andrew Marseille]

I enjoyed the book "A Matter of Attitude", the book was about a girl a name Angela. Angela had a passion for designing but she didn`t have the support she needed. Also, she has a great sense of style, she showed that she is independent, and shows that everything doesn`t always go your way in life. I thought the book will be two girls who friends who loved to design clothes and wanted to be designer but they had bad attitudes. My impression was wrong, I learned that you should always work hard for what you want and never try to take an easier way around things. Also, because you will make things hard for you and don`t depend on others.