Hairspray: The Novel

by Tracey West

It’s 1962 and Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion—to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program The Corny Collins Show and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to teen celebrity. But can this newcomer beat out the show’s pretty but mean star, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her ’do? Only in this novelization of Hairspray, a remake of the 1988 cult-classic movie and the Tony Award–winning Broadway play.

Genres: Young Adult

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2007

About the author

Tracey West is the New York Times bestselling author of Dragon Masters, a series in the Scholastic Branches line. She has written more than 400 books for kids, including the Pixie Tricks series and the Underdogs series with Kyla May.

Some readers also know Tracey for writing books based on animation such as Pokémon and LEGO Ninjago.

She currently lives in the western Catskills of New York with her husband, Bill; their adopted dogs; and a whole mess of chickens.

Reviews

[Clare :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book wasn't nearly as good as the movie
although it has good pictures

[Baby Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

one thing i learned from this book is to go out for what you believe in and do not let no one stop you! (Well if you think it is good for you!)

[Rosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A toned-down kids' version of the movie. Adds very little.

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

So they changed some of it but it was good

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simplistic and, yes, a little corny, this book takes one of the most socially sensitive issues—racial integration—and sets it to a dance groove. Bouncing along and cloaking its message under snappy patter, lyrics, dance moves and bouffant hairstyles, Hairspray reduces the tension to a level acceptable for small children.

Racial bigotry is merely a barrier set against black and white kids dancing on the same show. (The book neatly sidesteps the grimmer social problems of the day like equal pay, dining in the same restaurants or living in the same neighborhoods.) But in spite of that it does manage to lay out various serious scenarios without losing its sparkle: teenaged rebellion, the search for a criminal fugitive, arrests of citizens during peaceable assembly, potential miscegenation, etc.

It’s not deep literature by any means but it serves as a passable introduction to the 2007 remake of John Waters’s original hit movie.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A movie novelization is a book written based on the screenplay of a film. I have loved movie novelizations since I was in middle school. It's very different from reading a book that a movie is based on. Movie novelizations usually end up being pretty close to what you see on the screen though you will occasionally read some scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor prior to the film being released. Novelizations fill in some of the gaps that are left in the movies.

[Mileena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Well clearly, since this was written as just the film adaptation version, and the book was so small, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as the movie, especially considering how in love I am with this movie. But if you're a fan of the movie as I am, you will defiantly enjoy reading this. Most of the dialog in the book was directly word for word from the film so it was a lot of fun.

[Jule · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guitly please. Teehee. :D

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

1 of my fave books.

[Sara Clarkson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book just before I went to see it at the cinema, a quick light read. I really enjoyed it. Movie was awesome too.

[Rebecca Whitesell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so amazing!! It was about this girl who changes things about Nigro Day.

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

it has a lot of racist in it but it really good and really informal

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick read