Glitter Girl

by Toni Runkle, Stephen Webb

Overview

True Confessions of a Trendsetter

Hi! I'm Kat. Welcome to my blog. I may be from a small town but I'm also Glitter Girl Cosmetics' newest trendsetter. Thanks to my flair for fashion and my popular style blog, I've been chosen to be an Alpha Girl, which means I get to try out all the Glitter Girl products before they hit the stores.

Forty-eight hours after she blogs about the goodies in the new line, every girl at Kat's school is sporting the gear. Kat's popularity skyrockets, but Jules—Kat's BFF—seems to be the only one who's not buying into the Glitter Girl lifestyle. Is Kat willing to sacrifice her friendship for life in the fab lane?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402285585
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	12/03/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Lexile:	890L (what's this?)
File size:	946 KB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Toni Runkle began her writing career at age 4 when she scrawled on a lampshade in crayon. Despite getting in BIG trouble, she continued writing (books, blogs, screenplays). She lives in Valencia, California with her husband and daughter who are understandably grateful that she now writes on computers instead of furniture.

Hailing from a small town in South Dakota, Stephen Webb now makes his home in the small town of Los Angeles, where he enjoys annoying his wife and daughter by singing show tunes at the top of his lungs. He loves softball, cheeseburgers, and his family, although not necessarily in that order.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

All That Glitters Comes via UPS

There it was. In the middle of the Connors's living room. The Box. It had been shipped overnight from Los Angeles. Kat had to look at it twice before the reality sank in. It was her name all right: Ms. Katherine Connors, 5473 Jasmine Court, Carmel, Indiana. Her name looked funny there on the box, even though she'd seen it a million times before on papers, report cards, and the Christmas cards that she and her BFF Jules always sent to each other.

But this box was special.

This box was going to make her the first Glitter Girl in all of Indiana.

Maybe no one had heard of Glitter Girl yet, but that was about to change, and Kat was how that was going to happen.

Glitter Girl was a new line of products for teens and tweens. Kat hated that word, "tween." Who invented it? she wondered. This company in California (Remoulet Worldwide, Inc., according to Kat's googling on the matter) was going to start selling these products next month. But before that, Remoulet Worldwide, Inc. wanted to get everybody excited about it.

That's where Kat Connors came in. And that's why the box ended up in the middle of her living room. Inside that box was simply every Glitter Girl product that any girl could ever want. Kat's hand reached closer to the box; she could only imagine what treasures were waiting inside.

"No, Kat," she told herself, pulling her hand back. "You promised Mom you wouldn't touch the box until the sleepover tonight when Jules and everyone else is here."

Kat told herself that, but it's hard to listen to yourself sometimes, especially with all that stuff sitting right in front of you. Lip gloss! In who knows how many different shades! And every cool other thing in the history of coolness! And they were giving it all to Kat. For free!

As her hand still hovered over the box, Kat thought about how and why this package came to her in the first place. And how she knew, just knew, that this box would change her life. Forever. Obviously, this was no ordinary box. Which made sense. Because Kat Connors was no ordinary girl. She was an Alpha Girl.

Editorial Reviews

12/02/2013
Runkle and Webb debut with a 21st-century take on the idea that "All that glitters is not gold." Eighth grader Kat Connors's sky-high popularity soars into the stratosphere after she's chosen as one of 50 "Alpha Girls" competing to be the face of the Glitter Girl line of teen cosmetics and accessories. The story's main thread revolves around Kat's hosting of an exclusive slumber party and the resulting mania around Glitter Girl products, all driven by a viciously ambitious young marketing executive. Other tangents include Kat's resentment that her father is constantly away on business and the fact that her ascent to "the Mount Rushmore of Popular" is creating a widening rift between her and her no-frills, Shakespeare-loving best friend, Jules (chapter titles offer contemporary riffs on Shakespearean lines, e.g. "What Light from Yonder Laptop Breaks"). The tension between the girls reaches the breaking point when Jules's long-planned birthday party conflicts with the gala crowing the winner of the Glitter Girl contest. Though foreseeable, the reconciliation between the girls is credible and carries some emotional heft. Ages 10–up. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"This is a fun read with a powerful message of what can happen when the lure of popularity and fame gets in the way of best friends. Perfect for girls who love a little bit of glamour and fashion, Glitter Girl sparkles while it also shows tweens how your best friend doesn’t have to be exactly like you." — The Parents Connection

"Runkle and Webb debut with a 21st-century take on the idea that "All that glitters is not gold"...[and the book] carries some emotional heft." — Publishers Weekly

"If there’s one thing parents and tweens can take away from "Glitter Girl," it is that friendship is something we can’t take for granted, at any age." — Whittier Daily News

"Kat learns a few home truths throughout the course of this book, but she takes responsibility and reevaluates a few aspects of herself. Mostly it's a book about friendship, loyalty, and doing the right thing; perfect for a high school library! " — Wondrous Reads

" Runkle and Webb deliver an empowering message about striving to be true to oneself for middle school readers. " — Kirkus Reviews

"Glitter Girl tackles the very important topic of friendship vs. popularity, hitting on one common issue many of today’s teens face: The need for approval from others. " — Girls’ Life Magazine

From the Publisher

2013-10-09
A fashion-savvy eighth-grader's blog garners the attention of a major company. Due to her skill in discerning forthcoming fashions, Kat is selected to be an Alpha Girl. As one of 50 throughout the country, Kat is chosen to have a sleepover party featuring a new line of teen products and entered into a contest to become the "Face of Glitter Girl." However, Kat's fantastic opportunity soon illuminates the differences between her and best friend, Jules, who is skeptical of the project. It also creates tension in Kat's developing romance with Jules' older brother, Kyle. Events culminate in a crisis when Kat discovers that the party to reveal the winner of the contest coincides with Jules' 14th birthday party. Runkle and Webb's narrative convincingly conveys the emotions of the characters, allowing readers to consider both sides of Kat and Jules' conflict. They address dilemmas familiar to young adolescent readers, such as friends growing apart and the longing for acceptance. The authors also include more lighthearted milestones, adeptly portraying the giddiness of first dates and first kisses. By the story's resolution, Kat demonstrates maturity in evaluating her priorities and accepting responsibility for her choices. Runkle and Webb deliver an empowering message about striving to be true to oneself for middle school readers. (Fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus Reviews