[Sarabeth 01] • Silver

My mother is determined that I will have a wonderful life -- better than her own. I guess she can't imagine what it is like for me, a kid from a trailer park, to transfer to the junior high school where all the rich kids go -- the kind of kids who come from homes where my mother works as a cleaning woman....

But somehow, miraculously, I've become part of a little clique of pretty and popular girls who have everything money can buy. And sometimes they also have secrets in their lives more painful than anything I've ever known.

From Publishers WeeklyIn this sensitive story of friendship, Mazer subtly breaks down barriers between rich and poor as Sarabeth Silver is finally accepted on her own terms by her wealthy friends. "The book captures the endearingly goofy moments of youth," stated PW. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library JournalGrade 7-12 Finding friends in a new school isn't easy for any junior high school student, but it seemed like it was going to be twice as hard for Sarabeth Silver, who came from the wrong side of the tracks to a wealthy district. But with a slight twisting of the truth, Sarabeth gets acquainted with the one girl in school she really wanted to know, Grant Varrow, and quickly falls into Grant's circle of friends. Then Patty, the least friendly in the group, breaks down and confesses to Sarabeth that the uncle with whom she lives is molesting her. But everything turns out okay because Patty and her mother get counseling, the uncle is prosecuted, and Sarabeth becomes an accepted group member. Fast paced, with realistic dialogue, this easy-to-read problem novel stuffs all of this plot (including boyfriend troubles for Sarabeth) into one book. The characters are undeveloped, and readers won't care that when Patty moves in with Sarabeth, Grant disappears from Sarabeth's life almost without a whimper. Convinced that the plot will revolve around Sarabeth and Grant, it's a real shock when two-thirds of the way through the book, the molestation aspect appears and is dramatically presented and easily resolved within the last third. In spite of the plot inconsistenciesthe ease with which Sarabeth falls into the sophisticated, wealthy group and the easy, uncomplicated resolution of the molestation, this moves easily and interestingly enough along that confirmed Mazer fans will want to finish it. Kathryn Havris, Mesa Public Library, Ariz.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.