Takin' Down the Tiara

Libby Brin is so bored with her life that it's scaring her. She's bored into shaking. She's bored into weeping. She's bored into viciousness, and her friends -- talking, drinking, flirting and partying -- aren't even smart enough to know that their meaningless little lives are boring. Perla is boring. Yeah, yeah, she's drop-dead beautiful, but her brain's as empty as a bubble. Mike Dutko is a dumb jock, and Perla's always messing with him. Sid isn't exactly boring, but he's always got his hood up, cranked into his music, and he's been the silent partner in too many embarrassing moments with Libby for her to notice him. And Kenji -- hot, hot, hot, but nobody who Libby really wants to be with long term. They have an "understanding" that includes Kenji playing the field until Libby wants him.

Libby is smart, but smart's not cool, so she's boring and bored, and is, frighteningly, the most popular girl in her entire school. Libby's is danger of becoming self-destructive. Nothing in her life feels real, and she feels... nothing. Nothing for Perla. Nothing for Kenji. Nothing. Taking a shot in the dark one day when she's barely holding it together, Libby signs up for a zoo internship, and wham! -- everything changes.

For one thing: Zoo Internships? Not for the cool. Decidedly not. Her friends can't figure out what's up with her, except for Sid, but he's borderline not-cool anyway, since his band is kind of 'faggy,' according to her Kenji. For another thing, one of the most repellent people in the whole school is doing the Zoo thing -- and she's a dwarf Libby's always called Tiny. Her real name is Tina. Along with Sheldon, this complete nerd-brained science geek, they make up the Blue Team, who observe the animals and shovel the elephant crap.

And what's really weird?
Libby's not bored anymore.
But, is she still The Queen of Cool?

Cecil Castelucci has pulled another awesome book out of her brain - check it out, and enjoy!