Cabot, Meg. How to be popular.

CABOT, Meg. How to be popular. HarperCollins. 304p. c2006, 0-060-88012-0. $16.99. (Lib. bdg: 0060880139. $17.89.) J

Steph, funny and wholesome, is notorious at her school for once spilling a drink all over the most popular girl. Time has passed and she's fed up with being the butt of all jokes. When Steph comes across a book called How to Be Popular, she quickly sets out to change her reputation and present a new self. She makes huge strides in what she thinks is the right direction, which causes her to question what she is doing. In the process of becoming popular, she learns about herself and what she actually values, bringing the novel to a satisfying end.

As with most Cabot characters (Princess Mia of the Princess Diaries series, for instance), the voice of Steph is well developed and realistic. She comes across as a smart, pleasant teenager who is simply doing what she thinks is sensible. The message about the unimportance of popularity comes across loud and clear by the end of the novel. Even though it's predictable how Steph will end up, the book is still fun and the characters keep it interesting. Joanna Solomon, West Newton, MA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.