The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldbl...
Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Lydias hilarious debut novel introduces the...
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Sep 03, 2010
Elizabeth
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There are good and bad results that occur when a book like Diary of a Wimpy Kid hits the stratosphere. On the one hand, suddenly publishers are a lot more open-minded about breathing life into books that mix text and images in new and unique ways. The door opens a little wider for unconventional titles that straddle a variety of writing genres and styles and (normally) don't win any literary awards. That's the good. The bad thing is that as a result any book that tries to make any headway in the
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Jan 06, 2011
Carrie
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An illustrated journal in the style of Amelia’s Notebook, The Popularity Papers documents Lydia and Julie’s preparations to become popular when they begin middle school. They document and try the activities of the popular girls, like dyeing a streak in their hair, or taking up knitting.
This is the usual unpopular friends try to become popular and grow apart when one of them has success, before realizing they need to be themselves story, but it’s clever and the artwork is excellent More...
This is the usual unpopular friends try to become popular and grow apart when one of them has success, before realizing they need to be themselves story, but it’s clever and the artwork is excellent More...
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Feb 18, 2011
Sharon
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In the ever-growing field of the illustrated novel, this title stands out as especially multi-faceted, charming, and unique. It follows the journey of two best friends who share a notebook as they desperately study the popular girls at their elementary school, so they will have a leg up in middle school. Julie is a burgeoning artist, a little more reserved, and lives with her two dads and goth sister Melody; Lydia is more bold and daring, lives with her divorced mom, and had an ambition to sing
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Dec 28, 2010
Chris
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I really like the way this book was done. It falls into the category most commonly referred to these days as Wimpy Kid readalikes, but it's not an imitation. The book is the shared journal/scrapbook of Lydia and Julie, who are in their last year before moving on to Junior High. They've observed that Lydia's older sister went from perky blond in elementary school to scary goth in Junior High, so they figure it's the perfect time to transition from unpopular nobodies to popular. Their plan is
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Nov 09, 2010
Sweet on Books
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The full title of this book is "The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang." The subtitle explains the premise of this terrific middle grade novel. Fifth graders, Julie and Lydia, embark on a project they call the Popularity Papers. They are on a quest to study popularity and to be popular themselves. They would like to start junior high next year ahead of the curve.
This may sound scary to some More...
This may sound scary to some More...
Jul 25, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Graphic Novel
Summary: Fifth grade students Lydia and Julie decide that by the time they reach middle school they will be popular. They start a research and experimentation project in which they observe the "popular" kids in their grade and try to act like them in order to become popular. This book is their top secret notebook in which they write down what they've learned and what they do to try to become popular.
Why I Liked the Book More...
Summary: Fifth grade students Lydia and Julie decide that by the time they reach middle school they will be popular. They start a research and experimentation project in which they observe the "popular" kids in their grade and try to act like them in order to become popular. This book is their top secret notebook in which they write down what they've learned and what they do to try to become popular.
Why I Liked the Book More...
Jul 16, 2010
Sarah-Greenbeanteenqueen
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Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
About the Book: Lydia and Julie are not popular so these best friends decide to figure out what makes popular people so popular in the first place. The girls plan out different experiments and keep track of their results and observations in a notebook which they share. As the girls undergo their popularity research, they find themselves less popular, in trouble, and drifting apart.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I picked this book up because it was sitting on More...
About the Book: Lydia and Julie are not popular so these best friends decide to figure out what makes popular people so popular in the first place. The girls plan out different experiments and keep track of their results and observations in a notebook which they share. As the girls undergo their popularity research, they find themselves less popular, in trouble, and drifting apart.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I picked this book up because it was sitting on More...
Jul 01, 2010
Barky
rated it: 
This is Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang's secret illustrated research journal, which they created in elementary school in order to help them become more popular. They decide to observe (and record their observations) of the popular girls in their school and try to figure out what it is that makes them popular – so that they can emulate their behavior, dress, etc. and become popular themselves.
Some of their conclusions and the ways they go about achieving (well, attempting to More...
Some of their conclusions and the ways they go about achieving (well, attempting to More...
Feb 21, 2010
Debbie
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Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang have been best friends since they were babies. In their quest to enter middle school as part of the popular crowd, they set out to observe several popular classmates to find out just what makes them popular. They record their observations in a shared notebook. Julie is the more shy member of the pair, but also an artist. Lydia is less afraid to try new things, but sometimes goes a little too far.
As they get to know the popular girls, they st More...
As they get to know the popular girls, they st More...
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Sep 07, 2011
人気の論文：研究の社会的改善と総合改善のために中リディアゴールドブラットやジュリーグラハム-チャン
Ninki No Ronbun: Kenkyu No Shakai-Teki Kaizan To Sogo Kaizen No Tame Ni Naka Ridia Gorudoburatto Ya Juri Gurahamu-Chan
Junie and Lydia are best friends. Julia Graham-Chang is an artistic girl with two dads who loves to wear overalls. Lydia Goldblatt is a daring girl who is willing to try anything in their goal: to find out what makes girls popular. As they try everything in their power, from dyeing heir hair to getting "crush More...
Ninki No Ronbun: Kenkyu No Shakai-Teki Kaizan To Sogo Kaizen No Tame Ni Naka Ridia Gorudoburatto Ya Juri Gurahamu-Chan
Junie and Lydia are best friends. Julia Graham-Chang is an artistic girl with two dads who loves to wear overalls. Lydia Goldblatt is a daring girl who is willing to try anything in their goal: to find out what makes girls popular. As they try everything in their power, from dyeing heir hair to getting "crush More...
Jan 13, 2011
Teresa
rated it:
This was very clever. A great combination of two voices, drawings, and even bits of knitting "taped" to the pages of a notebook. Lydia (the brave experimenter) and Julie (the shyer observer and artist) keep a top-secret notebook of their "scientific" observations of the popular girls in their 5th grade class, so that they can achieve popularity themselves next year in middle school. Their various experiments involve class elections, school shows and camping trips, sleepovers,
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Sep 27, 2010
JULIE is a weird girl according to everyone else anyways.
Julie and lydia are the losers of the school.
They don’t talk to anyone else but eachother i think that thats kind of sad but thats just what i think.These two girls are a little weird but they both are very intelegent girls.
Lydia sings really good and she wants to be the lead of the play.
But some one else gets the main part in the play all the time and lydia ends up being something unimportant as usual .
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Julie and lydia are the losers of the school.
They don’t talk to anyone else but eachother i think that thats kind of sad but thats just what i think.These two girls are a little weird but they both are very intelegent girls.
Lydia sings really good and she wants to be the lead of the play.
But some one else gets the main part in the play all the time and lydia ends up being something unimportant as usual .
More...
Feb 05, 2010
Lauren
rated it: 
The Popularity Papers was a charmingly cute read told in diary format by two fifth grade girls- Lydia and Julie.
While Lydia is the out-spoken one who craves to be the center star of everyone's lives (blame the theater geek in her), Julie would just be happy being on the sidelines being the quiet, sullen smart one. Both were fun to read about, even if I did sometimes find it hard to support their quenching desire to be popular. Though, they were fifth graders, so what could you expec More...
While Lydia is the out-spoken one who craves to be the center star of everyone's lives (blame the theater geek in her), Julie would just be happy being on the sidelines being the quiet, sullen smart one. Both were fun to read about, even if I did sometimes find it hard to support their quenching desire to be popular. Though, they were fifth graders, so what could you expec More...
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Jan 11, 2011
Riley
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The Popularity Papers by Amy Igoatow was a wonderful comedic book. It was some what relate able in some situations. It was very original. I loved how the book was the 2two main characters point of view and what you are reading is there convocation in there hand righting and there drawings! I liked how they also treated the book like a diary. I think the book is for fit graders mostly because they talk about getting ready for junior high. But reading it at my age it is fun thinking I used to act
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Mar 28, 2010
Susan
rated it:
Totally engaging and laugh out loud funny. Yes it could be compared to Wimpy Kid, but there is more to this book than that! Lydia abd Julie decide to prepare themselves for the transition from elementary school to middle school (or junior high) by observing the "popular" kids--what they do, wear, etc. and trying them on for size. Julie is the illustrator of their little manual and both girls write comments and observation. As the school year progresses, they reach out into their re
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Nov 07, 2011
The Library Lady
rated it:
Okay, I am SO not into this book. I don't like "notebook" books done in handwriting for the most part, and I've seen most of the material here in a thousand other books.
Thing is, that doesn't matter because I am not a 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 yr old girl. They will eat this up and ask for more. Don't bother handing it to boys, because this is girly beyond words and has ZERO boy appeal even if you are misguided enough to try to hand it to a boy.
And the 12 year old at More...
Thing is, that doesn't matter because I am not a 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 yr old girl. They will eat this up and ask for more. Don't bother handing it to boys, because this is girly beyond words and has ZERO boy appeal even if you are misguided enough to try to hand it to a boy.
And the 12 year old at More...
Sep 21, 2010
Doug
rated it:
I would actually like to have a kid read this and tell me what they thought, because my reading it as an adult may have clouded my judgement. I really loved the illustrations and thought some of the characters were really good, but I often felt like I was reading an adult remembering what it was like to be a child, and not reading from a kid's perspective.
This is the story of Lydia and Julie and how they long to become popular. They accomplish this by creating a journal and a lis More...
This is the story of Lydia and Julie and how they long to become popular. They accomplish this by creating a journal and a lis More...
May 25, 2010
Emerson School
rated it:
De'Azhane says:
Lydia and Julie, the main characters in The Popularity Papers, are trying to be popular and they spy on the popular kids. They ask Melody (Lydia’s sister) some questions and she says, “well, you have to dress cute.” The next day Lydia was wearing her mom’s jewelry and heels.
They are trying to get a cell phone so they try and run away and make their mom and dads try to call them but oh they don’t have a cell phone.
They finally left their house and t More...
Lydia and Julie, the main characters in The Popularity Papers, are trying to be popular and they spy on the popular kids. They ask Melody (Lydia’s sister) some questions and she says, “well, you have to dress cute.” The next day Lydia was wearing her mom’s jewelry and heels.
They are trying to get a cell phone so they try and run away and make their mom and dads try to call them but oh they don’t have a cell phone.
They finally left their house and t More...
Feb 22, 2012
Ashley
rated it:
Done in the diary style of Wimpy Kid, The Popularity Papers reports the story of two fifth graders trying to figure out how to become popular. They start by observing the popular kids, then they try to dye their hair, dress like a grown-up, and do popular activities. They both find ways to infiltrate the popular group, but what will it mean for their friendship? The story is told by both Lydia and Julie, alternating between neat printing with great drawings and cursive writing with stick drawing
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Apr 04, 2010
Pam
rated it:
My bias against this title would have made me pass right over it at B&N, but when an independent bookstore put it front and center I actually considered it, and glad I did. Lydia and Julia have one year before junior high and one year to figure out how to be popular. In the style of Moss' Amelia's Notebook series, this book is in a diary format with lots of drawings and notes. The two best friends, Lydia and Julie record their observations and perform experiments about what it takes to be pop
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Oct 10, 2010
Esthera013
rated it:
Popularity Papers is about two girls named Julia and Lidia. All they want to do is to be "popular girls". So the 2 girls start to make a secretclub for themselves so they could spy on the popular girls. For example, one time they discovered that one of the popular girls knitted their own hats and gloves. The 2 girls tried, and I'm going to tell you one of the words I read at that part was OUCH! In the end thet discover that being popular doesn't really mean you have to wear fancy clo
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Oct 02, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
Probably more like a 4-4.5, but just wanted to convey how much I enjoyed this book. It's like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid format of a journal, but it doesn't feel like a knock-off. Great art, humorous, and a message that doesn't feel heavy-handed. I would definitely recommend this one to kids, mostly girls.
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Aug 09, 2010
Shazzer
rated it:
A wonderful book, in every little way. Hilarious (when Julie brings up the fact that she's incidentally drawn four toilets in their journal thus far, I was laughing out loud), sensitive, and having an wonderful spirit of diversity and tolerance that in no way makes itself the center of attention, but simply floats on the surface of everything, like pond algae...or something less disgusting. This is a good pick for reluctant readers (though some might have difficulty with Lydia's cursive handwr
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Sep 05, 2011
Alexandra
rated it:
For Summer reading I decided to read “The Popularity Papers”. This book was very good and I enjoyed it very much I would give this book three and a half stars! I recommed this book is about two girls that are very great friends- In this adventure these to girls decide that being popular is more important than being who you really are. They then decide that they would observe the popular girls and after two months of observing they would make an attempt to walk like them talk like them and act li
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Jul 26, 2011
The popularity papers : research for the social improvement and general betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow
Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Lydia’s the bold one: aspiring theater star, stick-fighting enthusiast, human guinea pig. Julie’s the shy one: observer and artist, accidental field hockey star, faithful recorder. In this notebook (written in scrapbook form) they write down their obser More...
Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Lydia’s the bold one: aspiring theater star, stick-fighting enthusiast, human guinea pig. Julie’s the shy one: observer and artist, accidental field hockey star, faithful recorder. In this notebook (written in scrapbook form) they write down their obser More...
Mar 31, 2010
Becky
rated it:
Totally hilarious. Lydia and Julie keep a scrapbook all throughout 5th grade, observing and recording the popular girls so they can learn to emulate them before middle school. Includes lists and drawings; it's not really a graphic novel, but I don't know what else to call it. I like both girls' nontraditional families and how their bond is tested by their quest for popularity. I tried noting favorite quotes, but their were too many and they only make sense in context. Great book! Pair with Middle school is worse than meatloaf
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Jan 29, 2011
Deanna
rated it:
In a quest for popularity, 5th graders Julie and Lydia decide to record the behavior, dress and activities of those kids who have already acheived the elite status of "popular". The girls keep a co-authored journal including "hand-written" notes in each girls distinctive handwriting and colored illustrations. Julie and Lydia experiment with new wardrobes, hairstyles and participating in different extra-curricular activities. The experiement yields different results for ea
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Aug 03, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
A good choice for reluctant girl readers who enjoyed The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or Dork Diaries books. Best friends (and sixth graders) Lydia and Julie embark on a quest to discover what makes the popular kids popular. On the way, they discover important truths about themselves, friendship, and what really makes people happy. Good for diversity as the character of Julie Graham-Chang is Asian American, and lives with her two dads, while Lydia is Jewish and a has a single mom--these issues are not
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Jul 24, 2010
Mary Jo
rated it:
This is a cute juvenile novel following the exploits of two friends as they try to scientifically determine what makes the popular girls popular, and test their theories in hopes of moving up into popularity.
The format of this book is what initially caught my eye, done as a notebook written in by the two friends. Lydia's careful cursive and Julie's simple printing and beautiful drawings really help show the two girls' personalities.
Of course, once I got into the book More...
The format of this book is what initially caught my eye, done as a notebook written in by the two friends. Lydia's careful cursive and Julie's simple printing and beautiful drawings really help show the two girls' personalities.
Of course, once I got into the book More...
Dec 17, 2011
Ubalstecha
rated it:
This pseudo graphic novel is about two best friends, Lydia and Julie, and their quest to find out how popular girls become popular. Their plan is that when they discover this, they will then apply these lessons to their own lives to become popular.
Written as a research diary by the two girls, the story is told by their written conversations and Julie's pictures. Which is very sweet and true to life. My only quibble is that this is really more of an Intermediate book (Grade 6 to 8) More...
Written as a research diary by the two girls, the story is told by their written conversations and Julie's pictures. Which is very sweet and true to life. My only quibble is that this is really more of an Intermediate book (Grade 6 to 8) More...
