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Bad Girls #1
Bad Girls
After meeting on the first day in Mrs. Chemsky's fifth-grade class, Margalo and Mikey help each other in and out of trouble, as they try to maintain a friendship while each asserts her independence.
277 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1996
19 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Voigt
85 books1,020 followersCynthia Voigt is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as adventure, mystery, racism and child abuse.
Awards:
Angus and Sadie: the Sequoyah Book Award (given by readers in Oklahoma), 2008
The Katahdin Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Anne V. Zarrow Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Margaret Edwards Award, for a body of work, 1995
Jackaroo: Rattenfanger-Literatur Preis (ratcatcher prize, awarded by the town of Hamlin in Germany), 1990
Izzy, Willy-Nilly: the Young Reader Award (California), 1990
The Runner: Deutscher Jungenliteraturpreis (German young people's literature prize), 1988
Zilverengriffel (Silver Pen, a Dutch prize), 1988
Come a Stranger: the Judy Lopez Medal (given by readers in California), 1987
A Solitary Blue: a Newbery Honor Book, 1984
The Callender Papers: The Edgar (given by the Mystery Writers of America), 1984
Dicey's Song: the Newbery Medal, 1983
Awards:
Angus and Sadie: the Sequoyah Book Award (given by readers in Oklahoma), 2008
The Katahdin Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Anne V. Zarrow Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Margaret Edwards Award, for a body of work, 1995
Jackaroo: Rattenfanger-Literatur Preis (ratcatcher prize, awarded by the town of Hamlin in Germany), 1990
Izzy, Willy-Nilly: the Young Reader Award (California), 1990
The Runner: Deutscher Jungenliteraturpreis (German young people's literature prize), 1988
Zilverengriffel (Silver Pen, a Dutch prize), 1988
Come a Stranger: the Judy Lopez Medal (given by readers in California), 1987
A Solitary Blue: a Newbery Honor Book, 1984
The Callender Papers: The Edgar (given by the Mystery Writers of America), 1984
Dicey's Song: the Newbery Medal, 1983
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 7, 2008
this book was boring and uninteresting
December 17, 2012
I hoped for humor, got recipe for ten-year old fifth-grade truancy, girl-style "Think they can get away with anything" p253. I like reading about humans whose frailties are challenged and strengths encouraged, yielding a better world. This reads like a teacher/school memoirs (reinforced by Voigt bio), typical unhappy months ruled by bossy bullies from their point of view, revives my worst childhood years preferred forgotten. http://www.cynthiavoigt.com/biography...
Michelle "Mikey" fights physically fist to nose and on the pitch (soccer futbol field), proud of being "not unselfish", "not nice" p83. "Harmless" p92 Margola, "sneaky" "devious" "mean inside" p99, starts rumors and manipulates for power, even secret. Strict but fair Mrs Chemsky seats the newcomers side-by-side; they sign themselves ME, and Me, respectively. Both want their own way, to be class president, and friends. Michelle is an only child with a waist-long braid, home-made healthy lunches, energetic forward player, instant enemies with permanent past class president Louis . Margola's unemployed mother gets married, makes babies, and divorces, packs cheap processed junk food.
I did not even notice what blonde pretty Rhonda said during elections "voting for Mikey because they feel sorry for her" p195 , but they target Louis for expulsion, Rhonda for smelly lunch bags, and ruin Pet Day . Final action ends before the teacher sees unexpected challenges to authority and responds, so the misbehavior presumably continues unhindered by adults, either parents or educators, presumably forever. "They said later that they were friends from the first minute" is the opening sentence. The closing attributes to both mothers "But she looks perfectly ordinary. ?She looks like a nice girl" p277.
No resolution, no growth, no sense of satisfaction for good or justice, evil triumphs here. Or did I miss something? The girls were new, unhappy, unnoticed at home, and had no choice but to jointly vent their inner anger on innocents? A beginning to lives of crime? Adding review shows series ends after 5 books, the girls then fix injustice, so #1 is set up, but I do not like either of them enough to persist, you may, or skip to later in series, because the writing does flow appealingly, sets up realistic behavior, somewhat silly situations, bloody noses.
Michelle "Mikey" fights physically fist to nose and on the pitch (soccer futbol field), proud of being "not unselfish", "not nice" p83. "Harmless" p92 Margola, "sneaky" "devious" "mean inside" p99, starts rumors and manipulates for power, even secret. Strict but fair Mrs Chemsky seats the newcomers side-by-side; they sign themselves ME, and Me, respectively. Both want their own way, to be class president, and friends. Michelle is an only child with a waist-long braid, home-made healthy lunches, energetic forward player, instant enemies with permanent past class president Louis . Margola's unemployed mother gets married, makes babies, and divorces, packs cheap processed junk food.
I did not even notice what blonde pretty Rhonda said during elections "voting for Mikey because they feel sorry for her" p195 , but they target Louis for expulsion, Rhonda for smelly lunch bags, and ruin Pet Day . Final action ends before the teacher sees unexpected challenges to authority and responds, so the misbehavior presumably continues unhindered by adults, either parents or educators, presumably forever. "They said later that they were friends from the first minute" is the opening sentence. The closing attributes to both mothers "But she looks perfectly ordinary. ?She looks like a nice girl" p277.
No resolution, no growth, no sense of satisfaction for good or justice, evil triumphs here. Or did I miss something? The girls were new, unhappy, unnoticed at home, and had no choice but to jointly vent their inner anger on innocents? A beginning to lives of crime? Adding review shows series ends after 5 books, the girls then fix injustice, so #1 is set up, but I do not like either of them enough to persist, you may, or skip to later in series, because the writing does flow appealingly, sets up realistic behavior, somewhat silly situations, bloody noses.
September 7, 2013
It took me a while to warm up to this book since the two main characters are not especially likeable. The longer I spent in a fifth grade classroom under the leadership of a strict teacher who is "the kind of person who saw herself as having short, potato-colored hair",the more realistic I found the students. Voigt gives reader layer upon layer of each character's soul. If Mikey and Margalo hadn't been seated by each other alphabetically, both new on the first day of school, they might not have found much in common.
The girls embrace their outsider-ness and show strength in different ways. Mikey's anger is her power; she seems not to care who likes her. Margalo finds her power in starting rumors and planting ideas in other people's lives that will add to her power. Both girls are skilled at manipulating others. And both girls are insecure in their relationship for most of the book.
Voigt is masterful in showing the many facets of each child's (and the teacher's) personality. And how I grew to love and appreciate Mrs. Chemsky and how she is aware of students' betrayals, kindnesses, cruelties, confusion.
The girls embrace their outsider-ness and show strength in different ways. Mikey's anger is her power; she seems not to care who likes her. Margalo finds her power in starting rumors and planting ideas in other people's lives that will add to her power. Both girls are skilled at manipulating others. And both girls are insecure in their relationship for most of the book.
Voigt is masterful in showing the many facets of each child's (and the teacher's) personality. And how I grew to love and appreciate Mrs. Chemsky and how she is aware of students' betrayals, kindnesses, cruelties, confusion.
February 6, 2018
In a word: Wow! In this poignant novel, Cynthia Voigt delves into the darker side of elementary school, realities that adults have either forgotten or prefer to believe are rare anomalies. When we consider our own childhoods, or casually observe kids in the world or in media, we're looking through the lens of our adult experiences and understandings (and in the case of media portrayals, through the lens of advertisers and studio executives). Naturally, this distorts our perceptions and memories. It's a rare author who can help us see kids as they are, and Cynthia Voigt is one of them. I love Ms. Voigt for allowing us to understand these girls without imposing judgement. Another very difficult feat, and Ms. Voigt achieves it beautifully.
May 25, 2009
It’s hard to believe that this is the same Cynthia Voigt who wrote Dicey’s Song and the rest of the Homecoming series, for Bad Girls, while also contemporary, is less about coming-of-age, family, and grief and more about classroom politics, motives, and friendship. Apparently it's also a series. But it's hard for me to take the title seriously because I just keep thinking of the song. "Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you?" Replace "boys" with "girls," however, and you'll see the dilemma.
April 5, 2009
pretty cool Mikey is awesome my new role model
November 29, 2009
Overly long and somewhat confusing story of two fifth grade girls trying to maintain a friendship while each asserts her independence.
November 28, 2019
I hardly think I am original in not liking the two main characters. I tried hard to find something about them I could appreciate, but I could not. Mikey is a physical bully, but Margalo is the scary one. She psychologically bullies, she intimidates, she cares for no interests but her own. It would be a mistake, however, to call her a sociopath (as some characters do). A sociopath is incapable of feeling remorse. There are times Margalo is remorseful, but not enough to apologize, to attempt to rectify her actions, or to change her pattern of behavior. She knows she is doing wrong and loves doing it. She is about the last person one would suspect of such evil, based on the first impression she gives, which makes her all the more terrifying.
The scenes between the kids in the novel do seem realistic, but I take issue with the portrayal of adults. The amount of physical violence that goes unchecked by the adults in the school is astounding, as is the trash talking between students during the instructional time. I know the book is over 20 years old, but I speak from experience when I say those actions would not have been permissible in my schools at any time in my career.
I think it was an interesting concept to write a book from a "bad girl" point of view, and I give credit for Miss Voight for not letting her characters off the hook by giving them horrible home lives. These are girls in non-perfect but relatively normal home situations who are just bad girls.
And I am glad that my acquaintence with them is over.
The scenes between the kids in the novel do seem realistic, but I take issue with the portrayal of adults. The amount of physical violence that goes unchecked by the adults in the school is astounding, as is the trash talking between students during the instructional time. I know the book is over 20 years old, but I speak from experience when I say those actions would not have been permissible in my schools at any time in my career.
I think it was an interesting concept to write a book from a "bad girl" point of view, and I give credit for Miss Voight for not letting her characters off the hook by giving them horrible home lives. These are girls in non-perfect but relatively normal home situations who are just bad girls.
And I am glad that my acquaintence with them is over.
March 19, 2025
Cynthia Voigt continues to write stories that don't talk down to her readers. Although I loved both main characters and the teacher, there were moments when, because of Voigt's sparse writing style, I was confused about turns in their relationships. It was very reminiscent of being in middle school, though, so full points for immersion.
March 15, 2020
This book was utterly boring.
May 11, 2020
I remember reading this book as a child. I would have love a friendship like that
October 19, 2021
Cynthia has a clear channel into the confused minds of Middle graders.
June 13, 2024
This book is boring. I don't like the plot.
December 15, 2024
Highly entertaining. The MC’s are unforgettable. I didn’t realize that it was a series
February 21, 2015
Mikey Elsinger and Margalo Epps are new to Washington Street Elementary School on the first day of fifth grade in Mrs. Chemsky's class. Mikey is a self-absorbed only child with a giant chip on her shoulder. Margalo is one of many step- and half-siblings in a family with more kids than money. Mikey likes to fight and Margalo appears innocent but is a skilled liar and manipulator.
I imagine Voigt thought she was being all PC by having "two strong female characters" but she seems to confuse strong with mean, as too many people seem to do. Mikey, for one, would be considered a bully by almost anyone's standards. She makes no effort to get along with her classmates, and the idea of "going along to get along" has never occurred to her.
On the surface the story is believable and probably if I read it in the fifth grade I would find it to be more or less true-to-life, but scratch the surface just a little and you see the problems.
I was in elementary school before the days of zero-tolerance policies, yet I can tell you that a student who punched another student in the nose and drew blood, on the first day of class, no less, would have been in very serious trouble. Double that for if she did it again a few weeks later. Parents would have been called and there would probably have been a suspension. Yet Mikey is only reprimanded verbally. Louis gets in worse trouble when he cuts off her long braid; he's sent to a different classroom.
And then Margalo and Mikey rally their classmates to ask that Louis be returned to their class. No real motive is given for this, but it seems to be a power play, a way for the students and Margalo and Mikey in particular, to assert dominance over Louis and Mrs. Chemsky, not to mention Louis's new teacher and the principal. This just doesn't ring true for fifth-graders.
Mrs. Chemsky is portrayed as extremely strict, but as the book goes on it seems she is more of a micro-manager than truly a disciplinarian. She has all kinds of rules about how homework papers are to be completed, the headings on papers, no nicknames used for the students, but she allows Mikey to get away with bloodying Louis's nose twice without consequence. She allows her students to manipulate her, disrupt class and waste time. That's not what a strict teacher would do.
Nobody in the book was likable, not the protagonists, who you wouldn't want your own kids inviting home, and not the other students, who seem either dim-witted or unpleasantly and implausibly slick-talking.
Voigt just doesn't have much of an ear for dialogue and the way real kids talk. Mikey, falsely claiming to have eaten a dog biscuit in order to goad Louis into eating one, says she's tried it lots of times "but I never bothered to boast about it." What ten-year-old talks like that?
And during a discussion of Mrs. Chemsky's husband, someone suggests that she is divorced and that perhaps it was a nasty divorce "you know, like Burt and Loni?" The reference is totally dated now, and I suspect it might have been dated when the book was published, but even if it was, I can't see a fifth-grader making reference to the marriage of Burt Reynolds, not exactly a tween favorite even then.
I can't quite give the book 1 star because there's something about it that I found engaging. I did read it all the way through and don't have that "that's a whole x-number-of-hours I'll never get back" feeling. The characters aren't quite believable and certainly aren't likable, but I still wanted to find out what happened.
I imagine Voigt thought she was being all PC by having "two strong female characters" but she seems to confuse strong with mean, as too many people seem to do. Mikey, for one, would be considered a bully by almost anyone's standards. She makes no effort to get along with her classmates, and the idea of "going along to get along" has never occurred to her.
On the surface the story is believable and probably if I read it in the fifth grade I would find it to be more or less true-to-life, but scratch the surface just a little and you see the problems.
I was in elementary school before the days of zero-tolerance policies, yet I can tell you that a student who punched another student in the nose and drew blood, on the first day of class, no less, would have been in very serious trouble. Double that for if she did it again a few weeks later. Parents would have been called and there would probably have been a suspension. Yet Mikey is only reprimanded verbally. Louis gets in worse trouble when he cuts off her long braid; he's sent to a different classroom.
And then Margalo and Mikey rally their classmates to ask that Louis be returned to their class. No real motive is given for this, but it seems to be a power play, a way for the students and Margalo and Mikey in particular, to assert dominance over Louis and Mrs. Chemsky, not to mention Louis's new teacher and the principal. This just doesn't ring true for fifth-graders.
Mrs. Chemsky is portrayed as extremely strict, but as the book goes on it seems she is more of a micro-manager than truly a disciplinarian. She has all kinds of rules about how homework papers are to be completed, the headings on papers, no nicknames used for the students, but she allows Mikey to get away with bloodying Louis's nose twice without consequence. She allows her students to manipulate her, disrupt class and waste time. That's not what a strict teacher would do.
Nobody in the book was likable, not the protagonists, who you wouldn't want your own kids inviting home, and not the other students, who seem either dim-witted or unpleasantly and implausibly slick-talking.
Voigt just doesn't have much of an ear for dialogue and the way real kids talk. Mikey, falsely claiming to have eaten a dog biscuit in order to goad Louis into eating one, says she's tried it lots of times "but I never bothered to boast about it." What ten-year-old talks like that?
And during a discussion of Mrs. Chemsky's husband, someone suggests that she is divorced and that perhaps it was a nasty divorce "you know, like Burt and Loni?" The reference is totally dated now, and I suspect it might have been dated when the book was published, but even if it was, I can't see a fifth-grader making reference to the marriage of Burt Reynolds, not exactly a tween favorite even then.
I can't quite give the book 1 star because there's something about it that I found engaging. I did read it all the way through and don't have that "that's a whole x-number-of-hours I'll never get back" feeling. The characters aren't quite believable and certainly aren't likable, but I still wanted to find out what happened.
July 30, 2012
So here I am, cleaning out my garage, and I ran across a diorama from long ago. I think my daughter wrote it in 5th grade (she got an "E") so that would make it 3rd grade when she wanted to buy the book. Here is her review, with apologies to my good friend Liz ... I guess I tried to do a little more "guiding" than I thought.
"No sugar, no spice ... what was I looking at? that phrase was on the back cover of Bad Girls. I was in Ms. Sottile's class and we were at the Book Fair. My mum was helping the children find books that day. When I picked up Bad Girls and looked at the cover I knew I had to get it. I took the book to my mum and said "I really want the book" but my mum tried to get me off the track by saying "Isn't that book too old for you? Why don't you look at that book of fairy tales." My mum was judging the book by its cover! Finally, I bugged my mum to buy it.
The book is about two 5th grade girls that like to hurt boys and trick people. They put run over raccoons in a person's lunch box and don't even care what the punishment would be! My diorama shows Margolo and Mikey in the classroom having detention for their mean lunch box trick. since they both did it, Margolo had to write on the chalk board 150 times "I will never do that again" and Mikey had to wash all the desks.
I think you should get this book because I had fun reading it. When you get to 5th grade, you'll know a little more about it."
CW
"No sugar, no spice ... what was I looking at? that phrase was on the back cover of Bad Girls. I was in Ms. Sottile's class and we were at the Book Fair. My mum was helping the children find books that day. When I picked up Bad Girls and looked at the cover I knew I had to get it. I took the book to my mum and said "I really want the book" but my mum tried to get me off the track by saying "Isn't that book too old for you? Why don't you look at that book of fairy tales." My mum was judging the book by its cover! Finally, I bugged my mum to buy it.
The book is about two 5th grade girls that like to hurt boys and trick people. They put run over raccoons in a person's lunch box and don't even care what the punishment would be! My diorama shows Margolo and Mikey in the classroom having detention for their mean lunch box trick. since they both did it, Margolo had to write on the chalk board 150 times "I will never do that again" and Mikey had to wash all the desks.
I think you should get this book because I had fun reading it. When you get to 5th grade, you'll know a little more about it."
CW
October 30, 2018
Overall the book was ok... nothing very eventful happened though. It was a steady stream of troublemaking
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2009
I loved this book! I first read it when I was three or four years older than the main characters (and that's a lot in kid years) and loved it because it's pure mischief! Mikey Elsinger is a girl who prefers barrelling her way through everything in life, whilst Margalo Epps prefers trying her hand at social manipulation. The result is a delicious book of playground politics and insights into kids that you absolutely have to read. No, I mean it: go and read it. Especially if you've lost touch with your inner child. Cynthia Voigt is a master at letting you relive the playground days.
The first and best in the Bad Girls series. Word to the wise: after book two, they both sorta lose their edge.
The first and best in the Bad Girls series. Word to the wise: after book two, they both sorta lose their edge.
November 14, 2008
Bad Girls was a middle level novel about two girls who were new to Washington Street Elementary school and to Mrs. Chemsky's fifth grade classroom. They are a bit of trouble makers. Mikey (Michelle), doesn't take crap from any one. Margalo seems to be tame but she has a fire inside of her. They become best of friends and everyone elses nightmare. Mrs. Chemsky doesn't know how to control them and their classmates fear them. To top it off, the two girls love it. They love being bad. This book takes you on a journey of the two gals who just love being bad.
April 24, 2014
After meeting on the first day in Mrs. Chemsky's fifth-grade class, Margalo Epps and Michelle had problem with school. They always where getting in trouble they wanting to do nothing.These two girl are never good and when they are always to getter they never want to listen or do there work they are bad girl. These girl everybody in there class because they are so bad and they are ruled and very mean to other. These girl never behave like they are supposed, no one want know what they and going to expect of them they not good girl.
November 8, 2011
This reread was entertaining and fun. I specifically reread it, however, to evaluate how I felt about my kids reading it in the future--about these "bad" 5th grade girls. There were only a couple of swear words in the book, and it's a totally engaging read...but in the end, the two girls are pretty obnoxious and unrepentant. I don't think I would buy this book again. But I am not sure it is so bad that it is worth getting rid of. I'm still undecided about it.
January 14, 2013
9-year-old picked this out and I thought I should investigate what constituted "badness" for this fifth-grade pair and see whether it was appropriate for her. It is -- it's fine for her maturity level, although she might, as I did, find herself frustrated by what's not told directly (we have to infer the girls' troubled backgrounds from hints in the text, but we never get to "meet" their families).
May 6, 2013
The book is about two 5th grade girls that like to hurt boys and trick people. They put run over raccoons in a person's lunch box and don't even care what the punishment would be! Margolo had to write on the chalk board 150 times "I will never do that again" and Mikey had to wash all the desks. Maybe if I were 10 I would like a book about mean 5th grade girls, but right now it just seems childish.
Read
May 30, 2014the setting is based mainly at the school . the action begins on the first day of 5th grade , when mikey and margalo meet , they are the main characters in the book . they help eachother in and out of trouble as they try to maintain a friendship . these girls are the trouble makers of the classroom . mikey doesnt take crap from anyone . marglo comes off as a nice girl but when you get to meet her shes not . they become bestfriends & everyone else nightmare .
July 7, 2008
Annotation: Eleven year old Alice, who is missing her mother wants to have a beautiful role model to help guide her forward in life but she later learns that it is not what it on the outside that is important. [return]Annotation: The story of Margalo and Mikey, two fifth grade girls who meet on the first day of school and get into all kinds of trouble while trying to stay friends.
September 29, 2010
This is the first in a series of "Bad Girls" and I highly recommend it. When these two mischevious tweens meet all hell breaks loose in the sixth grade. Once you read this one you'll want to keep following them all the way to high school. Mikey and Margalo could teach Jessica Wakefield a thing or two about sociopathy.
April 1, 2008
Mickey and Margalo are both new students in the 5th grade, and somehow, nobody's quite sure how, because they look like complete opposites, but somehow, they become the best of friends and battle their way through the fifth grade.
December 11, 2008
I read this when I was in 7th grade, good book for children, the characters actually speak the way we did growing up and have the same thought process and are believable (which is always a big thing).
November 6, 2012
Rereading Cynthia Voigt. I had forgotten some of the plot twists, and do think that the age is accurately (but still interestingly) portrayed.
October 6, 2009:
Cute, but not captivating. I don't really see how they're "bad" as opposed to "naughty."
October 6, 2009:
Cute, but not captivating. I don't really see how they're "bad" as opposed to "naughty."
March 9, 2010
This was my absolute favorite book in elementary school. I read it so many times I practically had 95 percent of it memorized. I was just completely drawn to this story about a complicated friendship between two outcasts destined to be best friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews