Trying Out

Cheerleaders #1

by Caroline B. Cooney

Thirty-two girls at Tarenton High try out for cheerleader, but only four will be chosen for the squad; will it be Mary Ellen with her serene beauty and high ambitions, or confident but spiteful Vanessa? Will Mary Ellen get suave, rich Pres to notice her or will her heart betray her into the arms of Patrick, the devastatingly handsome son of a refuse collector?

Genres: Young Adult, Teen, Fiction, Young Adult Romance, Romance, High School

201 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Caroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are introduced to what will be our main characters in at least the first half of the series during the Tarenton High cheerleader tryouts, where they agonize internally about their life decisions and what has brought them here.

Full recap here at my blog dedicated to a light-hearted look back at one of my favorite childhood series: https://cheerleadersrecaps.wordpress....

[Bobby Stringini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually almost have this book five stars. Is this a goofy high school soap opera? Yes. Did Caroline B. Cooney load this up with an energetic, enjoyable cast of characters, yes! I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed this book. It isn't perfect. The plot and perspective jump all over the place, but it is entertaining. The cast is varied, and even the parents get a little page time, which was a nice change of pace. Highly recommended. Curious as to how Christopher Pike will handle book 2.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember really enjoying these Cheeleaders books as a young girl, but I read this one again recently and couldn't stand it, very superficial characters, their only concern being their looks and making the Varsity Cheerleading squad, seemed a bit dated.

[Reading with Cats · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Favorite quote: "...the mouth that was half sex god, half Kermit the Frog..." Wait, what? Those two things *do not* go together.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying reading the books of my youth. This one was funnier than I remembered. Quick read that was fast-paced.

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this series CHEERLEADERS as a teenager and I remember loving the characters and their story lines. All different authors. I have books 1-3, 5-8, 25 & 29. No idea what happened to the others but I know I had more than these.

Blurb from back of book 1:
To all of them, being a cheerleader means being the most popular, the most desirable, the most envied...and even the most hated. They will be stars, dazzling and exciting. Mary Ellen, Pres, Nancy, Olivia, Walt, Vanessa, Susan...and fifty others...are trying out, trying to make their wildest dreams come true.

[Anabella Shay Xo(RomanceBookWormXoXo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book, I love this series so much. I own several of the books and look forward to reading more in the series. I like the characters of Mary Ellen, Pres, Walt, Nancy and Olivia the squad.

[Renee Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

My very first series that got me into reading!

[Emma Beckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline B Cooney is so silly, and I adore her.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright.

So, a group of teens are trying out for the varsity cheerleaders squad, but there are more hopefuls than places on the team.
* Mary Ellen was a cheerleader the previous year and is desperate to do it again. She likes Patrick but won't date him because he's too poor and she doesn't want to be poor. She's actually quite mean at times. And she hopes that Pres will ask her out because he drives a porsche.
* Angie fancies the boy who refills the vending machine - Marc, and asks him out.
* Nancy is new and wants a boyfriend but can't find anyone she likes.
* Olivia is a good gymnast but her mother keeps going on about how fragile she is and shouldn't be cheering.
* The book finishes right before their first real event.

[Judy Tarver · Rating 4 out of 5]

For young adults who like reading about high school characters and cheerleading in particular, this is a good series to read. This is the first book in the series and although I enjoyed the book, I didn’t like one particular thing which is that it has some characters who don’t make it onto the squad who I felt they focused a little too much of the book on trying to develop a character who wouldn’t end up being in the rest of the series.

[Jennifer Sherwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a great series.It introduces the characters and setting.It’s realistic .If you have read other books first who makes the squad is spoiled.Like Sweet Valley the ending teases the next book.

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read sooo many of these when I was a kid. I had no idea Caroline B Cooney started the series off!

[Doris Ware · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, LOVED this series as a kid & still love it as an adult. It's like coming home again! Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have such nostalgia for this series. Imagine my surprise & delight when I found out there are *40* books in the series. I only read the first 3 or 4 the first time around.

Under normal circumstances, I'd give this book 1 star because all of the characters are judgemental mean girls (yes, even the boys). But this is like a comfy soap opera that middle-school me LOVED. There's the Insecure Virginal New Girl who finds herself in love with the Sophisticaed Bad Boy...who has a girl friend hidden away at board school! The Beauty From the Wrong Side of the Tracks who wants nothing more to escape to glamourous NYC...but she finds herself hopelessly drawn to the Hometown Hunk (who's a garbage man, no less)! The Straight Up Unapologetic Bitch who's planning revenge on everyone! The Aloof Mystery Girl with a ~tragic past and a domineering mother! It's got all the tropes!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also read this series in high school and enjoyed them very much (even though I was not a cheerleader!). The characters still stand out in my mind--especially Mary Ellen the poor beauty and Preston the super spoiled rich guy. I would like to revisit these if I could find them!

[Mary Bundy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I must admit I read these in the 8th grade. They were such easy reading, I read them on the bus. I don't want to hear it I was in the 8th grade!

[Laura McBroon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved these books as a kid!

[Rena]

Title: Cheerleaders - Trying Out (#1)

[Roshio · Rating 3 out of 5]

so long ago! I remember loving this series and Preston was my favourite. Never got on with Mary Ellen, cause all she did was complain. aah good times.