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Gotta Love High School
All they need is... Brooke Dawson: The courage to try out for the cheerleading squad.which is the closest to gymnastics I can get. Plus a new best friend who's actually a girl, no offense to Trevor. And more time near Brett - even if that means hanging out in math class. Trevor Stevenson: The opportunity to be the second star of the basketball team, which I'd take instantly. A chance with Sophia. And making friends basketball star Brett wouldn't hurt either. Sophia Garrison: A new cheerleader - as squad captain, it's my responsibility to find one. A real best friend who isn't shallow. And maybe Trevor to protect me from that wannabe Daphne. Brett Evans: A replacement for the basketball team. A new star - after me, obviously. More attention from Brooke - the perfect someone to distract me from ex-second-star Jackson. But what is it that these Saffrondale High juniors really need to survive the jealousy, the hatred, and all the drama? To meet one another.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2007
About the author
Sara Samarasinghe
7 books10 followersSara Samarasinghe published her first novel, Dalaina, at age twelve; Gotta Love High School at thirteen; Deception at fourteen; Broken Angel and Love & Lies at fifteen; Duplicates at sixteen.
Sara's poetry, short stories, and essays have been published in anthologies and featured in magazines and newspapers. Sara was also featured on NBC/ABC/FOX/My9 TV and CBS radio shows in interviews about her work.
Sara's poetry, short stories, and essays have been published in anthologies and featured in magazines and newspapers. Sara was also featured on NBC/ABC/FOX/My9 TV and CBS radio shows in interviews about her work.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 13, 2011
Sara Samarasinghe, Gotta Love High School (iTeen Books, 2007)
With the explosion in popularity of self- and vanity publishing over the past decade, it's no longer a huge event when a teen (or younger) author to have a book on the (virtual, usually) shelves. In fact, you may have heard about a minor scandal last year (I am writing this in July of 2011) where a woman claimed a “major publishing house” had signed a 23-book deal with her six-year-old son, not realizing that there are actually a few of us out here who would take one look at the name of the publisher (Strategic Book Publishing) and know that it's a vanity press. As well, if you've read a handful or more of the books this wave has produced, you know you'll probably have to slog through a lot of swine to find a few pearls. When you do, however, it makes the whole process worthwhile. Gotta Love High School, Sara Samarasinghe's second novel, is not yet a pearl...but it shows more than enough promise to say it's a grain of sand that's gotten a few layers of lacquer. Which is pretty darned impressive for a novel that was published when its author was thirteen years of age. Even more so when you consider the bulk of the thing; it's four hundred fifty-two pages long. Most thirteen-year-olds, assigned a novel of that length in English class, would outright revolt. Here's one who's actually producing them.
Plot: Four high school juniors (Sophia, Brooke, Trevor, and Brett) are thrown together after a series of events conspires to open up one spot each on the basketball team and the cheerleading squad. Trevor and Brooke, best friends since forever, make a pact to try out; Sophia and Brett, the captains of the respective teams, already had their eyes on the two. The four quickly merge into one unit, the better to deal with the problems of high school—which include, but are not limited to, the player who was kicked off the basketball team creating the opening for Trevor (we never do find out what he did, though it must have been pretty ugly); his girlfriend, who's been obsessed with getting a place on the cheerleading squad since seventh grade; the rival local high school, which has a closer connection with Saffrondale High than anyone knows; and, scariest of all, Brooke's younger sister and Sophia's younger brother wanting to hook up but being too shy to ask one another out.
The problems with the book are exactly what one would expect given it having been written by a thirteen-year-old; the emotional investment here is too quick, and often variable, the plot is episodic, the conflicts are on the lightweight side. To her credit, Samarasinghe does attempt to delve into some more dangerous situations, but they're resolved quickly and with the shallowness one expects given what's come before. Having tried (and failed...miserably) to write a novel at the same age, I recognized a great deal of the book's shortcomings as age-appropriate. There is also the issue of the language used by the narrators (it's told in sections, with each of the four getting face time), but I'm willing to give Samarasinghe the benefit of the doubt that kids actually talk like that.
On the other hand...here's a four hundred fifty-two page novel written by a thirteen-year-old. Yes, I know I'm obsessing over that bit. But it's not just that. It's a readable, well-paced, enjoyable four hundred fifty-two page novel I burned through in three days. I'll admit it: I picked it up because I caught a press release about a thirteen-year-old author. (Yes, authors who have been wondering: people DO read those press releases that go out on the free services like PRNewswire.) I expected it to be, well, not good. I was wrong. Sara Samarasinghe, as of 2007 at least, still needs some polish, and emotional depth in characterization will come with age, but I think this is an author with a good deal of potential, and Gotta Love High School definitely made me want to read more of her work. Recommended for those capable of appreciating a diamond in the rough. ***
With the explosion in popularity of self- and vanity publishing over the past decade, it's no longer a huge event when a teen (or younger) author to have a book on the (virtual, usually) shelves. In fact, you may have heard about a minor scandal last year (I am writing this in July of 2011) where a woman claimed a “major publishing house” had signed a 23-book deal with her six-year-old son, not realizing that there are actually a few of us out here who would take one look at the name of the publisher (Strategic Book Publishing) and know that it's a vanity press. As well, if you've read a handful or more of the books this wave has produced, you know you'll probably have to slog through a lot of swine to find a few pearls. When you do, however, it makes the whole process worthwhile. Gotta Love High School, Sara Samarasinghe's second novel, is not yet a pearl...but it shows more than enough promise to say it's a grain of sand that's gotten a few layers of lacquer. Which is pretty darned impressive for a novel that was published when its author was thirteen years of age. Even more so when you consider the bulk of the thing; it's four hundred fifty-two pages long. Most thirteen-year-olds, assigned a novel of that length in English class, would outright revolt. Here's one who's actually producing them.
Plot: Four high school juniors (Sophia, Brooke, Trevor, and Brett) are thrown together after a series of events conspires to open up one spot each on the basketball team and the cheerleading squad. Trevor and Brooke, best friends since forever, make a pact to try out; Sophia and Brett, the captains of the respective teams, already had their eyes on the two. The four quickly merge into one unit, the better to deal with the problems of high school—which include, but are not limited to, the player who was kicked off the basketball team creating the opening for Trevor (we never do find out what he did, though it must have been pretty ugly); his girlfriend, who's been obsessed with getting a place on the cheerleading squad since seventh grade; the rival local high school, which has a closer connection with Saffrondale High than anyone knows; and, scariest of all, Brooke's younger sister and Sophia's younger brother wanting to hook up but being too shy to ask one another out.
The problems with the book are exactly what one would expect given it having been written by a thirteen-year-old; the emotional investment here is too quick, and often variable, the plot is episodic, the conflicts are on the lightweight side. To her credit, Samarasinghe does attempt to delve into some more dangerous situations, but they're resolved quickly and with the shallowness one expects given what's come before. Having tried (and failed...miserably) to write a novel at the same age, I recognized a great deal of the book's shortcomings as age-appropriate. There is also the issue of the language used by the narrators (it's told in sections, with each of the four getting face time), but I'm willing to give Samarasinghe the benefit of the doubt that kids actually talk like that.
On the other hand...here's a four hundred fifty-two page novel written by a thirteen-year-old. Yes, I know I'm obsessing over that bit. But it's not just that. It's a readable, well-paced, enjoyable four hundred fifty-two page novel I burned through in three days. I'll admit it: I picked it up because I caught a press release about a thirteen-year-old author. (Yes, authors who have been wondering: people DO read those press releases that go out on the free services like PRNewswire.) I expected it to be, well, not good. I was wrong. Sara Samarasinghe, as of 2007 at least, still needs some polish, and emotional depth in characterization will come with age, but I think this is an author with a good deal of potential, and Gotta Love High School definitely made me want to read more of her work. Recommended for those capable of appreciating a diamond in the rough. ***
November 23, 2009
This books is really different to all the books I have read... It was amazing to read a different kinda book about everyday life of high school children. I really liked it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews