Bittersweet Sixteen by Carrie Karasyov & Jill Kargman Grades 7-10 240 pages HarperCollins June 2006 Hardcover     It’s not easy being middle class in a Manhattan private girls’ school full of fabulously wealthy students. But Laura Finnegan has found her niche; she’s got style and a talent to take thrift-store clothing and turn it into designer fashions. This has earned Laura respect, as well as a best-friendship with the school's queen bee, Whitney Blake. But things begin to change when California-transplant Sophie Mitchum transfers into their school. Sophie and Whitney start as friends, but the relationship quickly sours when the girls realize that their sixteenth birthdays, as well as their all-out bash parties, are on the same day. They decide to join forces and have a party-to-end-all-parties…but knowing high school girls, this probably isn’t a very good idea. Laura tries to be neutral, but her efforts only succeed in distancing her from the other girls. And what about the hot guy everyone has their eye on? Who will he choose? Bittersweet Sixteen is a fun book featuring girls from a world all their own. Most readers will love living vicariously through these girls, who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on shoes and purses. Their posh high school is beyond what most experience, with gourmet chefs and closets rather than lockers. The Sweet Sixteen parties, the focus of these girls’ existence for a year, include black-tie dress, exquisite gift bags, and well-known performers and celebrities. Laura is the grounding force of Bittersweet Sixteen. Her average family, average income, and level-headed attitude about school serve as counterpoint to the excesses of the other girls. Readers will enjoy this fun-filled novel but can also learn something from the antics. The overall theme of Bittersweet Sixteen is that friendship is more important that status—but it takes awhile for some people to learn that, if they learn it at all.   web reviews   Melissa Parcel/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)