Popular: A Memoir/ Maya Van Wagenen/ 259 pages

Truman Reader Nominee Popular: A Memoir by Maya Van Wagenen is a winner in my book!  Maya is entering eight grade in Brownsville, Texas.  Through a series of coincidences she comes across a vintage teen etiquette book  written by model Betty Cornell.  With the support of her Mom, Maya sets out to use the etiquette rules written in the fifties during the school year.  Her goal is to write about her experience and see what happens.  Will she become popular?  Maya starts with the simple surface changes, caring for hair, skin, wearing make-up and finally dressing as a proper 1950's teen.  Then it's time to take on the hard stuff.  Interacting with people.  Maya's record of what happens makes for an interesting read.  What she learns along the way should be required reading for every teen and maybe even adults.  This book would appeal to teens and adults.  Without being preachy it passes along an important lesson.