Surviving High School

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Author(s)

Lele Pons

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher

Gallery Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

April 05, 2016

ISBN

978-1501120534

Buy This Book

Vine superstar Lele Pons—“one of the coolest girls on the web” (Teen Vogue)—teams up with #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz (The Isle of the Lost) in this lovable debut novel about the wilds and wonders of high school that’s as laugh-out-loud addictive as Lele’s popular videos.

Ten million followers and I still sit alone at lunch. Lele is a bulls-eye target at her new school in Miami until, overnight, her digital fame catapults the girl with cheerleader looks, a seriously silly personality, and a self-deprecating funny bone into the popular crowd. Now she’s facing a whole new set of challenges—the relentless drama, the ruthless cliques, the unexpected internet celebrity—all while trying to keep her grades up and make her parents proud.

Filled with the zany enthusiasm that has made Lele into Vine’s most viewed star, this charming novel is proof that high school is a trip. From crushing your crushes (what’s up with that hot transfer student Alexei??) to throwing Insta-fake parties with your BFFs and moaning over homework (GAH) with your frenemies, high school is a rollercoaster of exhilarating highs and totally embarrassing lows. Leave it to Lele to reassure us that falling flat on your face is definitely not the end of the world. Fans of Mean Girls will love this fun and heartwarming fish-out-of-water story.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

A Hillarious look at High School and fame

May 19, 2016

Overall rating

3.0

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

What I Loved:

SURVIVING HIGH SCHOOL by Lele Pons and Melissa de la Cruz is a “fictional memoir” based on the high school experiences of Vine star Lele Pons. It follows her when she transfers from her small Catholic private school to a much larger public school, Miami High.

Things don’t go so well for Lele when she first transfers and her experience navigating a new social scene with a completely different culture from her previous High School is both entertaining and endearing. Lele swings between overconfidence and crippling self-doubt while narrating her own story in a unique and hilarious voice. Interspersed between the events of her junior year are behind the scenes looks at her vine process and her path to “internet famous."

The supporting characters, friends Darcy and Alexei, frenemy Yvette, and her family all add their own hilarious commentary to Lele and her life. They are also a vital part of connecting to the story, it’s hard for me to connect to Lele’s experiences of achieving internet fame but their reactions, concerns, and genuine excitement over her successes felt genuine and honest.

What Left Me Wanting More:

There are times, specifically in her interactions with Darcy and Alexei, that felt preachy, like the authors wanted to be sure there was a lesson to be learned here. Conflict felt resolved a little too easily and every interaction felt tied up with a bow.

For example, Darcy and Lele get into over their grades on a recent math quiz. While Darcy does well, Lele fails. Lele ends up lighting Darcy’s quiz on fire, which promptly lands her in the Principals office. After a few tears and a cheesy speech about learning to be happy for her friends, the principal sends her on her way with nothing but a warning. On the very next page, Darcy forgives her because she “admires her confidence” and they’re off to the movies, all the drama behind them.

Unfortunately, almost all conflict is outlined in a similar fashion which made the narrative feel choppy with no real stakes raised for the plot.

The Final Verdict:

SURVIVING HIGH SCHOOL by Lele Pons and Melissa de la Cruz is a hilarious telling of one girls story from socially awkward high school loser to Queen Bee through the power of the internet (and a few good shopping sprees.) Lele’s unique voice will make you laugh out loud and want to rewatch all her crazy vines.