Sunday, September 11, 2011

Review of Hot Ticket ~ a fun middle grade book

Hot Ticket: Hot Ticket TrilogyHot Ticket: Hot Ticket Trilogy by Tracy Marchini

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Middle Grade
Source: Received ebook from author to review

Description from Goodreads:"Hot tickets could be awarded for doing something cool, saying something funny, or sometimes even just wearing something the ticket dispenser liked. All authentic hot tickets were two inch by six inch rectangles made from this orange cardboard material, with "HOT TICKET" written in big bold letters at the top. Hot tickets first started becoming popular about a month after school started. Then there was this rash of copycat tickets on regular paper, but people just tossed those in the trash. Everybody could figure out it was one of their friends that made it anyway. But an authentic ticket - that was something you kept. Some people had their lockers decorated in hot and shame tickets. Some people kept their hot tickets at home to prevent theft. If I got a hot ticket, I would definitely keep it taped on the inside door of my locker. Right now my locker only had a locker mirror, a picture of Lucy and I from my birthday party at Six Flags and these annoying cat stickers from the person who had my locker before me. Fifth grade did not prepare me for this at all." Juliet Robinson is the only sixth grader in John Jay Jr. High who hasn't received a "hot ticket" from the mysterious ticket dispenser. When one of the dorkiest kids in school - Crammit Gibson - receives a ticket before she does, Juliet decides that the ticketing system has to stop. With the help of her best friend Lucy, a Daria-esque Madeline and her almost-crush Crammit, Juliet is determined to climb a few rungs on the middle school social ladder and catch the ticket dispenser once and for all!




My thoughts: Juliet thinks life is so unfair. Everyone is getting a "hot ticket" and she can't even get a "shame ticket". It's the thing to do in her middle school. Everyone is being recognized in one way or another for their actions, and it is super cool. Juliet is the only person who has not received a ticket at all.

What else is a precocious 6th grader going to do? Investigate of course. She teems up with her best friend, and in her search finds two more friends. She is on the case. One way or another, she will be recognized, or alienate everyone trying.

This book reminds me how hard it is to be in school and the desire by everyone to be liked. Juliet reminds me of a middle grade Junie B. Jones. I love Junie B and I couldn't help but love Juliet. A kid who has a sense of humor, lots of sarcasm, keeps on going, all with the best intentions of course.  Those are the makings of a great middle grade book, in my opinion.


There is a current giveaway for this book going on at Goodreads.  It goes until the 15th, so hurry and put your name in the hat.  I really think this is a great book for middle grade readers.  Reluctant readers will find something to laugh about in this story.  Here is the link.   http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12010968-hot-ticket

1 comment:

  1. This sounds good. I'm glad you shared this one because I don't think I would have heard about it otherwise and it really sounds like something I would enjoy. Thanks for sharing the Goodreads giveaway and you review.

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