American Fringe
by Valerie Frankel

    AMERICAN FRINGE by Valerie Frankel
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  1/2/08
    Publisher:  NAL
    Reviewed by:  Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
    Rating:  4 Stars


    After her two-week break from school, Adora Benet is ready to take Brownstate Collegiate Institute’s halls by
    storm. With her boyfriend, Noel, back in her arms, her two best friends by her side and the wonderful feeling of
    spring in the air, Adora is feeling pretty awesome. Of course, feelings change.

    After the wonderful thought of Liza moving into her house, Eli is beginning to regret that decision. Not only has Liza
    been getting on her nerves, but now El’s mother has gone from briefcase-only to kitchenware-welcome. Eli is
    starting to feel a little left out since her mom spends a ton more effort caring for Liza then she ever did for Eli; of
    course, Eli would never show it. And Adora just so happens to be the only one out of the three who isn’t affected
    by this.  Can she be the peacemaker?

    Sondra, Adora’s somewhat enemy, has last her posse, which consisted of Lori and Micha. Now Sondra is trying
    to make a new friend out of Adora, but will Adora take this chance to get off the fringe?

    Adora gets to run her own advice column, and it turns out to be very popular, maybe a little too popular. One of
    the articles Adora writes, about women in the work force, turns into a huge controversy, and puts Adora into the
    spotlight of the national media and on talk shows. And the person she gave advice to turns out to be Toby
    Livingston, whose mother is all about the red, white, and blue. Now if only she could get him out of her head.

    Adora Benet’s character flourishes as the FRINGE series continues. In AMERICAN FRINGE, we are able to
    see the various sides and feelings of Adora that everyone will be able to identify with. Valerie Frankel keeps the
    Adora that we have all come to know and love since the first book, and also keeps the momentum going. Watch
    out for FRINGE BENEFITS, next in the series.