Girl V. Boy
by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

    GIRL V. BOY by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  7/8/08
    Publisher:  Hyperion
    Reviewed by:  Jaglvr
    Rating:  5 Stars


    How do you stand out when there are nine other girls in your sophomore class that share the same name as you do
    – Luisa Perez? You don’t. At least that’s what Lu Perez has told herself.

    However, after the first assembly of the school year at Colonel Dumpfield (excuse me, DUNFIELD) High School
    in Chicago, things will change for Lu. Principal Buzzkill (excuse me again, Alvarez) announces that the Mayor of
    Chicago is holding a Literacy Challenge. The prize → whichever school raises the most money for the cause will
    have a month off for winter break. Principal Alvarez decides that it will be a girl versus boy battle at Dunfield, and
    the team that shows the most initiative will receive three bonus days off over the spring holiday.

    The battle lines have been drawn, and the school quickly goes to war trying to come up with the best fundraisers.
    But for Lu, the challenge is a bit different. Her English teacher, Mr. Sparling, has a proposition for her. The school
    newspaper wants to run anonymous articles chronicling the efforts of both sides. There will be an anonymous writer
    for the girls’ team, and another one for the males.

    What starts out as harmless banter between the two journalists dissing the opposing team’s attempts at fundraising
    soon turns to a real battle of the sexes. Lu, still in the background, has noticed the popular girls taking up the causes
    written about in her anonymous Newshound articles. To make matters even more complicated, Lu is convinced
    that every boy that shows an interest in her is the guys' anonymous author.

    Join Lu and the cast of characters that join forces to try and help Colonel Dunfield High win the precious winter
    break vacation. Lu has many romantic entanglements as well as drama at home to keep the reader interested until
    the surprise events at the Literacy Gala announcing the city’s winner of the Literacy Challenge.

    Ms. Collins & Ms. Rideout write a fun, youthful battle of the sexes. The articles between Newshound and Scoop
    keep the story entertaining and gives the reader an inside glimpse of what boys and girls are really thinking. The
    reader gets to see Lu grow in confidence and come out of the anonymity of being one of ten girls named Luisa
    Perez in her class.