First Book Blogger Book Club: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Welcome to the second installment of the First Book Blogger Book Club, wherein book bloggers share their thoughts about a young adult book that we carry on the First Book Marketplace. It’s a way to let people know about the great titles that schools and programs serving low-income kids can get through First Book, and get people talking about some of the books we love.

This month’s selection was: Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart. Read on to find out what our book club members thought:

Roxie’s Blog
Although the setting is a wealthy college-prep high school, Lockhart crafts a likeable elite character who aspires to be more than eye-candy for the latest popular jock. Frankie Landau-Banks is that and more; she is curious, clever, and cheeky – a young adult engaging in the world around her to find her place in a world of rules.

Building a Bookshelf
I think this book is a great way for girls to learn that they should not lose themselves in the boys that they will inevitably have crushes on.

sit a while
I feel for Frankie while at the same time admiring her. She becomes a criminal mastermind and it is such fun to watch her lead the Bassets around on a leash. Plus, I love that they have no clue it’s her who’s doing the leading. But I feel for her too because she’s trying to prove to these guys that she can be one of them. The thing is, they aren’t interested in this proof. This club is for boys.

A Home Between the Pages
Basically Frankie goes to a generic New England prep school, wherein she returns from summer vacation completely transformed – where she was a geek, she’s now (a bit predictably) a knock out. As a knock out, she quickly shows up on the radar of the boy she’s had a massive crush on and quickly becomes nothing more than arm candy. As much as I hesitated not to groan about this turn of events and to avoid wanting to shake Frankie for this bimbo-y behavior, I couldn’t help but adore her as a character.

Presenting Lenore
Two of my favorite themes in literature are coincidence and the search for identity — and when you get a book about how coincidence can have a part in shaping identity, all the better.

If you read the book and posted about it, please send us the link. Or just share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Check back later this week to find out next month’s book club selection!