The Girls

Koss, A. G. (2000). The Girls. New York: Dial

Plot Description: Candace is the leader and head of the popular crowd which includes Maya, Renee, Darcy, and Brianna. She picks and chooses the girls that can be included in the group and also easily removes them when she becomes bored. She first gets rid of Maya, and then moves on to removing Brianna. Renee becomes sick of trying to please her and leaves the group on her own so she can continue to be friends with both Maya and Brianna. All three girls reunite and are relieved to be out from under the control of Candace. Darcy continues to worship Candace and will do anything to please her but becomes very jealous of Nicole, the new addition to the group.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Friendship

Age Group: This book is appropriate for grades 5-8.

Series Information/Similar Books: Poison Ivy, The Ashwater Experiment, How I Saved Hanukkah and The Trouble with Zinny Weston all by Amy Goldman Koss.

Personal Thought: The actions and thoughts of the girls in this book are similar to those in the movie Mean Girls. The book is narrated by each girls and gives their perspectives on each situation.

Subject/Themes: Cliques, Teenage Friendships

Awards: New York Public Library’s Best Books for the Teenage List 2001, YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks, CBC Childrens Choice Award 2001. YA Choices 2002, Garden State Teen Book Awards, 2003, Maud Hart Lovelace Award 2003-2004.

Character Description: Candace is the leader within the group of girls and all the other girls do and say what she wants. At times she feels like they are leeches and very needy but loves the power that comes from being the most popular. She doesn’t understand why her mom has let herself go and has so many children.

Maya was the newest member of the group of friends. She recently moved to the neighborhood and enjoys playing outside and doing “kid” things like riding bikes and climbing trees. The group of friends led by Candace has recently stopped talking to her and inviting her to things and she does not know what she did.

Darcy is another member of the group and is the closest to Candace. They became best friends in third grade. She has seen Candace add and remove many members from the group over the years and is starting to get sick of it but is too afraid to say anything to Candace.

Renee is the quietest member of the group. She feels very uncomfortable not including Maya but is too timid to say anything. She wants to talk to Maya but is unsure of what to say.

Brianna is another member of the group who is very self conscious about the size of her nose. She also does not understand why Maya was kicked out of the group but is just relieved it wasn’t her.

Annotation: Candace collects and then discards friends like baseball cards without a care in the world for whose feelings get hurt in the process. Being the most popular girl in school allows her to get away with it. Read along to find out to find out who will be kicked out next.