MY PERFECT LIFE
Dyan Sheldon
Candlewick Press
Fiction
ISBN: 0763624365
233 pages

Ella Gerard stars in this sequel to CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN. Lola is not eligible to run for student body president against Carla Santini, so she volunteers Ella and their friend Sam as a slate, with herself as campaign manager.

Carla stops at nothing in her quest, from an expensive rally with Ella's mom as caterer to a mud-slinging campaign. Lola is more than ready to match wits with Carla, though, and Ella reluctantly comes along for the adventure. Lola's posters with pictures of Carla shopping and talking on her cell phone are funny, and soon students are taking a serious interest in the campaign. Ella finds that the more Carla tries to outdo them, the more Ella wants to win.

The campaign is not the only thing worrying Ella, though. Her mother is getting drunk fairly often, and her father is rarely at home. Everything comes to a head right before voting. Can she hold it together even through a terrifying debate in front of the entire school?

Though more serious in tone than CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, MY PERFECT LIFE still maintains some humor and the same great characters, and readers will hope that Dyan Sheldon will return again to Dellwood High.

   --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

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