| Teen Idol | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Meg Cabot |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 304 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0060096160 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC Number | 54205862 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.C11165 Tee 2004 |
Teen Idol was written by Meg Cabot and published in July 2004.
Everyone at Clayton High School likes Jenny Greenley. She is a friend to all, confidante to many, and is constantly being called upon to smooth things over in a crisis. Her friend Trina remarks, "You're the mayonnaise! You get along with everyone ... without mayonnaise, everything just falls apart." Jen even holds the super secret position of "Ask Annie", the school newspaper's advice columnist.
So when she is called to the principal's office, Jen knows they must need her services in some way, probably to explain the disappearance of the Latin teacher's prized doll (which Jen witnessed being stolen earlier that morning in a senior prank.) She doesn't expect to be corralled as the escort of Luke Striker, teen idol extraordinaire. Luke is coming to Clayton High to research high school for a movie. Although Luke is nineteen, he has been an actor his entire life and has never experienced real school. Jen greenley agrees to the task, but she's not sure it's going to work. Most of her friends are in love with the Luke they see in the movies ... won't they see through the ruse? And what about Jen's love life (or lack thereof)? Will the guys at school ever see her as more than a friend?
This is another entertaining hit from Meg Cabot, who has a true affinity with teens and their real life struggles. Jen is the type of friend everyone wishes they could have – she's fun, smart, and gets along with everyone. But there comes a time where Jen realizes she has to stop making all around her happy and figure out what she needs to be happy herself. This dilemma is something that everyone, both male and female, goes through in life. With her trademark humor, the author reaches into the characters' hidden personalities and shows how they learn about themselves and how to get along with others around them.
Supporting characters add to the story in a positive way. With so much in print about the darker side of high school life – drugs, drinking, gangs, and so on – it's refreshing to read a book where ordinary teens are the rule rather than the exception. The students' involvement in activities like the newspaper and show choir reflects an average school in small town America.[1]
Jenny "Jen" Greenley is a high school student who is well liked by everyone, and tries to smooth things over all the time. She may be good at solving others problems, but she still needs help with solving her own. She is also "Ask Annie" in the school papers problem page. She eventually becomes Scott's girlfriend.
Scott Bennett is long time friend of Jenny's. He was also the boyfriend of Geri Lynn but later went on to become Jenny's boyfriend in the last chapter of the book when they went for a walk in the woods and kissed her.
Luke Striker (alias Lucas Smith) is a movie star who comes to this small-town high school in Indiana to research his role in his next movie. He is hiding his true identity from everyone at school except for Jenny. He soon learns how vicious high school life can be, and he helps Jenny make a change at her school. He goes to the Spring Fling with Jenny and tells her she is together with Geri Lynn after they kissed when she arrived to the Spring Fling alone. He is a former boyfriend of Angelique Tremaine, who married another man.
Catrina Larssen is Jen's best friend. A drama queen in all respects of the word, Catrina does not answer to her birth name and prefers to be called 'Trina' by her peers because she says that there is not any "Cat" in her. She hints throughout the book that Jen and Scott are made for each other; turning out to be right all along. She is also Steve's girlfriend.
Geri Lynn Packard is the only other girl on the paper. Luke's new girlfriend when they met at the Troubadours car wash and Scott's ex-girlfriend. She marks the dates on her agenda with a heart for the days that she and Scott make out. She attends UCLA.
Steve McKnight is Trina's boyfriend. He is madly in love with Trina and will do pretty much anything for her. He breaks up with her because he is annoyed at her being in love with Luke Striker and always talking only about him. They make up in the end.
Cara Schlosberg is a tragically envious girl who wants nothing more than to be a member of the popular group at Clayton High. She is, however, reformed by Jen and eventually loses all desire to be popular. Often called 'Cara Cow' because of slight obesity and the many "moo's" she gets when she walks by in the cafeteria. She also becomes Chuck's girlfriend.
Betty-Anne Mulvaney is a doll, owned by Jen's Latin teacher. She is stolen by one of the most popular people in the school, Kurt Schraeder when he swiped it from Ms. Mulvaney's desk. Throughout the book Jen makes attempts at retrieving the doll by countless attempts to give her back to Mrs. Mulvaney, but doesn't succeed until her and Scott coerce Kurt's little sister Vicky into giving them the doll which was in his room.
This book has many similarities to another Meg Cabot book, How to Be Popular.