Girl of the Moment by Lizabeth Zindel

From the Publisher

When Lily's internship at the Museum of Modern Art falls through, she thinks her summer is ruined. Then her dad hooks her up with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to intern for Sabrina Snow-sixteenyear- old Hollywood starlet and the girl of the moment. From the pages of Party Weekly magazine, Sabrina's world looks like a nonstop merry-go-round of glamorous parties, red-carpet events, and designer clothes. But Lily soon learns that catering to a rising star is more work than play. Once she develops a crush on Sabrina's boyfriend (that may or may not be reciprocated) and a yearning to help a needy fan, Lily's summer starts to spiral out of control. If she can get things back in order, she will be richly rewarded. But do the costs of working for Sabrina outweigh the benefits?

Publishers Weekly

Zindel, daughter of novelist and playwright Paul Zindel, pens an entertaining first novel about a New York City teen who, the summer before her senior year, interns for spoiled 16-year-old star Sabrina Snow. Though readers may find it hard to believe that Lily is not fired during her "test" (she loses control of Sabrina's dog at a movie premiere and the next workday lets an imposter into the actress's press junket), they will understand why Lily gets caught up in Sabrina's world, vicariously experiencing the glamorous parties, free jewelry and very cute boyfriend. (Of course, Lily must also answer fan mail, fetch Sabrina's lunch and prepare her expenses.) Zindel creates a complicated character in Sabrina: the actress often humiliates Lily, but she works hard for her career. Sabrina can also be vulnerable, such as when she ends up in the hospital and tells Lily she misses her estranged mother. She also inspires Lily to work hard for her (and gives her patronizing pep talks such as, "Concentrate on your own goals and charge toward them. Lily, I only want great things for you." The plotting here is predictable: Lily's efforts strain her relationships with her best friend and her father, and her decision to impersonate Sabrina in order to help a distraught fan ends in disaster. Nonetheless readers will breathlessly follow Lily to the satisfying conclusion, cheering when she finally finds the strength to stand down Sabrina and stand up for herself. Ages 12-up. (Apr.)Agency: Elaine Koster Agency.

Children's Literature

When sixteen-year-old Lily Miles lands a summer internship with starlet Sabrina Snow, she figures that her life has skyrocketed to perfect. She is actually going to be paid to work up close and personal with the hottest female teenager in film. Lily is convinced that no task will be too difficult, no schedule too grueling, no request too intimate; there is no way she could mess this up. Yet, from her first taste of life in the glamour lane at the opening of Sabrina's movie, to the closing days of her summer job, Lily gets acquainted with much more than the razzle-dazzle of life in the public eye. The flip side of being famous, for Sabrina, is being used. Lily also discovers that the flip side of Sabrina always having to present her best side to the camera is that Sabrina is dismally self-absorbed. Lily's persistent efforts to rationalize the behaviors she witnesses, to find solid ground for her own values, and to satisfy her own inevitable longings for a taste of the sweet life, result in a rollercoaster ride on the coat tails of show business with sparks flying. Lily's comprehension of the compromises show business life can demand, and her refusal to make the same concessions that Sabrina has made, develop side-by-side as she stumbles forward, ultimately winning much more than she expected. This is a satisfying story of a coming-of-age experience in an unusually glamorous setting. The teen voices are well written and the high powered lifestyle pacing is convincing without being frantic. This book would make an interesting addition to a class about contemporary ethics or the sociology of American youth culture.

VOYA

Girl of the Moment is a quick read that is both predictable and juicy. The subject matter is enthralling and yet revolting. Those who expect more than scandalous entertainment from this book will be severely disappointed. Although it has plot twists and fairly well-developed characters, this book never delves deeply into their complicated lives and emotions, a needed step in taking the story to the next level of interest. The heart of the book never shines enough to become more than just the supporting actress.

VOYA

Immersed in the competitive world of New York private schools, sixteen-year-old Lily Miles, hoping to better her chances for admission to Brown University, exchanges her usual soccer-camp summer for an internship with teen actress Sabrina Snow. Lily's middle-class existence leaves her unprepared for the fast pace of celebrity life, but she quickly learns to deal discreetly with other staff members, the press, Sabrina's outrageous demands, and her pampered dog-but not without frequent mishaps. As she becomes enmeshed in Sabrina's life, Lily's parents and friends begin to question Sabrina's influence, and Lily is torn between the glamour and privilege of celebrity existence and her own values, deciding at the end of the summer which lifestyle suits her best. Zindel fills her book with enough pop culture to keep readers engaged, and the action is ongoing. Although the story might initially appear superficial, it highlights some serious issues, including the sacrifices that young actors make in exchange for fame, the sexual nature of contemporary youth culture, problems with body image, and the value of education. Teens will identify with Lily's frustration at her overly sensible parents and with the nanve mistakes that she makes during her internship, cheering her on through it all.

KLIATT

This novel is The Devil Wears Prada for teens. Normal, likeable, pretty, smart, 16-year-old Lily misses out on an opportunity for an internship at the Museum of Modern Art but somehow winds up as the personal assistant of 16-year-old Sabrina Snow, a Lindsey Lohan, Nicole Ritchie, Paris Hilton clone, or at least someone as apparently obsessed by her own fame, fortune, good looks and good times as that real-life, much-in-the-celebrity-news trio. The result is all too predictable. Lily learns lessons about the shallowness and bitchiness of the world of the rich and famous and emerges from her summer of slaving away for no appreciation and lots of humiliation sadder, wiser, and more self-assertive for the experience. Oh, and she makes a few new friends too. There are, apparently, some nice people associated with show business. Nevertheless, real life, including soccer camps and neglected best friends, is ever so much more satisfying. The publisher notes that the author "is the daughter of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright" and, of course, noted young adult author Paul Zindel. The decision to publicize this connection may or may not have been in the author's hands, but it's one that invites comparisons, which in this case are unfortunate. But there's a certain narrative force that carries the reader along, and the message that real life is way better than life at the top could be a valuable one for girls who want to escape from heavier themes.

School Library Journal

Gr 8-10
The summer before senior year, Lily is trying to boost her chances of getting into Brown. When her internship at the Museum of Modern Art falls through, she uses her dad's connections to become an assistant to Sabrina Snow, a Lindsay Lohan-ish celebrity. Predictably, Snow holds Lily to impossible expectations and rarely shows appreciation. Meanwhile, her noncelebrity boyfriend falls for Lily, who, despite genuine affection for him, rejects his advances because of her commitment to Sabrina. A side plot involving a letter from a desperate fan and Lily's efforts to help the tormented preteen takes center stage toward the end, helping Lily to realize what really counts. Like Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada (Doubleday, 2003), this book attempts to give readers a glimpse into the secret lives of the rich and famous. More often, it falls prey to paragraphs overflowing with clichés, stilted dialogue, and poor characterization. Well into the book, readers lack key information about the narrator. Zindel fails to make her funny or interesting, so much so that she becomes a poor choice as a window into Sabrina's life. While the flashy cover will draw readers to this book, they will reluctantly trudge through the story, wishing they had a wittier guide at the helm.-Jennifer Barnes, Homewood Library, IL

Product Details

• ISBN: 0670062103
  
• ISBN-13: 9780670062102
• Format: Hardcover, 288pp
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
• Pub. Date: April 2007
• Sales Rank: 636,955
• Age Range: Young Adult