The Last Boy at St. Edith's

After an attempt togo coed fails, one seventh-grader remains the lone boy at an all-girls school.Jeremy Miner has become the last boy at St. Edith's Academy, and he can't takeit anymore. Everywhere he turns there are girls, and his family doesn't helpeither. All he has are sisters and a mom, a mom who works hard at St Edith's toget Jeremy free tuition to the prestigious school. Jeremy's family can't afforda different fancy school, and his mom refuses to transfer him to the subparpublic school. And so, in desperation, Jeremy conspires with his best friend,Claudia, to pull a series of pranks that he hopes will get him expelled. Theescalation in pranks is equaled by the dramatic complications: Malone uses thehigh-concept premise as a backdrop for her well-sketched characters. Every oneof these characters is given just enough shading and hints at an inner life tobe entirely believable. This is a completely thought-out world, and the authoruses it to explore class issues, family dynamics, gender roles, and preteenfriendship. Most impressively, the author doesn't shortchange any of theseexplorations, nor does she turn the book into a sermon. This is a funny,emotional book that will quickly become a favorite to many a reader, regardlessof age. Sweet, funny, exciting—a spectacular debut.