One Year at Ellsmere - Faith Erin Hicks
Juniper, a middle class, nerdy girl, begins her school year at Ellsmere, as the prestigious private school's first and only scholarship student. She makes friends with Cassie, her roommate, a shy girl whose parents are cold and distant. They both make enemies of Emily, the typical rich girl insecure snob. When Emily orchestrates a nasty plan to get Juniper expelled, Cassie tries to help make things right. It's a great story, both funny and dramatic. It captures the nastiness of teenage school bullying but leavens it with enough cool smart loner type protagonist banter, and just a smidgen of magic, that it's not depressing. I'd eagerly pick up a sequel. [4.5]
