New Girl

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

To Kat’s dismay, midway through 10th grade, her parents relocate from
small-town Ontario to Toronto where they move in with her paternal
grandmother, a retired teacher who resides in a multicultural area of
the city.

Kat hates her “new girl” role at home and at school. At home, her
parents, busy with their own studies, relinquish her to Gran’s care
and companionship; at school, thanks to the irritating persistence of
slovenly, greasy-haired Erin, Kat meets two other “new girls” who
later become her close friends. Erin’s weirdness leads the others to
avoid her until a traumatic event compels them to re-evaluate their
attitudes and enlist Gran’s assistance to facilitate a successful
conclusion. Longing for love, Kat almost yields to “wickedly
flirtatious heartthrob” Alexei who considers a girlfriend
“somebody” to have “sex with.” Repelled by his appetites and
furious at his betrayal when he finds a compliant partner, Kat struggles
to understand her emotional and physical responses.

Family relationships, intergenerational relationships, teen sexuality,
homelessness, and friendship are among the issues explored in this
coming-of-age novel. Dedicating the novel to her own “granddaughter
extraordinaire,” Scott has created an appealing and well-rounded
protagonist who acts as narrator and invites the reader to share the
complexities and frustrations of her emotional growth. A supportive cast
of secondary characters assists in showcasing Kat’s development.
Well-paced action and plenty of realistic, snappy dialogue combine
effectively to present a believable, fast-moving account of a young
woman’s adjustment to a new environment. Recommended.