Holly Smale was unexpectedly spotted by a top London modeling agency at the age of fifteen and spent the following two years falling over on catwalks, going bright red, and breaking things she couldn't afford to replace. By the time she had graduated from Bristol University with a BA in English Literature and an MA in Shakespeare, she had given up modeling and set herself on the path to becoming a full-time writer. Geek Girl was the #1 bestselling young adult fiction title in the UK in 2013. It was shortlisted for several major awards, including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Holly currently lives in London, England.
Geek Girl (Geek Girl Series #1)
Audio CD
(Unabridged)
$59.99
- ISBN-13: 9781481532648
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date: 01/28/2015
- Series: Geek Girl Series , #1
- Edition description: Unabridged
- Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 1.50(h) x 5.00(d)
- Age Range: 13 - 17 Years
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Geek + runway = a runaway UK hit! Geek Girl is the first book in a hilarious, internationally bestselling series that's perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and The Princess Diaries.
Harriet Manners is a geek. She always has been, and she thought she always would be—but when she's discovered by a modeling agent, she leaps at the chance to reinvent herself. There's only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Can she transform from geek to chic?
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Publishers Weekly
11/17/2014British teen Harriet Manners is the official school geek, and she suffers constant torment by her peers. When Harriet’s longtime best friend Nat, an aspiring model, drags her to a fashion event, it’s Harriet, not Nat, who gets “discovered,” driving a wedge between them. As 15-year-old Harriet is whisked to Moscow for photo shoots, fashion shows, and the promise of future fame and fortune, she and her father lie to everyone about their whereabouts, creating all manner of complications. Debut author Smale, a former model herself, gives Harriet an instantly appealing narrative voice, full of discursions and self-deprecation—wisecracking, down-on-her-luck Harriet is easy to warm to. If the ugly duckling turned swan is cliché, both Smale and Harriet know it. “I could go from proverbial caterpillar to butterfly, from tadpole to frog,” thinks Harriet. “From larva to dragonfly (which is actually only a half metamorphosis, but still—I think—worth mentioning).” Other overfamiliar types (including Harriet’s extravagantly flamboyant agent and an ultra-severe fashion maven) deflate the story’s fun somewhat, but most readers will thoroughly enjoy Harriet’s uproarious misadventures. Ages 13–up. Agent: Kate Shaw, Viney Agency. (Jan.)
ALA Booklist
A smash hit in the UK, this is a cheeky, fabulous, fun read for anyone who has dreamed of a fresh start.VOYA, February 2015 (Vol. 37, No. 6) - Debbie Kirchhoff
Start with a little bit of Ugly Duckling, add a generous portion of mean girls, and pour on the unfortunate truth of real-life bullying to get the delightful, surprisingly satisfying confection that is Geek Girl. Fifteen-year-old Harriet Manners is a geek by definition, the Old English Dictionary definition to be exact, and she does not mind being a geek at all. The unending ridicule for her geekiness, however, is extremely hard to take. Just as Harriet sinks to an unequaled level of misery when she suffers public humiliation at the hands of a longtime tormenter, she gets an unbelievable opportunity to completely transform her life. Harriet Manners, girl geek, has been noticed by a high fashion modeling agency and begins a metamorphosis from ordinary British schoolgirl to international supermodel. The adventures of Harriet in her new, double life of student/supermodel become hilariously outlandish, but just as these adventures veer to the completely unbelievable, a foreshadowed plot twist brings it all back to reality with a sweet, believable ending. Harriet is irresistible. Readers will experience love at first chapter for this geek girl who always manages to hold on to her sense of humor as she navigates the treacherous worlds of school friendships and high-fashion modeling. This is not a fluffy book—it is a thoughtful exploration of school bullying. The main character faces real-life issues and relies on her sense of humor to rise above despair. Reviewer: Debbie Kirchhoff; Ages 11 to 18.School Library Journal
12/01/2014Gr 7–10—Harriet Manners, star of this British import, is a geek through and through. She has no idea how to dress, is awkward and clumsy, spouts off facts at every opportunity, is bullied mercilessly at school, and has one friend, Nat, and one stalker, Toby. Nat dreams of becoming a fashion model and drags a completely uninterested Harriet along to Clothes Week, hoping to get discovered. As soon as they arrive, Nat runs off to find an agent leaving Harriet to her own devices. While looking at hats, Harriet manages to knock over several stalls, which creates quite a commotion and leads to her unwanted discovery by a modeling agent. Insert hilarity, deception, misunderstanding, fashion, makeup, and hairstyles. Harriet loses and regains her best friend and finds a new friend in Toby while she attempts to navigate modeling for one of the top fashion designers. Quirky, likable, and geeky, Harriet is an outsider to the modeling world but possesses a natural charm that is everything the fashion world needs. Pure fun.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN
Kirkus Reviews
2014-11-18A transformation comedy from a debut author who seems to be aiming to become the next Louise Rennison.Harriet Manners has all the markings of a geek. Loves learning and discovering facts? Check. Can't contain her enthusiasm for what she finds interesting? Check. Mocked by her schoolmates? Check. At least she has best friend Nat to help her face Alexa, the ringleader of the bullies, and escape Toby, Harriet's annoying stalker. In a sequence that sacrifices logic for humor, Harriet and Nat attend a fashion expo, where Nat hopes to be scouted as a model—but it is Harriet that is spotted. Tired of being branded a geek and feeling like she's lost her friendship with Nat, Harriet lets herself be drawn into the world of high-fashion modeling. Gorgeous male model Nick is the only bright side, because becoming a model can't change who Harriet is underneath. In a clichéd conclusion, Harriet will learn that the only viable choice is to be true to yourself and to be honest with the people who love you just for who you are. The wacky humor and subtle girl-empowerment message of the Brit-chick-lit genre are on full display here, yet it just feels overdone and unoriginal. Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess. (Chick lit. 12-16)