After her mother disappears, Cuckoo Clarke suffers from deep depression and is briefly hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital. High school can be brutal and her clique of friends calls themselves the Freakshow and gave themselves insulting nicknames in a premtive strike against the lame teenage minds in North Plains High. They’re not happy with the divide between various cliques though, and plan to change it with a plan called Operation Happiness. Cuckoo documents their brain storming in her diary, as well as their ordinary life events. These include her foster mom being very sick, date rape, cyber bullying, suicide, plus dating and friendship.
Despite dealing with some tough issues, this is an easy book to read and holds your attention throughout. Cuckoo is a likeable narrator and her group of friends are a bunch of underdogs that you can’t help but want to win. Little cartoon figures of what’s happening are scattered throughout and this helps to make it a fun book to read. Pre to early teens should be attracted to this book.
Young Arrow
Supplied by Random House New Zealand
Reviewed by Jan
My Opinion On Various Books 