The heroine of E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (2008) is returning to prep school for her sophomore year, and it’s fair to say that she’s blossomed (more physically than emotionally) over the summer. Older boys who barely noticed her when she was just “Zada’s little sister” suddenly pay attention. Frankie’s longtime crush, senior Matthew Livingston, returns her affections at last, and she is thrilled to be included in his social circle.
But after Frankie discovers that Matthew is a high-ranking member of an exclusive all-male secret society (a fact he refuses to discuss with her), she comes up with a plan to prove her worth to this old boys' club: infiltrate the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, and captain their series of pranks on the campus of Alabaster Preparatory Academy.
Fans of Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl and spin-off The It Girl book series will enjoy The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, but E. Lockhart's skilled examination of her characters' struggles will also satisfy readers who are looking for a more substantial story. Frankie's clever manipulation of the boys' pranks is entertaining to follow, and her research into so called "interventionist art" is particularly interesting. Readers who imagined themselves as Kay Thompson's Eloise years ago might picture themselves in Frankie's shoes today.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is recommended for readers in Grade 7 and up.
Megan Estey
Youth Services
Fletcher Free Library
