Bibliographic Information: Zindel, L. (2008). The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies. New York, NY: Penguin Group. ISBN: 9780670062171
Plot Summary: Maggie, the protagonist of The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies, moves from a small town in New Jersey to a new school before her senior year in high school. Maggie's grandfather, a retired accountant, offers to pay for her expensive year at an all-girls school - Berkeley Prep-in Manhattan, New York. Maggie's mother and father are recently separated. Maggie had found her father kissing a much younger woman but her mother didn't know about the incident.
The first day at Maggie's new school, Berkeley Prep, she makes a nice friend, Anne Marie, who is sweet and very smart. The powerful girls at Berkeley, Victoria, Lexi and Sydney, act as though Maggie doesn't exist. Maggie learns of an invitation-only party that Victoria is giving in one of her father's buildings that is unoccupied. Maggie crashes the party and meets a very hot boy, Connor. The police come to bust up the party and Maggie provides Victoria, Lexi and Sydney with a place to hide out- at her mother's friend's home. The next day Victoria, Lexi and Sydney ask Maggie to be a part of their club, the "Revelers". Maggie is flattered and is happy to be a part of the club until she finds out it is a secret society that collects personal information about people and the girls put the information on a wall in a hideout in Victoria's home. At another party, the "wall" is discovered and all the teens at the party are furious at the Revelers for collecting all of their personal or secret information.
Critical Analysis: The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies is an excellent read. Teenage girls would love this novel. It is intriguing and engrossing. The story of the new girl wanting to be a part of the popular girls is a common theme for teen books but Lizabeth Zindel writes with suspense and intrigue. The novel moves quickly and provides insight into the lives of teens who, unfortunately, use others to make themselves look better.
Annotation: Maggie moves from a small New Jersey town to start her senior year at the prestigious Berkeley Prep. Maggie finds herself involved in a secret society that is malicious and finds herself doing things that she normally wouldn't do.
About the Author: Lizabeth Zindel is the daughter of Paul Zindel, a famous young adult author. She was born in Manhattan, New York, and traveled frequently between New York and Los Angeles. Lizabeth aspired to be a singer, writer and actress as a child. She went to an exclusive school in Manhattan, similar to Berkeley Prep in The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies. Lizabeth went to Wesleyan University and she double majored in English and theatre. She studied abroad at London University for a semester.
Before becoming a published author, Zindel worked for Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood as an assistant to an agent. She sang in the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Zindel also appeared in a few rock videos and interned for Robert DeNiro's film company. In addition to The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies, Zindel has written Girl of the Moment (2007).
Retrieved May 2, 20101 at Penguin.com:
http://prod.cn.penguin.com/nf/Author/ArthorPage/0,,1000069525,00.html?sym=QUEGenre: Young Adult Fiction/Secret Societies
Curriculum Ties: None
Book Talking Ideas: How would you feel to be the "new" girl your senior year in high school and the popular girls acted like you didn't exist? What would you do if you were asked to become friends with the popular girls in high school and become involved in a malicious secret society?
Reading Level & Interest Age: 14 and older
Challenge Issues: Alcohol use/parties
Reason for Inclusion: The Secret Lives of Social Butterflies deals with many issues teenagers may have to deal with such as peer pressure, bullying and so forth.
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