Popular

Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek

By: Maya Van Wagenen

Narrated by: Amber Faith, Lee Adams

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE YALSA AWARD • In this touchingly honest contemporary memoir, a middle-schooler entering high school firmly decides to become—wait for it—popular.

“Maya’s voice is fresh and frank, and her experiences at a middle school near the Mexican border provide an often overlooked perspective.”—Booklist

“Funny, determined, and wry.”—Rachel Hartman, bestselling author of Seraphina

Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help a shy girl become popular?

Maya Van Wagenen is about to find out.

Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at “pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya has never been popular. But before starting eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. The real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises—but through it all, Maya’s positive approach helps her to reveal a new understanding of self-confidence, kindness, and acceptance.

Critic reviews

“I was inspired by her journey and made a point of saving a copy of ‘Popular’ for my sister, who starts middle school this fall. Maybe if I had read it when I was her age, it could have saved me from a world of hurt, or at least put that world in perspective.”—Maude Apatow, The New York Times Book Review

“Popular taps into a feeling shared by Bradbury and Bieber enthusiasts alike—the need to fit in during middle school.”—USA Today

“Everyone’s happiness project looks different, and I was utterly charmed by Maya Van Wagenen’s honest, funny, and thought-provoking account of her efforts to become ‘popular.’”—Gretchen Rubin, #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project

“Geeky and dorky, but never wimpy, Maya Van Wagenen is as powerful and honest as she is quirky and funny—and startlingly gifted. She’s the real deal, folks, a teenage John Green for the next generation. Stunning.”—Margaret Stohl, bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series

“Maya Van Wagenen’s memoir, Popular, would have been wonderful to read as a kid, and so reassuring to Nerdy Teenage Me. Her year-long experiment in popularity is timeless; the intelligent and humane way she gets to the heart of the matter is uniquely her. Funny, determined, and wry, Van Wagenen has written a wise, heartfelt guide for other kids eager to keep up.”—Rachel Hartman, bestselling author of Seraphina

“An interesting and earnest memoir.”—Kirkus Reviews

“While completely appropriate for middle school readers, Popular is even more entertaining for adults. Van Wagenen is a uniquely gifted talent with a gem of a first novel”—VOYA

For every girl

This should be required reading for all middle school/junior high age girls. She is so descriptive in the emotions and experiences of girls that age. That would help so much with the anxiety so many experience going into secondary education. Really loved it!

I loved this book it will change my life just like Betty did to maya

This book has completely changed the way I think about everything from how to dance to how to talk to people maya van wages can be my spirit once I get through middle school I will hopefully inspire other bright minds to other people and I will experience many things like she did my grand mother is not well and she's having heart problems and my mom in fact has cancer but she is luckily doing very much better as you can see this will relate to me once I get in 7th grade in a couple weeks and can't wait to see what's next

Great young adult read

This is an OBOB book this year. H can’t really imagine my 12 year old son loving it but I wish I could have all my girls in youth group read it. Great message. Not the most impactful book I’ve ever read but it was good.

best ever

im a 13 year old young girl and i hope to try this and one day even meet myay van waganen i hope girls as young as me read this too love this i give it 5 stars

this book made me cry I felt like I was her thanku

Loved it its wonderful it will make you confident and help others it's the best I feel great I feel loved