Sophie's First Dance

#1 - Sophie's First Dance by Nancy Rue, Zonderkidz, 2005

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 11-14
Subject: Dating, dances, bullying, and a slight look at anorexia even though it's not even named
Summary: "We don't HAVE to dance with any of those boys though, do we?" "No way! We'll have nothing to do with those blackguards!"
And so the girls promise each other that they won't go to the dance with boys. They'll just get pretty dresses and go together. But pretty soon, one by one they start breaking the pact when boys start asking THEM! First Kitty, who is going a little boy crazy anyway breaks the pact. Then someone asks Darbie. It makes you feel kind of special when a boy asks you and you don't know how to say no. That's what Darbie says anyway, and Sophie and Fiona soon find out that she's right when two boys ask them! The problem is that no one has asked Maggie! Everyone has broken the pact and Maggie has no date for the dance! Sophie is ready to call the whole thing off and just go with Maggie, but she would hurt Fiona's feelings if she did. And before Sophie can even decide, the decision is made for her. That's not all though. Not only is Maggie without a date, the Fruit Loops are making fun of her and calling her fat, to the point where Maggie won't even eat anything! How can the Bible help with this one? Sophie can't even seem to pray right now!
Notes: The issue is God - It isn't so much that she's letting the dance come between her and Jesus, it's more that she herself is standing in the way, letting her guilt stop her from turning to the only One who can help her solve this problem!
The Sophie series is about a 12 year old girl in 6th, then 7th grade who, along with her friends, the Corn Flakes, is trying to live the way Jesus wants in the midst of middle school drama. Between bullies, grades, parents, siblings, and boys life can be pretty difficult. The Corn Flakes are known for their big imaginations and create videos of the things Sophie dreams up. I highly recommend this series, not just for young girls, but for anyone who wants to be challenged spiritually or just enjoy a great story!
Recommendation Scale: 5
Reviewer: J:-)mi