The awesomely awful melodies of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang

In the fifth installment of Ignatow's Popularity Papers series, Julie and Lydia return from the road trip described in the previous book, enter seventh grade, and start a rock band. They have never played guitar or drums before, but these two never let such obstacles stand in their way. Although the illustrated format of these books has grown somewhat cumbersome one wonders why and how the girls are carrying on conversations mostly through back-and-forth entries in a notebook Ignatow's illustrations (attributed to Julie), humorous comments, and the story's sticky situations make this a gregarious addition to the series.--Nolan, Abby Copyright 2010 Booklist

In this fifth installment, BFFs Lydia and Julie, about to turn thirteen, decide to learn to play music and start a band (but not to be popular). Dilemmas ensue and the girls survive various embarrassments. Told in the same lighthearted style in alternating hand-written, illustrated diary entries and internet message conversations, the girls are still relatable and the series continues to be enjoyable. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.