Ponyboy Curtis is a member of the Greasers gang, who are rivals with The Socs, the rich, preppy kids from the other side of town. Greasers are notorious for their slicked back, greased hair, skinny jeans, and smoking cigarettes. Ponyboy, and his best friend Johnny, are not like other members in the Greasers, because they do not have a strong hate for the Socs, like other gang members. Ponyboy and Johnny wish for a world where there were no Socs and Greasers, and everyone could get along. Ponyboy begins a friendship with the girlfriend of a Soc, Cherry Valance. This angers the Socs, and eventually leads to Cherry Valance's boyfriend to get stabbed and murdered by Johnny. With the help from a friend, Dallas Winston, also a Greaser, Ponyboy and Johnny run away to another town. They spend several days there, until a fire breaks out in the church they are living in. Ponyboy and Johnny rescue some children who were caught in the fire, but Johnny gets seriously burned. They are both rushed to the hospital, but Johnny is more hurt than we thought. As a result, the Greasers and the Socs decide to rumble - out of respect for Johnny and the Soc that he murdered. Find out what comes next!
The Cat who Ate my Gymsuit by Paula Danzinger
reviewed by Ms. DeBastiani
I liked the main character in this story. She is battling a lot of issues at home and at school, between her parents fighting and not being accepted. However, she decides to stand up for a teacher she likes and becomes a stronger person for it. You will feel all of the emotions Marcy goes through, from sadness to confidence, as you read her tale.