Diary Of A Girl Next Door: Betty

(Hardback)

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Description

Archie's fresh new series in the vein of Diary of a Wimpy Kid! Betty Cooper has few of the luxuries that her priveleged best friend Veronica Lodge enjoys, but she's got something else that drives her wealthy friend crazy! In a story full of heart and humour, find out how a normal, awkward teenage girl comes out feeling on top of the world.

Reviews

"DIARY OF A GIRL NEXT DOOR is a fun and funny read that gives us a special peek into the heart of the Archieverse's most lovable character. The format should prove popular with young readers, and the Archie comics brand will mean quality to their parents."" --Jimmy Gownley, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of AMELIA RULES! and THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER

"Really charming." --MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

"I think quite a few young ladies--and maybe a few lads as well--will recognize themselves in the hopes and dreams of the girl next door." --MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

"Although these may be familiar places and nostalgic characters for some of us, they are brilliantly recreated by Archie Comics for today's young adult readers." -- DIAMOND BOOKSHELF

"You remember what it was like to be a teenage girl, right

OK, clearly I was never a teenage girl, but Im pretty sure if I had been, I would have wanted to be Betty Cooper. Smart, pretty, ambitious, full of dreams. Blond with a ponytail.

Sure, Bettys not the most popular girl in school (thats her middle school best friend Veronica) and she doesnt have this high school thing completely figured out (particularly her crush on a certain Archie Andrews). But this girl is genuine and kind and pretty darn funny. Shes everything youd expect, and yet still feels like a real live person.

A youth-oriented novel with simple and fun illustrations by artist Bill Galvan, DIARY OF A GIRL NEXT DOOR: BETTYis the first in a series of prose titles aimed at the tween market who, if I had to guess, may not give comics a second look. Designed to stand tall next to Disney Channel programming and young adult novels,Bettysurpasses its peers in quality and depth, delivering a book that not only would appeal to kids (maybe not even just girls) 10 to 14, but can be enjoyed by adults as well (thats me!).
Author Tania del Rio provides a beautiful, first-person narration of Betty Coopers first two months of high school in classic Dear Diary style, but still manages to engage the reader thoroughly from entry to entry. Each passage is treated like its own story, featuring Bettys interactions with best friend Veronica, the dreaded Glossies (Veronicas new ultra cool friends), her next door neighbor Jughead, her parents, and of course, best guy in the world and dream boat extraordinaire Archie.
The feelings we get from Betty arent trite or overplayed, and theyre somewhat self-conscious without resorting to being maudlin. Del Rio rides the line very carefully by infusing a wonderful humor in Bettys thoughts and speech, as well as a good sense of how shes learning from herself from start to finish. As this is but a brief swatch of young Bettys life, we dont get a radical growth into womanhood, but the confidence she has by the end of the book finally catches up with her ambitions. Its heartwarming, quite honestly.

Galvans doodle-style drawings, meant to mimic Bettys own illustrations (why doesnt she ever consider becoming an artist Huh.), are really so adorable, its hard not to grin from ear to ear when you page through the book. The ones gracing the cover and outside spine, in particular Betty herself with a word balloon saying Thats me! make me smile every time I open the book.

As much as I love what Archie Comics has done here, and as much as I am looking forward to the inevitable follow-up starring Veronica, I have a confession to make. Im not keeping my copy. No, I have to ship it immediately to my niece, because if theres anyone in the world whos going to like it more than me, its someone Bettys own age (or younger even).

Buy this book for your little middle-school girl. Shell feel like shes getting a peek into the wild sophisticated future of high school, and you can be assured that what shes really getting is the most genuine experience of a good kid who has a great heart that Ive seen in a long time. Congratulations, Archie Comics. Youre about to make another new generation fall in love with you.

The Verdict: 10/10

--Matt Santori-Griffith, COMICOSITY

Author Bio

TANIA DEL RIO has been published in TOKYOPOP's RISING STARS OF MANGA ANTHOLOGY. She worked for Archie Comics as the writer and artist of SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH- THE MAGIC WITHIN graphic novels, an American Manga take on the characters and stories. She also wrote Archie's highly publicized "Reversedale" story and has worked on their JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG comics as writer and artist. Tania has also written SPIDER-MAN/ARA A- THE HUNTER REVEALED for Marvel. She is currently writing the Young Adult Supernatural Fantasy novel WINTER WILDER.