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It has been suggested that Best Friends for Never, Revenge of the Wannabes, Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, The Pretty Committee Strikes Back, Dial L for Loser, It's Not Easy Being Mean, Sealed with a Diss and Bratfest at Tiffany's be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) |
The Clique Series is a teen book series, written by Lisi Harrison and published by Little, Brown and Company. Fourteen novels have been released in the series so far, including the Clique Summer Collection. The series revolves around five girls, Massie Block, Alicia Rivera, Dylan Marvil, Kristen Gregory and Claire Lyons, who collectively make up The Pretty Committee, the 'A-Lister' clique of the fictional Octavian County Day school (OCD). Massie is the head alpha of the group. Alica serves as her second in command or beta. Claire is at first an outcast but eventually accepted into the group. Dylan and Kristen are the last two members of the PC.
In 2007, Warner Brothers announced that it had partnered with publisher Alloy Entertainment to create a series of direct-to-DVD films based on the books. The first film, based on the first novel The Clique is scheduled to be released November 18, 2008.[1]
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Alloy Entertainment, the book-packaging subdivision of Alloy Online which focuses on the young adult market, conceived the stories for its novel series, then is responsible for hiring writers and editing the novels they produced.[2][3][4] They approached Lisi Harrison, who was working as a writer for MTV, about producing a series of young adult novels. She said of this proposal, "Always being a closeted wannabe author - I jumped at the opportunity. I loved the idea."[5] Alloy's involvement in the process of writing varies from series to series;[6] Harrison said that in her case they functioned as a sounding board, but otherwise, "they left me to my own devices. It's very much my book."[5] The end result was the first novel in the series, The Clique, which was published in May 2004 by Little, Brown and Company.[7][8][9]
| Title | Date | Length | ISBN|
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|---|---|---|---|
| The Clique | May 2004 | 220 pp | ISBN 0-316-70129-7 |
| Massie Block believes her life is perfect until her father's college friend Jay Lyons moves his family from Orlando, Florida to Westchester, New York. Her father allows Jay, along with his wife, Judi, son, Todd, and daughter, Claire, to move into their guest house while they search for a new home. The first time Massie meets Claire, she is rude to her because she wears Gap overalls and Keds. Massie doesn't believe she is "clique" material, but Claire continues to attempt to become friendly with Massie and her friends: Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen. | |||
| Best Friends for Never | October 2004 | 208 pp | ISBN 0-316-70131-9 |
| After a student accidentally cuts herself to look more like the Pretty Committee on Halloween, Principal Burnes has a new dress code: uniforms. With the stress of a new bet betwen Massie and Claire, plus the upcoming boy-girl halloween party Massie and Clarie are planning, they must put aside their differences and team up together to win the uniform contest. | |||
| Revenge of the Wannabes | March 2005 | 296 pp | ISBN 0-316-70133-5 |
| After leading her dance class in a dance, Alicia, full of confidence decides to throw her very own sleepover and invite a few of her own friends. But when Massie hears about this, she excludes Alicia from the Pretty Committee. So, Alicia tries to start a clique of her own, only to realize it's much tougher than it looks. | |||
| Invasion of the Boy Snatchers | March 2006 | 256 pp | ISBN 0-316-70134-3 |
| Alicia's slutty cousin Nina is in town, to spend the rest of the semester in Westchester. Massie doesn't like her from the start, but things get worse when she starts hanging out with Massie's crush, Derrek Harrington. | |||
| The Pretty Committee Strikes Back | August 21, 2006 | 272 pp | ISBN 0-316-11500-2 |
| The girls pack uo their warmest cashmere sweaters and tiniest iPods to their class trip to Lake Placid. Uh-oh! The Briarwood boys are just cabins away! Massie has to have the nerve and kiss Derrington right in from of the mUCK girls. (Massie's Underground Clinic for Kissing) | |||
| Dial L for Loser | August 21, 2006 | 272 pp | ISBN 0-316-11504-5 |
| Massie, Claire, and Alicia head of to LA to audition for a part in an upcoming movie called Dial L for Loser but when Claire gets the lead part Massie is far from happy for her. | |||
| It's Not Easy Being Mean | March 7, 2007 | 224 pp | ISBN 0-316-11505-3 |
| The Pretty Committe compete for access to an 8th grade oasis that will make them top of the 8th grade, but when Layne gets access first they must plot to regain power. | |||
| Sealed with a Diss | July 2007 | 248 pp | ISBN 0-316-11506-1 |
| The Pretty Committe's future could not get any better now that they have the key to the 8th grade oasis, that is, until they find out they must get dates to the biggest 8th grade party of the year to keep the key. | |||
| Bratfest at Tiffany's | February 5, 2008 | 227 pp | ISBN 0-316-00680-7 |
| It's the 8th grade year at Octavian Country Day School. Massie Block decides after seeing the entire Pretty Committee being dumped at Skye's party that they need to give up on boys. Massie declares a 'boyfast,' and soon the PC is transformed into the NPC (New Pretty Committee). But with the boys at "BOCD", the NPC's popularity as they know it takes a turn for the worse. The boys are the new alphas, and Massie Block must do everything she can to maintain her 8th grade alpha status. | |||
| P.S. I Loathe You | February 10, 2009 | 224 pp | ISBN 0-316-00681-5 |
| TBA | |||
| [[Boys R Us]] | July 7, 2009 | 272 pp | ISBN 0-316-00682-3 |
| TBA | |||
Best Friends for Never reached The New York Times bestseller list in early February 2005, four months after it was published, but remained there only one week.[10] It returned in late February for another week, reaching #7.[11] Following the release of the next volume in the series, It entered the bestseller list again in late March, where it stayed another week, then in late April, where it remained for three weeks.[12][13][14] In late March it also made an appearance on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, coming in at #9.[15] Copies of the novel have continued to sell in large numbers: nearly 150,000 in 2005,[16] over 200,000 in 2006,[17] and over 150,000 in 2007.[18]
In reviewing the first novel, The Clique, reviewers remarked on the behavior of the characters, with Publishers Weekly noting that it "takes cliquish, snobbish behavior to Hollywood extremes" and School Library Journal saying that "the cruelty of the clique [is not] redeemed with any sort of a satisfying ending."[19][8] There were also comments about the novel's use of brand names: School Library Journal said that it "has trendy references kids will love"; Booklist expounded more on the subject, saying that the novel goes into "too much detail about how the superwealthy live" but added that it "has fun with the tyranny of brand names" - although they also cautioned that "the very specifics that teens will recognize will be 'so out' before the year is over." Additionally, Booklist described the instant messaging segments as "hilarious", while School Library Journal criticised "the shallowness of the characters" and "the one-dimensional plot".[8]
Reviewers' general descriptions of Best Friends for Never focused on its lightweight nature and entertainment value: Book Loons called it "good soap operatic fun",[20] The Virginian Pilot said it was "a fairly quick and easy read",[21] Teen Reads found it to be "another quick, fun, enjoyable read",[22] while Romantic Times thought that it was "sinful, nasty fun" and gave it three stars.[23] More negative comments that were made included The Virginian Pilot's assertion that it "lacks the sophistication and style of deeper novels".[21] On the behavior of the characters—something the first volume was criticised for[7][8]—Romantic Times said, "Good news for fans—the girls are just as catty now as they were before."[23] Book Loons added that it "does capture both the occasionally unpleasant verbal interactions and emotional vulnerability of pre-teen girls."[20] The book's cliffhanger ending was described as "perfect" by Teen Reads[22] and according to The Virginian Pilot is, along with the "mild twists", what made the novel an "interesting read."[21]
The Clique was selected as a "Quick Pick For Reluctant Young Adult Readers" by YALSA.[24] Best Friends for Never was nominated for the 2005 Quill Awards in the "Young Adult/Teen" category.[25]
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