FernFolio

For the first time ever, thirteen-year old Clare Ferron is looking forward to going back to school.  The breasts she had despaired of getting have finally put in an appearance, she’s got a new dog, and, most importantly, she has made a best friend.  With her quirky personality, her disinterest in clothes and makeup, and her willingness to try anything, Allison is the kindred spirit Clare has always longed for.
But Allison becomes the new favourite of the reigning queen of Clare’s year, the pretty and manipulative Ginny Germain, who decides who among her classmates will be popular, and who won’t.  From her position well outside the circle of cool, Clare watches as Allison is swept up into Ginny’s group, invited to hang out with the in crowd, sit at Ginny’s table in the cafeteria and attend the parties that Clare has only heard about at second hand.  Though Allison continues to be friendly toward Clare, and often embarrassing her by inviting her along when Clare knows she won’t be made welcome by Ginny and her gang, Clare finds herself starting to avoid her best friend.  Though she hopes Allison will wake up and see Ginny for the spoilt and unpleasant adolescent she knows her to be, Clare’s attempts to set Allison straight have only succeeded in creating dissension between them.
Fortunately for Clare, her old friend Elsa shows up unexpectedly after an extended absence.  Elsa, who might just be the most unusual, and amusing, imaginary friend in Canadian children’s literature, has some sage advice for Clare: she suggests that the girl trust Allison to figure things out and come back to their friendship, and that, in the meantime, she keep her mind off her troubles by auditioning for the part of Lady Macbeth in the school production of Macbeth.  Soon she is completely absorbed in memorizing her lines, in preparation for her audition, using Ginny’s behaviour to better understand Shakespeare’s flawed and tragic character.
Clare makes friends with a very exuberant and rather unusual little kid, named Patience, who has moved in across the street, and with her acting partner, the kind and insightful Simon, whose only fault is that he has a long-term, and very nice, girlfriend.
By turns sad and humourous, Not Fair, Clare is a charming story about a girl making her way through the hills and valleys of adolescence, one that girls in grades 6 to 8 will enjoy!
FernFolio Editor