Old Story, New Twist

Book excerpt: Samantha struggles to follow her own advice when writing a column for the school newspaper reveals a hidden desire. Samantha loves being a star reporter for the school newspaper, and she especially loves it when she’s teamed up with her crush, Michael Lawrence. So she’s especially upset when Mr. Trigg doesn’t pair them together—will Michael forget all about her if they don’t work together? And to make matters worse, Sam’s best friend likes a boy whom Sam can’t stand. How do your tell your best friend you think she has terrible taste? To keep her mind off of her own problems, Sam concentrates on writing her Dear Know-It-All advice column. While encouraging a letter writer who’s too shy to try out for the gymnastics team, Sam realizes that she’d secretly like to try out for the team herself. Sam advises the hopeful girl to “Go for it! Don’t be afraid! Reach for the stars!” But can Sam take her own advice?