Second Helpings

McCafferty, Megan. Second Helpings. Performers: ISBN-10 0609807919, ISBN-13 9780609807910. Three Rivers Press. 2003.

Summary
Second Helpings is obviously the second book in the Jessica Darling series. This sequel picks up with Jessica as a senior, but in addition to her problems with her parents, her sister and her annoying so-called friends, Jess is realizing that high school is almost over and is college looming in her future. Marcus is becoming more of a distracting reality that is becoming harder to ignore. But does he fit into Jess's future, or does she fit into his?

Critical Evaluation
Jessica Darling is back and is as hilarious as ever, and yet is still struggling to cope with her life. Her parents aren't going to pay for college, her sister is newly married and newly pregnant, her so-called friends are still annoying her, she's still missing her best friend Hope… and she's still just as confused over her feelings for the new and improved Marcus. Again, Jess's truthful struggles will strike a chord with young adults who are facing their own high school days coming to an end, as well as those who lived through it and can look back and laugh.

Reader's Annotation
Angst-y Jessica Darling is finishing her high school days, still plagued with the ridiculousness of it, facing college life and still wondering what Marcus is thinking.

About the Author
Megan McCafferty worked for Cosmopolitan as the senior articles editor, and has written for Glamour, CosmoGIRL! and several others before setting down to write. McCafferty, like Jessica, lives in New Jersey.
The Jessica Darling series includes five books, all chronicling Jessica through high school, college and grad school. McCafferty is also working on another book that's set in a dystopian world where only teen girls can reproduce. She has worked as editor and/or contributor on several fiction and non-fiction anthologies, such as Everything I Learned About Being a Girl, I learned from Judy Blume.

Genre
Girls/Women
Dating/Sex

Curriculum Ties
n/a

Booktalking Ideas
Are you ready to leave high school for the unknown-land of college…
At the end of it all, would you change anything about your high school experience…

Challenges
Sexual Content
Language
Parental Angst

Awards
Booklist Editor's Pick for one of the best novels of 2003

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+

Why I included this title...
After Sloppy Firsts, I was hooked on the series.