By Tyra Banks
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 570 pages
Are you a fan of “America’s Next Top Model”? If so, you may enjoy checking out the results of Tyra Banks’ newest endeavor…writing. Modelland is Tyra’s authorial debut. The idea for the story is a good one, especially if you are a Tyra fan or fan of fashion in general. Modelland is a mysterious school that only accepts the most beautiful girls into their training program. Tookie De La Crème is an awkward, gawky and self-conscious teenager. She has a large forehead, just like Tyra, who has been very candid about her painful younger years before modeling. Somehow Tookie gets an invitation to attend the school. Will she make it through the grueling Catwalk Corridor and Thigh-High Boot Camp? Her teachers are wild and her classmates are competitive.
This book has upsides and downsides. On one hand it is a mix up of different genres and styles and it feels like a first draft of a book that missed a thorough editing cycle. It is also about 400 pages too long. On the other hand, there are good lessons to be learned. Acceptance of all body types and the importance of self-confidence are ideas everyone can embrace.
Elizabeth Franklin
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