MG Monday: Guest Review: Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Title: Withering Tights
Series: Tallulah Casey
Author: Louise Rennison
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Publication Date: 8 July 2010

Source: Own




Synopsis: From Amazon
Picture the scene: Dother Hall performing arts college somewhere Up North, surrounded by rolling dales, bearded cheesemaking villagers (male and female) and wildlife of the squirrely-type.

On the whole, it’s not quite the showbiz experience Tallulah was expecting… but once her mates turn up and they start their ‘FAME! I’m gonna liiiiive foreeeeeever, I’m gonna fill my tiiiiights’ summer course things are bound to perk up.
Especially when the boys arrive. (When DO the boys arrive?)
Six weeks of parent-free freedom.
BOY freedom.
Freedom of expression…
cos it’s the THEATRE dahling, theatre!!

Review:
The story of Withering Tights is fairly simple; a girl leaves home for a summer camp and falls in love with a boy.

Tallulah Casey is a rather self-conscious girl although she tries to hide it. It may not be most obvious at the start as you would think she believes in herself enough to apply for a summer camp in the performing arts (although the tutors have other ideas). During her stay in Yorkshire, Tallulah stays with Mrs Dobbins/“Dibdobs” (a brownie pack leader) and her family consisting of her weird husband and twin boys.


Upon Tallulah’s arrival, Dibdobs gives her a pair of squirrel slippers (did I mention that this family is weird?).Tallulah’s first day in performing arts camp doesn’t go too well as she kicks the principal while trying to express her individuality. She also meets Vaisey, a girl staying in the local public house while her bed in Dother Hall is being fixed due to water damage. Apart from the individual disasters, Tallulah makes some new friends at Dother Hall; Jo, Vaisey, Honey and Flossie. Jo may be small in height but has a big personality and Flossie is quite critical of others but can be friendly to people she likes. Honey has a funny speech problem and is quite experienced in the “boy” department, much to the others despair.

We follow the summer that Tallulah finds herself interesting and begins her journey on the “boy” front.

This book is thoroughly entertaining for any teenage reader and mature readers alike as it combines the right amount of humour, wit and incentive.

Thanks to Danni Year 12 for writing this lovely review.