Mia Fullerton has entered her freshman year at St. Hilary’s with a goal: to lose her nickname, “Mia the Meek,” and soar into a confident high school career. Unfortunately, her transformation is made harder by her English-teacher mom, bratty little brother, already popular nemesis, and new neighbor. Although she’s prepared herself for the battle by reading Excruciatingly Shy: How to Defeat Public Fear and Become Popular, her freshman year remains a series of uphill battles. The week before school starts, Mia first encounters Tim—the handsome yet seemingly arrogant oldest son of the new family next door. Their relationship develops based on competition—from literature to the basketball court—and Mia’s got her work cut out for her. In Mia, author Eileen Boggess has created the best kind of modern female role model—the kind who sees most of her flaws and wants to change them; one who’s not only intelligent but athletic; and one who’s trying to find her way through a very awkward time in life. In telling her story, Mia proves to be a witty, quick, candid, and interesting fourteen-year-old.