First published 2001
Georgia Nicolson faces a crisis. A red spot lurks under the skin of her nose, refusing to surface but promising to stay for years. Her three-year-old sister has possibly urinated somewhere in her bedroom. Summer vacation ends in two weeks, meaning a return to what she calls Stalag 14, where Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her sadistic teachers await. Georgia believes she belongs in an ugly home due to her appearance. The final humiliation came at a party where she dressed as a stuffed olive. Through her diary entries over one year, Georgia navigates the peaks of joy and valleys of despair that define teenage life. She documents her romantic disasters, family chaos, and school torments with brutal honesty and sharp wit. Her voice captures the intensity of adolescent emotions, where minor setbacks feel catastrophic and small victories seem monumental. Georgia's story reveals how teenagers transform everyday mortification into comedy, finding humor in their most embarrassing moments.
Genres: fiction, family-life, humor, coming-of-age, contemporary, adolescence, comedy, diary
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: coming-of-age, diary, found-family
Setting: Stalag 14
Period: one year
247 pages · Paperback · Storytide