Nerd Girls: Rise of the Dorkasaurus

Nerd Girls: The Rise of the Dorkasaurus by Alan Sitomer was an underdog story about 3 middle school girls (The Nerd Girls) who become friends, join the talent contest, and show the school that they can't be bullied by the 3Ps (the popular girls).

Summary via Goodreads 
Maureen, a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed dork-a-saurus, is totally addicted to cupcakes and hot dogs and thinks that her body looks like a baked potato. Allergy-plagued Alice can’t touch a mango without breaking out in a rash, and if she eats wheat, her vision goes blurry. Klutzy to the extreme, Barbara is a beanpole who often embarrasses herself in front of the whole school. These outcasts don't have much in common—other than the fact that they are often targets of the ThreePees: the Pretty, Popular, Perfect girls who rule the school.
But one day Maureen discovers that the ThreePees are planning to sit next to Allergy Alice in the cafeteria and eat peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches on whole wheat toast with mango marmalade for lunch. And Maureen decides that it's time to topple the eight-grade social regime. She joins forces with Alice and Barbara and the Nerd Girls enter the school talent show, determined to take the crown from the ThreePees. Will their routine be enough to de-throne the popular crowd? Or will their plan backfire and shake their hold on the bottom rung of the social ladder?
 
 As a nerd girl myself, I didn't feel like this book had any surprises.  The main characters were made fun of, put down and generally made to feel horrible.  But, everyone feels that way about middle school, unless you were a 3P.  I had the feeling that I had either lived this book or read it somewhere else already.

I could tell that it was written by a male author as he had the main character speaking "boy" phrases, such as "get that kid off my jock."  Girls don't say stuff like that.  Eighth grade girls probably don't even know what  jock strap is, let alone use that phrase.

Overall, it was a cute, quick, easy read.  I can see how middle school age readers, girls especially, could really connect with the characters and situations.  I gave it 3 stars on goodreads because it wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't for me.

I was able to read and review this book thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion.  I downloaded it for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.