If I have a wicked stepmother, where's my prince? / Melissa Kantor.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Mrs. McBloom, clean up your room!"For nearly fifty years, that's been the refrain of janitors, principals, and students who enter the chaos of Room Five. Now the beloved Mrs. McBloom-who has taught nearly everyone in the town of Up Yonder, even Principal Pumpernickel-is about to retire. Finally, she must clean up her classroom.But where to begin? Years of science experiments have left all kinds of critters hoppin' and cluckin' and flyin' around. Giant sunflowers droop over desks; vines with fat green beans climb the walls; and a full-grown apple tree grows smack-dab in the middle of the floor. There are more books stacked in Room Five than in the Up Yonder Library. And who knows what else lurks in the piles of papers or the lost-and-found box?

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Kantor's (Confessions of a Not It Girl) modern Cinderella story has clever touches and adds a twist. After her father's marriage, Lucy is forced to live with her stepmother and two stepsisters on Long Island while he wraps up work back in California. When she inadvertently attracts the attention of Connor, the cutest senior jock at school, she goes from friendless to popular. But Lucy begins to realize she and Connor have nothing in common beyond their love of basketball; she doesn't connect with him the way she does with artist Sam. Meanwhile, her stepmother treats Lucy like a maid and even gets her in trouble with her dad. The author has some fun updating Cinderella: Lucy has to work taking coats and carrying dishes at her stepmother's dinner party, and instead of the ball, this novel culminates at the prom. (The frame allows for some funny lines, too, including the quote that also serves as the book's title.) Readers will likely think Connor's interest in her seems superficial, so it may come as little surprise when Lucy tries to picture herself "slow dancing with my perfect prince," and sees Sam instead. Her family problems resolve a bit easily, but there are some magical moments here, and Lucy comes across as a strong heroine. Ages 12-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

Gr 8 Up-Teen readers will relate to "Cinderella" Lucy Norton's woes. Transplanted from San Francisco to Long Island because of the marriage of her father, who continues to spend working weeks on the West Coast, she grapples with a pseudo-family existence with her step-monster, Mara, and her magpie twin stepsisters. Lucy's dual passions of basketball and art characterize her and help her make connections. Negotiating that minefield of adolescence, the high school cafeteria, she often takes a sandwich to the art room, where she enjoys the kindness of her teacher and meets Sam, a talented but rude artist. An astute remark about basketball gains her the attentions of Connor, the team star and all-around hunk. With his notice come Jessica and Madison, as friends. Lucy enjoys her rapid ride on the social surf, featuring drinking parties, melt-away kisses, even the much-sought-after prom invite, but her home life is still difficult-her stepmother "is trying to win some kind of bitch-of-the-year award." To confuse matters, she feels an artistic connection with Sam, whose conversation and interests make Connor seem more ornamental than substantial. While savvy readers will anticipate Lucy's ultimate pairing and improved family relationships, most teens won't be disappointed in the pleasant confection of wit, teen angst, shopping, girl talk, and flirtation. Kantor caters well to the witty-romance, girl-power book market, supplying a worthy offering for many who might not read otherwise.-Suzanne Gordon, Richards Middle School, Lawrenceville, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horn Book Review

When her father remarries, sophomore Lucy moves from the West Coast to Long Island to live with two annoying stepsisters, a manipulative stepmother, no friends, and a father who is only home on the weekends. Things start to look up when a basketball player asks her out. The easygoing narrative featuring a modern-day Cinderella is sure to attract readers. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.