“One of the eternal mysteries of middle school is the question of popularity: What makes one child popular while another is not? This fizzy, fun novel offers a clever, albeit tongue-in-cheek, answer: marketing. The plot centers on Emily Wood, a sympathetic eighth-grade girl who becomes an instant outcast after angering the ruling clique. Although a picked-on persona non grata, Emily is smart and resourceful, and after accidentally stumbling upon some secret information about a rising young star, she manages to get his PR agency to take her on. Her PR agent works to change her image from Emily, pariah and self-named poetry geek, into Brand Em, the girl everybody wants to be. It’s a smart premise, and besides having something pertinent to say about kindness, hubris and the perils of popularity, Rue also imparts insight into how celebrities are designed and marketed. But like any good sales campaign, the material is so enjoyable that readers might not even notice that they’ve learned something.”
—Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2009

“Definitely be careful what you wish for - that’s the message that starts to form as Emily seizes the opportunity to recreate herself as Em, trendsetter, girlfriend of a teen heartthrob, and aspiring queen of the 8th grade heap. With a powerful p.r. firm working the angles for her, Em seems destined for greatness. Her transformation surprises everyone, and when those changes start to affect Em’s soul, she questions not only her motivation but the loyalties of her new friends. Rue captures all the insecurities and nastiness of middle school cliques but doesn’t let us forget that though ultimately, nice girls might not win all the prizes, the ones that they do count for the most - the sweet guy, the proud dad, the real best friend.”
—Dodie Ownes, Shelfari.com

“Ginger Rue’s Brand New Emily succinctly captures what it means to be a young girl trying to navigate her way through the complicated jungle known as middle school. Without resorting to cliches, Rue offers a fresh take on the fish out of water concept. Brand New Emily is completely charming and highly readable, a book that readers of all ages will enjoy.”
—Jae-Ha Kim, author and celebrity journalist

“Ginger has created an intensely likable character in Emily-I could totally empathize with her actions and foibles as she tried to navigate the murky waters of popularity. A great read!”
—Anne Dayton, co-author of Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

“Ginger Rue’s smart, cautionary tale, Brand-New Emily, is told to us with a shrewd eye to the details of a young adolescent girl’s life. For any teenage girl who has ever had second thoughts about how to handle her social life, whether she is the ‘it’ girl , the object of the ‘it’ girl’s dissatisfaction, or simply plugging along during this awkward stage, this book is a must read, a lesson to us all.”
—Susan Shapiro Barash, author of Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie

“A fast-paced, often hilarious peek into how celebrities are created. A great read for any girl who’s ever dreamed of being on the A-List.”
—Celebrity publicist Lori Glass Berk, LGB Public Relations

“A fun, compelling story with a strong message about the psychology of bullies and their victims.  If your daughter or niece has ever been the target of a mean clique, hand her a copy of Brand-New Emily.”
—Michele Borba, Ed.D., author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries

“Brand-New Emily is a charming story about a girl who hires a PR firm to tweak her image and popularity.  With a deft execution, Ms Rue has concocted a story with a clever premise and empathetic heroine that teens and pre-teens will identify with and embrace as one of their own.”  
—Lurlene McDaniel, author of Breathless