The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney

by Lauren Barnholdt

Book Overview

Mom says karma always comes around to get you, and I guess it's true. Because last summer I was a total liar, and now, right in the middle of Mr. Pritchard's third-period math class, my whole world is about to come crashing down.

That's because while Devon was living with her grandmother for the summer, she told her "summer friend," Lexi, that she was really popular back home and dating Jared Bentley, only the most popular guy at school...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416935037
• ISBN13: 9781416935032
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 9 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 8

Customer Reviews

fun

I really enioyed this book ,it's very fun and exciting,first Devon accidentally told her summer friend that she's dating the most polular guy at school,Jared,but,now everybody know she's a total liar,because Jared doesn't even talk to her,so she explain her friends,then she start crushing on another guy Luke....

Review by Amy (9 years old)

Well the book is well written. I would like to recemended it to kids who are in middle school or 4th grade. I am an advanced reader so for me it was fine. People who are in middle school could probably realate to it the most. Trying to fit in by lying, liking the boys and much more.It talks about that if you lie something bad may happen. It also talks about the different kind of friends there are. One kind is like the character kim. Shes not really a friend. Another one is like lexi.shes a friend but seems like she likes deven because she's popular. The last kind of friend is like Melissa. That's one of the best friends you could have. It was one of my favorite books. It has a great point. The characters all have different personalities and I think that's good. Out of 5 stars I would give it 5 stars! The author made it very intresting. Also if 1 problem got fixed another 1 would come along. That made it more fun to read. So if you're looking for a book to read and you're in 4th grade or middle school read this book.

The Secret Idenity of Devon Delaney

The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney Author: Lauren Barnholdt It's just a little white lie you say? Well it is... until your whole school finds out and you have no one to turn to! Devon is your average girl, just going with the flow. But over the summer when she meets someone who is the exact opposite, she does anything and everything to impress the popular Lexi. Even if it means lying... about everything. But when Lexi comes to Devon's school, she finds out that a white lie can turn into a whole lot more. All she has to do is convince her that all those lies are true. Simple you say? Yeah right! I was drawn into the world of this book automatically and found myself completely absorbed in the shocking twists and turns of Devon's life. It was almost as if I was in the story, everything unfolding right before my eyes. I couldn't wait to find out how it would end, but every time I thought I'd figured it out, Barnholdt threw me a new catch. You learn through the lives of these characters how important it is to just be yourself. I would recommend this book to any girl looking to find the real meaning of friendship. -Allie M.

The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney

I am 22 years old, and very much enjoyed this book. I met the author on myspace, and have chatted with her online on numerous occasions. She is wonderful, and whenever she has a book coming out, I'm really excited- whether or not it was written for someone my age. =) I think that the characters in this book are believable, and I especially enjoyed the relationships among members of Devon's family. The plot is funny and interesting, and even had my stomach in knots, wondering exactly what was going to happen to Devon and her friends. I highly recommend this book for tweens and younger teens. Although, if you love reading and are older, you may enjoy this book as well. It's on my keeper shelf!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

What happens at your grandma's house, stays at your grandma's house, right? Well, that's what Devon Delaney thought when she spent the summer before seventh grade away at her grandmother's. She figured there would be no harm in telling her new summer friend, Lexi, that back home she was popular and dating the coolest guy in school. After all, Lexi lived far away and would never know the truth. Plus, it gave Devon the chance to spend two whole months living out the fantasy of being part of the A-list crowd, calling herself "Devi" and wearing lots of cute new clothes. But Devon's real life comes crashing down the following school year when Lexi moves to town unexpectedly. Devon knows she has to come clean and confess to Lexi, but she keeps putting it off. In order to keep Lexi from finding out the truth, Devon has to pretend to be the popular "Devi" and make up even more lies to explain why she barely speaks to her gorgeous "boyfriend," Jared. Meanwhile, Devon's real-life best friend, Melissa, is getting fed up with Devon spending all of her time with the new girl, Lexi. Is it possible that Devon is trying so hard to be popular that she'll end up with no friends at all? THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY is a fun, fast-paced book. It does a nice job of contrasting the lives and interactions of the "popular crowd" at Devon's school with those of the not-so-popular kids. Devon and her best friend, Melissa, are not exactly riding the top rung of the social ladder, and it's amusing to read how Lexi, the new girl, shows up at school and slides seamlessly in with the A-list crew. Devon is stunned by the ease with which her new friend does that. It's something Devon had dreamed of doing, but never knew where to start. I enjoyed this book and was satisfied by the ending, but by about mid-way through the story, I wanted to scream at Devon. She kept burying herself deeper and deeper in lies in order to keep her initial falsehoods concealed. If she had simply admitted to Lexi what had happened in the first place, everything would have been fine. But things just went from bad to worse, with Devon's decisions getting more and more ridiculous as time went on. That was my biggest complaint about the book, although perhaps making the reader scream with frustration was intentional on the author's part. It helps show how even one little lie can spin out of control. Finally, THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY seems like it would appeal primarily to girl readers, and the book cover says it's geared to readers ages 9 through 13, which seems about right. I highly recommend it for that audience, especially for readers who enjoy a funny story that reminds us about how important it is to stay true to who we are. Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan