Plot summary

The story starts with Ginger, an overweight child with no friends and red hair

Red hair

Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations...

. Then the book forwards to when she's 12, popular and confident, having lost weight, found make-up, and hair-straighteners, and with a best friend, Shannon. Ginger is happy, until she and Shannon befriend a lonely girl from Ginger's old school, Emily Croft. Ginger finds that Shannon likes Emily more than her, making her upset, and breaking their friendship.

Meanwhile, Ginger meets Sam, a boy at her school that doesn't wear uniform

School uniform

A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...

and ditches class often. Shannon doesn't like him and thinks he's weird (Ginger later says that Shannon doesn't like him because he's the only boy that doesn't fall to her feet) but Ginger starts to, and they are secretly together. Mr. Hunter, their English teacher (who everyone likes but Sam, and Shannon has a crush on) announces that they will make a school magazine (S'cool). Shannon is the Editor. After the magazine is completed, the students throw a release party which falls on Shannon's 13th birthday. Shannon's parents aren't home at the party, so some of her friends bring in beer, and soon everyone starts to get drunk except Emily and Ginger. Mr. Hunter arrives and tries to calm things down, but it doesn't work. Sam also comes and Shannon tells him to get lost, and says that Ginger thinks he's weird and is to nice to tell him. Ginger is shocked and Sam gets hurt and leaves. Ginger ends up crying. Shannon gets rejected by Mr.Hunter and then becomes upset.

Soon a fight starts up when the student photographer, Jas Kapoor, starts taking pictures of the party (part of his idea for the next issue of the magazine, The truth behind teen parties) and he takes a picture of Andy Collins drinking and smoking with Shannon on his leg. Soon a neighbour calls the police, and Ginger calls Shannon's parents. Back at school, Ginger gets called to the principal's office. Her parents are called in too. She doesn't know what she is in trouble for. The principal brings out a picture from the party with Mr.Hunter and his arm over her shoulder (which was just Mr. Hunter trying to comfort her after everything started to go wrong). Soon Shannon starts telling everyone lies about Mr.Hunter that he was after herself and Ginger, and parents get worried about having Mr.Hunter teaching their children. Soon Mr.Hunter leaves, even though he didn't do anything. Six weeks after the party, Shannon talks to Ginger saying that she should come hang out with her again (Ginger has become friends with people Shannon call freaks, Sam and Ginger and has now started dating openly) but Ginger refuses, and later thinks that Shannon is the one at loss.

Afterward, Shannon gets a new 'friend' Nisha Chowdhury, which in Ginger's words, is 'an experiment, like Emily, and me.'

Ginger Brown

The main character in Gingersnaps, who at her primary school was called a loser and everyone in school said she was fat. At secondary school, Ginger is popular and is best friends with a girl called Shannon, who is the most popular girl in Year 8. Ginger is lighthearted and cares a lot about how people feel, because she used to get bullied. When Emily's best friend moves away Ginger befriends her. Ginger is loyal to Shannon and a bit afraid of her, as she likes Sam, a 'reject', that Shannon hates, so she keeps dating him a secret. Ginger is very responsible as shown at Shannon's party when she tries to stop Shannon from drinking alcohol. At the end of the book Ginger grows and is not afraid of Shannon, and finds out that she was not a true friend. Then she starts dating Sam publicly and starts a band with Sam, Emily and some other kids and doesn't hang out with Shannon.

Shannon Kershaw

In Gingersnaps, Shannon is most popular girl in year 8. She is flirty and charming but if you get on her bad side she will turn you into a reject, like shown in Gingersnaps when Shannon tries to flirt with Sam, but he likes Ginger, so he rejected Shannon and she labelled him a loser. Shannon, throughout the book, has had Ginger and Emily as little slaves to boss around. Shannon is very irresponsible in Gingersnaps. She takes alcohol and tobacco at her 13th birthday party: it gets so bad that the police had to get involved. Shannon was so drunk she threw up on her shoes. Shannon also invited their English teacher as the party was also being held to mark the launch of the school magazine. When their English teacher is there she tries to kiss him, but he doesn't think it is right. He thinks the party to out of control and tries to get everyone to go home. At the end of the book she befriends another girl called Nisha and doesn't hang out with Ginger or Emily anymore.

Sam Taylor

Sam plays the saxophone and wears very strange hats. He likes blue lemonade, gherkins and peanut butter, but is really interested in Ginger. But Shannon doesn't like him because she thinks that he is a strange loser.

External links

• Review at CBBC