Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

All her life, Violet Greenfield has been known as the "Jolly Green Giant" because of her striking height. Luckily, Violet has her good friends Julie and Roger who don’t care that Violet towers over them. But Violet has always wanted to be liked and harbors a secret desire to be part of the most popular clique in the school: the Bee’s Knees. However, it doesn’t look like things will change for now, and Violet will have to settle for hanging out with her good friends and working her boring job at the local movie theater.

On one, seemingly ordinary day that included Violet working her theater shift in her hideous uniform, a lady in Channel shades walked in…and changed Violet’s life. The lady in designer shades, Angela, pronounced Violet gorgeous and stunning, and praised Violet’s height—something that Violet definitely hasn’t heard before! Her height is a good thing?! Angela certainly believes so, and tells Violet that there are some castings for models coming up and that she and Tryst models would love to fly Violet over for them because Violet could very well be the next Big thing. Who knew Violet’s dull job at the movie theater would bring her some good luck?

Before you can say "runway" Violet is over in NYC with her mother being chauffeured everywhere, pampered and outfitted for the castings. A day later, Violet hits the castings and gets hired by four designers for their shows! After she convinces her mother that the modeling jobs would be good work experience and a good way for her to help pay for college tuition, Violet hits the runway and steals the show every time with her 100 watt smile! She’s soon asked to walk the runway with the designers at the end of each show she’s in—an honor normally given to the more experienced models. Violet is thrilled, but former top model, Veronica, is not quite as happy, since Violet has stolen the limelight from her.

It’s not long until Violet is booked for even more shows and begins to spend more and more time in NYC. She even gets noticed and invited into the circle of the Bee’s Knees! Violet’s life is getting better by the second—so why aren’t her friends supporting her? Are they jealous of Violet’s new designer clothes? Why can’t they be happy for her for once? After all, this is the first stroke of good luck Violet’s had! But her old friends are not the only problem—Violet’s being exposed to the darker side of the modeling business. A model’s life is not always as glamorous as it’s made out to be; most girls have eating disorders, some are even on drugs, they party the night away by getting completely wasted, and true friends are far and few between, since backstabbing runs rampant among the models. Is this really the life Violet wants? Is the money and fame worth this? Is this modeling business ruining Violet and changing her morals?

I really enjoyed Violet on the Runway and Violet’s frank honesty and realistic qualities. She’s easy to relate to, after all, we’ve all felt left out at one point or another in our lives and glamour has undoubtedly caught many of our eyes at least once. When you’re out in an environment filled with betrayals and dangerous addictions, you have to watch your step and stay in reality, or you may lose yourself completely in the dangers and never recover.