Mall Hair Maladies by Kristy Jo Volchko

Mall Hair Maladies Reviews

• 
  Wolfe Butler

  The book is written for the tween audience. For those of us that were children or teens of the 80’s, it is equally enjoyable. Maybe even more so. All the 80's references from cassette walkmans to clouds of hairspray in school hallways make this book a blast.
  
  Kristy Jo Volchko does a great job of sharing the teenage mind. The book has a quick pace and a sense of urgency throughout as Tanya is ever working toward her penultimate goal of seeing Madonna in concert. The dialogue is enjoyable to read and keeps you invested in the characters.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the sequel next year.
• 
  Martha Perez

  If you love the 80s you would find this book captivating and heartfelt plots that will surprise you this is the blast from the past brings back boys and silly crushes a time limit to be home, school tournament we all know about bullying could affect your life at some point this story was a page-turner Fabulous and characteristic pop fashion, an era of voguish shoulderpads, voluminous hairstyles intriguing drama funny sincere couldn’t ask for more in a story. I recommend this book.
• 
  Kathleen Harryman

  This delightful book follows Randi and Tanya as they explore the 80's in their teenage years. As a child of the 80's I found this book a funny and compelling look back at those all important teenage years. The music, the fashion trends, it's all here.
  This is a young adult book (but don't just let your kids read it, you will simply love it too!), and my 12year old daughter absolutely fell in love with it. It's easy to read with lots of moments that are going to make you laugh out loud, (both my daughter and I shared those moments) and a story that both adult and young adult can identify with. Thats what makes this book so incredibly good!!
  There's a great message for young adults in this book. Its about the importance of friendship, and you can't help but feel this on every page with Randi and Tanya. Its about bullying. First crushes, and not forgetting the fashion and music of that era.
  As a parent its all about the content, and unfortunately in this day and age that we are living in all too often swear words appear in young adult books. This is one of the reasons I like to read my daughter books first. This book is not only only a fantastic read, but it is a clean read too.
• 
  Ken Stark

  Mall Hair Maladies, by Kristy Jo Volchko, is a sweet and entertaining coming-of-age story set in an arguably better age. Thirteen-year-old Tanya is simply trying to navigate her way through life in 1985 Pittsburgh when she takes on the job of showing new girl, Randi, around the school. Friendship blossoms when they discover a mutual love of everything Madonna, and two loners quickly become the dynamic duo of hair spray and jelly bracelets as they set about pursuing their dream of seeing the Material Girl, live and in person.
  Mall Hair Maladies is truly a fun read. Tanya and Randi are two of the most likeable characters I've ever come across, and Kristy Jo Volchko never misses a chance to give her readers a laugh. I lived through those bygone days, so all of the references to 80's kitsch like hamburger phones and arcade games was a pleasant and sometimes groan-inducing stroll down memory lane. But no matter the era, growing up isn't easy. Along with all the good times, Tanya and Randi have to suffer through some genuine angst, and it speaks volumes to Volchko's talent as a writer that she managed to balance the ups and downs of tweenhood so superbly. The result is a heartwarming story full of tenderness, tears, armpit farts and Care Bears that had me longing to return to those simpler times, while eternally grateful that the trials and tribulations of that awkward age are far behind me. Mall Hair Maladies might be marketed toward younger readers, but it is one of those rare books that really does have something for everyone. It also serves as a poignant reminder, especially now, that adversity is more easily handled with a good friend at your side, and that the best things in life aren't material at all.
  Five stars for Mall Hair Maladies, and for Kristy Jo Volchko!
• 
  Lex Allen

  When Tanya is “assigned” to show new student Randi around, she finds not only a new schoolmate, but a kindred spirit in all things important to a teenage girl in the mid-eighties... hair do’s, fashion, boys, and the adoration of pop star Madonna. When the girls learn that Madonna has scheduled a concert in their hometown the fun begins as the girls try everything to score tickets.
  
  “Mall Hair Maladies” by Kristy Jo Volchko is a hilarious and, for many, a nostalgic ride through the eyes and actions of two teenage girls in the 80’s. Volchko has written a story that, regardless of the decade you experienced your teens, will have you howling with laughter alongside a few sentimental tears as you recognize the similarities of teen-hood regardless the timeframe. There is a deeper message in this story as Volchko shows how friendship and family provide the foundations for all of life’s endeavors. The coming of age piece of “Mall Hair Maladies” is subtle, often overshadowed by the zany experiences of the girls, but it’s there all the same and demonstrates the author’s expertise in art of storytelling. The story is a quick, entertaining read highly recommended for readers between ten and a hundred years young.
• 
  Eichin Chang-Lim

  Mall Hair Maladies is a light-hearted read about two girls' transformation into young adults in their early teens. The main characters, Tanya and Randi, are like many thirteen-year-olds. They confront the challenges of that age: discovering their identities, facing bullies among peers, envisioning huge dreams, trying to make the right decisions, doing things with their hearts and learning life lessons through mistakes.
  The author skillfully employs the wordings and dialogs to truthfully reflect the thoughts and conversations of that growing-up age and the era of the 1980s.
  Ultimately, this is a tale about friendship and love. The author wraps up the endings ingeniously leaving the readers with a hear-warming smile.
• 
  Carol Phipps

  MALL HAIR MALADIES is a hilarious coming of age tale about two teenage girls in the 1980’s. A time in history when “big hair” sprayed firmly enough to withstand a category 5 hurricane, jelly bracelets and finger-less gloves were in fashion.
  
  Tanya Sheffield and Randi Gattano become best friends almost from the moment they meet. It seems almost fated, in fact, as they discover their common interests in most everything, especially when it comes to hair, fashion and their adoration of the current hot pop singer, Madonna.
  
  One evening as Tanya and Randi are busily making hair ties and fingerless gloves from pairs of old pantyhose procured from Tanya’s mom, an announcement on the radio offering a free pair of tickets to the 10th caller for a Madonna concert right there in their city of Pittsburg, sends the girls into overdrive with Madonna Fever. They immediately embark on a quest to win, beg, borrow or steal (well…at least find a way to earn the needed funds) the tickets to attend the concert and see their number 1 idol, an endeavor which produces some surprising and unexpected results.
  
  MALL HAIR MALADIES is a quick, laugh-out-loud tale that I found impossible to put down until I had finished it. I recommend this thoroughly enjoyable book to all.
• 
  Grant Leishman

  Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman
  
  The 1980’s – a time of big hair, shoulder pads, leotards, jazzercise and get fit videos, well, that’s certainly how I remember it, but for two young thirteen-year-old girls in Pittsburgh, it was their time of coming of age, of discovering who they were and what really mattered to them. Randi and Tanya were absolute BFF’s (best friends forever) and the one thing that bound them to each other, more than anything else was their love of music, but more importantly their complete and utter devotion to their number one cultural icon – Madonna. When Tanya realises that Madonna will be performing live at their local Pittsburgh arena, attending her concert becomes the be all and end all of these two young ladies’ lives. In Mall Hair Maladies, Kristy Jo Volchko brings us a story of friendship, love and perhaps most importantly hair, that one feature that 80’s girls used to define their generation.
  
  As far away from a teenage girl as it is humanly possible to be, I found Mall Hair Maladies to be an absolute breath of fresh air in among the usual murder, destruction and despair that frequents most of the books I read these days. Author Kristy Jo Volchko has set out to capture the spirit, the determination and the maturity of young people and she has done it beautifully. It would be easy to dismiss the characters as frivolous teenagers with little or no responsibility, but Volchko beautifully crafted into the story some meaningful and deeper reflections on life, on karma and most especially on friendship and what it means to be a true friend. I absolutely rode this fun tale all the way and although not a child of the eighties myself, I could see in their crazy adventures and their determination to do what they wanted to do, a lot of my own teenage years. This is a wonderful book for young people, especially, but also for those of us young at heart and tired of the continuing negativity that surrounds us in media, in film and in literature. Like Madonna, this book sings to its own song sheet and for that alone I can highly recommend it.
• 
  Ken Fry

  As an older man reviewing a young girls teen story you might think that this is a recipe for disaster.
  How wrong you'd be!
  
  Here's a very USA high school novel set in the 80's that completely surprised me. I enjoyed it utterly.
  Ms. Volchko's freshness is uninhibited and full of charming humour. The expressions used had me giggling, and making me wish I was part of that scene.
  
  The central characters are new girl Randi Gattano and Tanya. They're the quintessential 80's teen girls and mammothly into Madonna and her music. This was truly an enjoyable blast from the past, and solidly refreshing. It deserves every one of it's 5 stars
• 
  Maureen Stevenson

  Tons of fun with quirky, relatable characters. Just the right length with nice developed plot line. Nothing over expressed or forced. A great book and will recommend to friends. 😊
• 
  Wendy Slater

  Wonderful YA fiction from a very gifted writer.
  
  Kristy Jo Volchko is a superb writer, and I highly recommend “Mall Hair Maladies” to anyone looking for a great YA read! Ms. Volchko’s ability to recreate the 1980’s from a 13-year old’s perspective is wonderous! Her descriptions are extraordinarily accurate, and her chosen words are perfect to bring the reader into the reality of being 13 in the 1980’s.
  
  I loved the structure of the beginning chapter and the weaving of that chapter throughout the book- but, with the real impact and meaning of the first chapter only becoming apparent in the last chapter. I got such a hoot out of the descriptions, the accurate portrayal of subtle nuances of the 80’s, as well as the universal and timeless themes of being 13 regardless of what era. These themes include trust, bonding, sharing, courage, growth, separation, and most important, resilience.
  
  Ms. Volchko’s description of a 13-year old reflecting on all the hidden and known treasures of her bedroom and wondering if anyone else would notice all these seemingly secret treasures is powerful. The 13-year old wonders if anyone else would notice the birds that return every spring outside her window. It all reminds the reader of the dynamic relationship with the unique space of a childhood bedroom like doors that creaked in certain ways, a single floorboard that always squeaked, or the way shadows mysteriously danced on the wall only in the afternoon. Ms. Volchko’s powerful and rich words clearly brought me back to the unique and wistful memories of my childhood in ways that I hadn’t visited in decades.
  
• 
  Shar Lemond

  What a fun ride through the beloved decade of the 80s! Music, fashion, big hair, and friendship are all tied together in this sweet book about two thirteen year olds and their single parents. Kristy Jo Volchko took me back to my own Madonna obsession of the time. What a delightful book!
• 
  Dee

  I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Mall Hair Maladies.” This is a story about teens, but I believe it also appeals to those of us who grew up in the 1980s. It offers a glimpse into the lives of Tanya and her best friend, Randi, in their quest to be cool, be in style, and, above all, attend a Madonna concert. As a girl who had a spiral perm, I can appreciate the many references to the fashion and styles of the 80s. It’s a perfect blend of nostalgia and a reminder of just how awkward being an eighth grader really is. There were many laugh-out-loud moments, too, especially when Tanya and Randi were trying to be “mixologists.” “Mall Hair Maladies” is one of the cutest, feel-good books I’ve read in a while, and I highly recommend it.
• 
  M Khan

  Highly Recommended!
  
  Mall Hair Maladies is an absolute blast from the past! The author skillfully weaves 80s nostalgia into a heartwarming coming-of-age tale, filled with big hair, big dreams, and even bigger friendship.
  The characters, Randi and Tanya, are as relatable as they are hilarious, taking readers on a journey through the challenges of being 13 in 1985 Pittsburgh.
  The story's authenticity shines through, capturing the essence of the era with smoke-filled bathrooms, dictionary searches, and the pursuit of concert tickets. A marvelous blend of self-discovery, friendship, and love, Mall Hair Maladies is a must-read for anyone seeking a delightful trip down memory lane
• 
  Sharone Powell

  What a fun ride through the beloved decade of the 80s! Music, fashion, big hair, and friendship are all tied together in this sweet book about two thirteen year olds and their single parents. Kristy Jo Volchko took me back to my own Madonna obsession of the time. What a delightful book!
• 
  Mary L.

  Reliving the 80s
  
  I truly felt like I was reliving the 80s in this book. The POV comes from a 13 year old child, and much of what the kids got up to, wasn't part of my 80s as I was having my own children. I found this story hilarious. Five stars.
• 
  Jessi

  Cute book
  
  This is a story of a little girl discovering and learning about life I highly declined you read! Its cute and a delight to read.