The Popularity Papers is a children's series about two girls named Lydia and Julie and their misguided attempt to become popular. The series starts in their 5th grade year and as it progresses, there is much Character Development as they realize that there are more important things than being In with the In Crowd.
- Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- Words of (Questionable) Wisdom from Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- The Rocky Road Trip of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- Love and Other Fiascos with Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
- The Less-Than-Hidden Secrets and Final Revelations of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
Tropes:
- Ambiguously Jewish: The Goldblatts. One of Lydia's excuses to get out of phone calls involves her bubbe, and they order Chiniese food every Christmas.
- Anime Hair: Lydia turns her hair blue in a rebellious moment.
- Gretchen has always had a blond streak in her hair. Later it turns pink.
- Art Shift: Whenever Lydia draws something. Sorry, Lydia, but your drawings are... noticeably different.
- Character Development: Lydia and Julie eventually realize there are more important things than being popular. Namely, not making their friends angry at them.
- Emo Teen: Melody. She seems to grow out of it once she comes back from Guatemala in Book 5, but plunges back in when Mrs. Goldblatt gets engaged in Book 6.
- Jerk Justifications: Near the end of the third book, Lydia and Julie are at the bottom of the Popularity Food Chain and have completely given up on being anything but on-purpose Jerkasses.
- Love Pentagon: Lydia, Chuck, Jane, Roland, and Julie are arguably all part of this. But it's mostly the first three.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: Averted. They do move slowly from 5th grade to 7th. Sixth grade is the hardest for them.
- Opposites Attract: Papa Dad is a huge goofball, while Daddy is the serious and often freaked-out counterpart. These roles are inverted in Love and Other Fiascos.
- Road Trip Plot: The entire fourth book is this.
