""FRUNK THE SKUNK SMELLS LIKE JUNK ""Upon hearing this played-out chant, eleven-year-old Tarryn Frunk does not expect the eighth grade to be different from any other school year, unlike two years ago when she and her family first moved to Seoul, South Korea. It turns out that even an American army base halfway around the world is just an extension of American suburbia, and the kids there are just as mean, especially when you are two grades ahead in school, make sculptures out of found objects (a.k.a. junk), and have a white streak in your incredibly frizzy hair.But two significant events-one humiliating, the other flattering-happen to Tarryn on the first day of eighth grade, changing the course of the school year and upsetting the dynamics of what were once believed to be steadfast friendships.In her debut novel, Samia Mounts perfectly captures the vulnerability of adolescents-both the outsiders and the in-crowd-and also conveys the nuances of everyday life on an American army base.The unique illustrations of Luca Matricardi-found in every chapter-bring the world of Tarryn Frunk to life.Samia Mounts is a professional musical theater actress and an accomplished voice-over artist in Asia. She currently resides in New York City where she is trying to break into the theater world.Luca Matricardi is an artist living in Italy.