Model is a riveting memoir written by Cheryl Diamond, a model and now author. At the young age of 14, Cheryl entered the falsely glamourous world of modeling, in Manhattan. This memoir follows her journey to the Big Apple and all of the difficulties that come with it such as: finding a place to live, dealing with rude bookers and models, accepting the harsh facts, staying ahead in the competition, and being professional at all times. Cheryl shows that it is not an easy task and yet, even with all the drawbacks, modeling was worth it.
Why I Liked The Book:
Cheryl made sure to portray her point of view on life as a teenage model in New York City. She is a strong, relatable, and spunky character that I think serves as a good role model for a few reasons. Throughout her career she stuck to her values such as no harming your body in any way, not sacrificing your dignity in order to get a job, responsibility is key, and not changing yourself so that you will fit in. She made sure to stay true to herself and made sure to constantly stay in touch with her family even though they were not right beside her. Cheryl had her cat with her at all times. It was really easy for me to relate to her cat loving side, for I too have a cat.
The characters and scenery came to life in the book and I always felt as if I was at Cheryl’s side the whole time.The book is written in simple English, but you still get vivid imagery. The sights, sounds, smells, and experiences all feel very real. I had an easy time imagining the different characters for each was described in a unique way.
Model: A Memoir // Cheryl Diamond
Nomi Lewkowicz / 8th grade