Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Middle School is worse than Meatloaf


There's something about Jennifer Holm. No, I don't mean her two Newbery Honors. Nor her two beautiful children. Nor the fact that she lives in Maryland. Just that special something that makes you know, the minute you pick up one of her books, that you are in for a good read.

You could say -- Take Babymouse and cross it with Penny from Heaven -- and you just might end up with this book.

The first thing you notice is the cover. You want to pick up that pencil and get it out of the dinner plate. Hey, the peas are all over -- pick up those peas young lady. What the heck does this all mean?

The second thing you notice is that someone has written notes all over this book. Read a little further: Hey, wait a minute -- that's part of the book. it's told in notes and drawings and Refrigerator magnets. (does she ever eat enough pizza to earn that free pizza?)

What can a girl do with two brothers? One a Juvenile delinquent and the other simply young. And with a new, mostly great, step dad who forgot to pick her up to take her to Nutcracker ballet tryouts -- making her lose the part of the Sugarplum fairy?

Will she eve get that yummy yellow sweater?

And so the school year progresses -- told through all the notes and calendars and bank statements and even computer instant messages. Wanna know what happens next? yes!

It's a real page turner. Read it and enjoy. (I already have made a note to order more copies for my library branch because this is one I am going to be handing out right and left.)

-w

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great book! I read a review of it somewhere else recently, meant to put it on reserve, and promptly forgot. Now I have (though it's just on order at my library, with no copies in yet...and I'm 12th in line for 10 copies).

I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any of Holm's books. Sacrilege, I know. Maybe I'll go put her other ones on reserve right now, in fact!

Laura