IF THE BOOK FITS...READ IT

Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One

AUTHOR: Judy Blume

ILLUSTRATOR:  James Stevenson

ISBN#: 978-0385733076

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (August 12, 2008)

SUBJECTS:  Sibling Rivalry, Brothers and Sisters, Animals:  Alligators, Getting Lost

READER LEVEL: Reader, Sr

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

ABOUT THIS SERIES:
Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One is the third book in the latest quartet of books by Judy Blume. The first book is Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One, and the second book is Cool Zone with the Pain & the Great One.  The fourth installment is due May, 2009.

This chapter series is about a set of siblings, the Pain and the Great One, who are, respectively, a first grade boy and a third grade girl.  Love the names!  Blume has said they are based on her own children; that the original story was written at home with a house full of her children's friends, when her children were six and eight years old.  It was originally published as a poem for "Free to Be You and Me."  Then Blume published an illustrated picture book called The Pain and the Great One, and now we can enjoy these sassy characters in this delightful chapter book series.  

As in all of Blume's books, she is completely honest with her young readers and she doesn't shy away from any issues.  This new series is no different, albeit written for a bit younger reader than those that devour the Fudge books.The chapters are actually interconnected, short stories about everyday happenings in the lives of the Pain and the Great One.  

ABOUT THIS VOLUME:

In Going, Going, Gone!, Blume tackles fear of swimming in the ocean, sticking something up your nose and getting it stuck (yuck:), not doing something just because your friends are doing it and getting lost at the mall.

I have selected mild concerns in subject matter for two reasons:  firstly, in case your child is having any of the issues discussed in this book, I would like you to be aware they are going to read about them.  Secondly, I just want to give you a preview because they are all good discussion starters about growing up that you might want to capitalize on, and have the conversations (one at a time, of course).

Also, a note about the book's structure.  The interconnected stories are a nice set-up for times when your child only has a few minutes to read.  For example, I leave them in the car in case someone is interested in a short story while we are waiting for a sibling.  This structure also lends itself to a child who is entering the Reader, SR, reading level.  Short stories like this are good practice for learning to retain a story, readying them for longer books.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One, Judy Blume

Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One, Judy Blume

Mighty Monty

AUTHOR: Johanna Hurwitz

ILLUSTRATOR:  Anik McGrory

ISBN#: 978-0763629779

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (October 28, 2008)

SUBJECTS: Asthma, Building Confidence, Empathy, Feelings, Friendship, Identity, Neighbors, Overcoming Fears, Physical Differences, Sports - Karate, School 

READER LEVEL: READER SR

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

***NEWLY PUBLISHED, OCTOBER 2008***

Montgomery Gerald Morris, "Monty", is a typical first grader except for the fact that he has asthma.  We learn that he is an exceptional reader who loves books and magazines.  He participates in his first school play, goes to a friend's birthday party and decides to try a new sport, karate.  Throughout all these events, his asthma plays a part in how he feels and what he can do. He carries an inhaler, can't have carpet in his room and can't go into a house with dogs.  

Monty is also a worrier.  He worries about being in front of people in the school play, that he'll ruin his friend's party which has to be outside because of his allergy and that he won't be as good as the other kids at karate.  He tries to be brave, facing and even overcoming several of his fears.  He realizes that his friends and family can help him get through tough situations and feels good about himself in the end.

The simple vocabulary, episodic chapters and generous use of white space and illustrations make Mighty Monty a good choice for the reader at the beginning of the Reader Sr reading level.  While there is also minimal character development and descriptive language, the story is somewhat long so make sure your reader isn't intimidated by the length.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Roxie and the Hooligans, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Lucy Rose Busy Like You Can't Believe

AUTHOR: Katy Kelly

ILLUSTRATOR:  Adam Rex

ISBN#: 978-0440421085

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Yearling (September 11, 2007)

SUBJECTS: Divorce, Family Life, Feelings, Friendship, Grandparents, Imagination, Journal Writing, Neighbors, School

READER LEVEL: Independent Jr.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

For those who liked Clementine and Gooney Bird Greene, Lucy Rose is another red head with spunk and charm.  She is entertaining, fun and thoughtful and filled with so much to say. The diary style writing will help readers get to know Lucy Rose, what she likes, where she lives and the people that are important to her.  There are a lot of details and plenty of small subplots running through the book.  Her parents' divorce plays an ongoing role in the story as Lucy Rose tries to stay in touch with her dad in Michigan (often via email) and worries that her mom is dating a new man. In addition to that there is the eavesdropping habit that she knows is wrong but can't seem to quit.

Living in Washington D.C. with her mom, she is about to start the fourth grade with a positive attitude and a flashy outfit.  She loves to be the center of things and dresses the part.  Lucy is also witty and funny.  She enjoys vocabulary, especially palindromes and there is plenty of clever banter among Lucy Rose, her friends and the adults in the story.

She is confident, unique and original but she has to face some disappointment too when she doesn't get the lead role in the school play.  She's also dealing with some real life problems including her struggle with multiplication, a mean girl at school, her divorced parents and concerns resulting from all that eavesdropping.  Luckily her best friends, Melonhead (a boy) and Jonique, along with her grandparents and parents are there to help her along the way.  On page 20, readers can see how her grandfather, Pop, helps her to feel better when the mean girl, Ashley, calls Lucy Rose's pants "childish."  Or later, on page 53, Jonique stands up for her and won't join in a game when Ashley tries to leave Lucy Rose out.  Readers can find comfort in knowing that these types of things happen to everyone and that there is a positive way to handle them.  They will also see positive behavior to emulate, like kindness, rule following, confessing to mistakes and forgiveness.

There is a lot to follow here in terms of events, characters and feelings but it is interesting and funny and succeeds in holding the reader's attention.   Some parts almost feel like they were written with an adult reader in mind, with subtle jokes (like confusing the meaning of discreetly or why her mom wants her to stop singing) that might go over most children's heads.  The illustrations are a little off beat, almost cartoony and occasionally a little scary (the eyes especially) but don't distract from the story.  

A charming book, Lucy Rose Busy like you Can't Believe is a perfect next step for advancing readers.  Don't forget to check out the times tables at the back of the book.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Gooney Bird Greene, Lois Lowry

Clementine, Sara Pennypacker

Ivy + Bean Take Care of the Babysitter #4

AUTHOR: Annie Barrows

ILLUSTRATOR:  Sophie Blackall

ISBN#: 978-0811865845

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Chronicle Books (August 27, 2008)

SUBJECTS: Friendship, Imagination, Individuality, Sibling Rivarly

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Bean is stirring up trouble again.  Ivy is happy reading a book at home but Bean is ready for action.  There's a mound of dirt down the street at their friend Sophie's house that can't be missed.  They all enjoy some down and dirty fun, climbing on the dirt pile and turning it into a volcano, but then Bean's mom gives the dreaded call home.  

Well, it turns out that Bean's parents are going out and her babysitter is, none other than, big sister Nancy.  This news does not make Bean happy.  In fact, having her big sister in charge is the worst news she can get.  Not only that, her parents say she has to stay in the house. Well, of course Bean manages to make an adventure out of the ordeal, signaling to Ivy to sneak inside and exploring the forbidden attic space.

These girls are, as always, interesting and imaginative.  They have some fun and occasionally get into trouble but their intentions are usually good.  They are also smart and even outwit Nancy, convincing her to keep their little adventure a secret. The obvious difference between Nancy, who is only worried that people will see her, and Bean, who is just worried that people won't see her, gives readers some indication of the changes that happen from ages seven to eleven.

The language and plot are easy to follow, making Ivy + Bean a perfect choice for children just entering the early Reader, Sr. stage.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Clementine, Sara Pennypacker

Ivy + Bean Break the Fossil Record #3

AUTHOR: Annie Barrows

ILLUSTRATOR:  Sophie Blackall

ISBN#: 978-0811862509

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Chronicle Books (December 20, 2007)

SUBJECTS: Books about Books, Friendship, Imagination, Individuality, School, Sibling Rivarly

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Ivy and Bean are back in the third installment of this entertaining series about two unlikely best friends with something to prove.  In book two it was a ghost in the bathroom and this time it is dinosaur bones in the backyard.  In both, the girls work together to find an imaginative solution to their problems.

As usual, Bean is bored during reading time and Ivy is engrossed in a book.  When their second grade teacher offers Bean a book on world records, she gets Bean's attention and the interest of the whole class too.  They all attempt to break records and find out that it is not as easy as it sounds.  Ivy, on the other hand is more interested in her own book about a young girl who gains fame when she discovers dinosaur fossils.

Bean wants to be famous too and when her and Ivy find some bones in her backyard she thinks she's on her way.  Ivy is less concerned with what other people think, but Bean wants everyone to know about her possible record breaking accomplishment. She tells the whole class about their discovery but when her sister Nancy claims they are just a neighborhood dog's old steak bones, Bean realizes she may have spoken too soon.  Luckily Ivy comes up with a creative plan to save the day and is brave enough to see it through.  

While not quite as funny as the previous two books, Break the Fossil Record is an enjoyable book.  As with the others, the plot is easy to follow, the character development is simple, the vocabulary is familiar and the ink drawings are engaging. Readers who liked the first two books will be happy to spend more time with Ivy and Bean. 

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Clementine, Sara Pennypacker

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

AUTHOR: Kate DiCamillo

ILLUSTRATOR:  Bagram Ibatoulline

ISBN#: 978-0763639877

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (December 26, 2007)

SUBJECTS: Adventure, Animals - Rabbits, Excellent Read-Aloud, Extraordinary Language, Magic, Self Discovery

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

 Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Edward Tulane "prefers not to think unpleasant thoughts."  It may be surprising that he has thoughts at all, as Edward is actually a toy rabbit.  He spends most of his time thinking about his appearance, his elegant wardrobe and the stars in the sky.  He's not really interested in the people around him and only pretends to listen when they speak. 

He is a proud rabbit who had been given as a birthday gift to a young girl named Abilene by her grandmother, Pellegrina.  Now ten, Abilene loves and cares for him, treating him like a human.  Edward is tolerant of her affection but does not appreciate it.  One night, Pellegrina tells them a gruesome tale of a princess who chooses to live without love.  The story, and sometimes Pellegrina herself, make Edward feel "agitated" although he isn't sure why. Warning for younger readers - Pellegrina's story has an unpleasant ending.

Abilene's family takes a vacation aboard a ship and in an unfortunate incident, Edward is thrown overboard, landing at the bottom of the ocean. There are some serious, possibly disturbing thoughts presented here.  "How does a china rabbit die? Can a china rabbit drown?"  The reader will feel Edward's agony as he spends day after day awake and alone with only his thoughts.  He remembers his mistress Abilene, Pellegrina and the story of the princess and the stars he can no longer see in the sky.  For the first time, Edward feels emotion - he is afraid.

After almost 300 days in the water, Edward is rescued by a kind fisherman. He adjusts to his new surroundings and ragged appearance, realizing that anything is better than lying on the ocean floor.  At this point, Edward begins to change.  He listens when people speak and as a result, his heart begins to open.  His happiness does not last long however, because the fisherman's daughter takes a dislike to him and throws him away. He ends up buried in a garbage dump with just his aching heart.  With more time to think, Edward begins to understand Pellegrina's story and the importance of love.

Edward is rescued from the dump but then lost and found several more times.  His memories of the starlit sky and the people he has loved keep him "alive" and comforted throughout his difficult journey.  As the years pass, he recognizes that he is no longer like the princess because he has experienced love, but he also finds that opening his heart has allowed loneliness to creep in as well.  In the end he must decide if he wants to risk feeling the pain and loss that sometimes follow when you open your heart.

Another note of caution here.  Edward has been drowned, buried, flung from a train, nailed to a stick and broken to pieces - literally and figuratively. There is also the death of a young girl and an abusive father.  These subjects may be of concern to some readers.  Some concepts like feeling mocked by the stars or birds "screaming a dark message in Edward's ear" may also require further explanation. Some of the vocabulary may also be challenging. Be prepared for words like ennui and contrarian.

  

These cautionary points are overwhelmingly outweighed by the incredible contribution that Kate DiCamillo makes to children's literature with this book. Every word seems to have been written with care and chosen with precision and will resonate deeply with the reader.  An excellent read-aloud, both adults and children will be captivated by Edward Tulane.  "If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless." is a meaningful thought, regardless of age. The illustrations, done in acrylic gouache, are works of art that perfectly capture each moment they are meant to depict.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Roxie and the Hooligans, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

My Father's Dragon, Ruth Chrisman Gannett

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls #1 - Moving Day

AUTHOR: Meg Cabot

ISBN#: 978-0545039475

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Scholastic Press (March 1, 2008)

SUBJECTS: Moving, Friendship, School, Family Life

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Allie FInkle's family is about to make her move to a new house (that's creepy), start a new school where she doesn't know anyone (in the middle of the year(!) , and leave her best friend Mary Kay (even if she is a crybaby).

This is the first book in the series by the very prolific author, Meg Cabot. Cabot has published copious amounts of fiction for all age levels, including adults, but this is her youngest effort so far.  I have placed this book in our Reader, Sr. reading level, even though it is quite long (228 pages), but the book dimensions are small and the margins are large.  The book is written in a very conversational style that young girls will enjoy. Still, make sure your reader is up for a book of this length before you drop it in their hands.

I think 8, 9, 10 year old girls are going to eat this book up.  It is written from a nine-year old's perspective, no holds barred.  The characters include a mean alpha girl, Brittany, the aforementioned cry-baby Mary Kay, a follower named Courtney, two annoying little brothers, and parents who are out to ruin her life.  

Allie, even before she gets the news she is moving, is having a hard time relating to friends, so she creates a book of rules to remind herself of how to behave.  The rules run the gamut from, "don't eat anything red," to "treat your friends the way you'd want them to treat you," to "If someone is yelling, the polite thing to do is yell back."

Allie stumbles through her last days in her beloved old house and at her beloved old school and readies herself, albeit reluctantly and not without disaster, for her new house and new school.      

The story is raw in parts, Allie steals a turtle from the local Chinese restaurant for fear it will end up in the Turtle Soup on the menu, and there is talk of a little boys accident when the car hit him and they are still looking for parts of his brain in the bushes.  

This may make some parents a bit uncomfortable, but kids will LOVE it.  And in the end, Allie almost always does the right thing.  She prevails over the mean girls, stays true to herself, and give some lessons along the way to little girls about how to stay true to themselves.  Because, unfortunately, our little girls are undoubtedly put in some of these same situations everyday. And our girls may relate to this story of how Allie handled it - maybe even better than us telling them our stories (although it can't hurt to try!).

Here is a link to the Allie Finkle website with message boards.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Little Genie #1 - Make a Wish!

AUTHOR: Miranda Jones

ILLUSTRATOR: David Calver

ISBN#: 978-0385731379

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 13, 2004)

SUBJECTS: Animals, Fantasy, Grandparents, Magic

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Little Genie is a simple, easy to read story that paves the way for a series of genie books. Make three wishes in the first, get more wishes in the second, and so on.  The language is matter of fact and easy to read but does not draw the reader in or foster any real connection to the characters.  In fact, the reader doesn't learn much about who the characters are or what they are thinking and is only briefly introduced to secondary characters like her grandmother, her family and her best friend Mary.  The genie story line, however, is unique and the reader can easily follow the events that take place.

Summer is almost over and nine year old, Allison Miller feels like nothing ever happens in her hometown, Cocoa Beach. That afternoon she goes on her weekly flea market shopping trip with her grandmother and comes home with an old, supposedly broken lava lamp.  Before she knows it, a little cleaning of the lamp results in the appearance of a tiny girl in typical genie garb down to the "golden slippers with curled up toes."  As instructed by the genie, Ali snaps her fingers to help her grow to regular size and their little adventure begins.  

Ali is introduced to Little Genie and learns that she has been in the bottle since 1964 when she was expelled from genie school.  No wonder she says things like "groovy" and "out of sight." As the eleventh person to own the lamp, Ali was able to release her and will therefore get three wishes.  She makes her first wish haphazardly, just to see if the genie is real.  She asks for a tiger in a magazine ad which she then has to figure out how to care for and keep hidden at the same time.  Unfortunately if anyone finds out about Little Genie or the wishes, she will have to go back into her lamp forever.  Keeping her and the tiger a secret will not be easy.

Ali doesn't seem to put much more thought into her next two choices as she goes on to wish for chocolate bars (which she has figured out are the only food that her little tiger will eat) and something to help her sleep when she is disturbed by the genie's and tiger's snoring.  She ends up with 10,000 chocolate bars and a tiny version of her favorite band, BoyFrenzy, playing in her bedroom.  The ending sets up perfectly to introduce book two when Ali gets three more wishes.  Hopefully she'll make better choices the next time!

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Ivy and Bean and the Ghost that had to Go, Annie Barrows

Rainbow Magic: The Rainbow Fairies

Amber Brown is not a Crayon

AUTHOR: Paula Danziger

ILLUSTRATOR: Tony Ross

ISBN#: 978-0142406199

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Puffin (September 7, 2006) (original pub. date 1994)

SUBJECTS: Divorce, Friend Moving, Friendship, Only Child, School 

READER LEVEL: READER, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Amber Brown and Justin Daniels have been best friends since preschool. They always sit next to each other on class trips, they help each other with school work and they know what the other is thinking.  As we learn from Amber's first person narration, Justin "makes life more fun."  The only problem is that Justin is moving, and as soon as they sell his house he is going to be living an airplane ride away.

Amber thought life was hard when her parents started fighting and eventually got divorced, but Justin's moving feels even more horrible than that.  It gets even worse when Amber and Justin don't want to deal with it in the same way. Amber wants to talk about it but Justin won't and that is hard for Amber to understand.  They end up fighting and stop speaking over a silly argument that is really just an indicator of what is going on below the surface.  

Amber tries to figure things out on her own, even trying to pick a new best friend, until her mom finally steps in to help her out.  Her mom explains that sometimes when someone has to leave, they pretend it isn't happening or pick a fight to make it easier to go.  Amber feels lucky that her mom considers her feelings and also learns something from their conversation.  She realizes that they have such a special friendship and so much history together that there is no way he isn't sad about leaving. She suddenly feels sure that he is going to miss her as much as she is going to miss him and they are able to make up and at least enjoy their last few days together.

The relationship between Amber and Justin is very easy going and comfortable, making it an appropriate book for boys and girls.  That friendship combined with the important subject matter and character development are good reasons why Amber Brown is not a Crayon, as with Judy Blume's, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, is often used in teachers' lesson plans.  Many elements within the story are relevant to classroom activities.

The reader gets to know Amber by the way she describes herself, from "I, Amber Brown, have a very good memory" to "am very messy" or "am one very excited third grader." When Amber is sad about Justin leaving, the reader can really feel her emotion.  When she wishes kids would stop making fun of her unusual name (which she now likes although she didn't always feel that way) the reader understands her frustration.  These thoughts also let the reader know that she has a pretty good understanding of herself. Readers will relate to the typical third grade experiences, pretend trips to China in school, learning fractions and spelling, being silly with friends but they will also get some insight into how to cope when things get a little tough as they do for Amber.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Indie Kidd How to be Good(ish), Karen McCombie

Just Grace, Charise Mericle Harper

Judy Moody #1 - Judy Moody was in a Mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood.

AUTHOR: Megan McDonald

ILLUSTRATOR: Peter. H. Reynolds

ISBN#: 978-0763612313

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (July 22, 2002)

SUBJECTS: Friendship, Identity, Imagination, Neighbors, School, Sibling Rivalry

READER LEVEL: READER SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Judy Moody starts third grade in a bad mood.  She doesn't want summer to be over and she isn't in the "mood" for her first day of school.  Her big assignment for the first few weeks of school is to come up with a "me" collage.  As Judy works on her collage and figures out what she likes - and doesn't like - the reader gets to know her better.  We learn that she lives in Virginia, she uses bandaids because she wants to be a doctor, her favorite pet is a rare plant named, Jaws, her hobby is collecting stuff and she's in a T.P. Club (toad pee, not toilet paper) with her best friend, Rocky and her little brother, Stink.

Stink her hilarious little brother and her best friend Rocky, play key roles in the story.  Stink and Judy get along well but clearly have a typical brother sister relationship in which he bothers her and she plays tricks on him.  Stink has a strong impact on Judy's life.  Her worst day is when he gets to go to see the President and she doesn't.  Her funniest moment is when she scares him with a fake hand coming out of the toilet.  When Stink spills purple juice on her collage, the reader sees Judy at her best as she finds the positive side of the situation and rather than be mad at Stink, incorporates the stain into the poster.  There is also a small conflict with a boy named Frank who really wants to be friends with her.  Grace has no interest because he supposedly eats paste.  In the end, she gets to know Frank and realizes that they have plenty in common and they become friends.  

These comfortable relationships with boys make Judy a good role model for girls and also make the book a good read for boys as well as girls.  The smaller size of the book and the expressive illustrations also make the book a perfect selection for those reading at the Reader Sr. level.  The story line is easy to follow and Judy's problems are easily solved.  It is more about what Judy likes to do than what she thinks and feels so there is not that much information to take in and figure out. It is fun to get to know Judy Moody, and the reader will enjoy the ups and downs of her moods and her active imagination.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Ruby Lu, Brave and True, Lenore Look

The Talented Clementine, Sara Pennypacker