of kids' issues that manages not to sugarcoat. (Fiction. 10-12)
The spunky ten-year-old heroine of Starting School with an Enemy (1998) is back, and she’s welcome.
Sarah starts off by having her mom whack off most of her hair, as she has managed to get a great deal of bubble gum in it. She’s adjusting to life in Maryland (after moving there from Maine), where her mom works for the government and her dad is a carpenter. Sarah makes two friends at her new school: Christina, from El Salvador, and Olivia, from Trinidad. The girls discover things together and things apart, most notably soccer (together) and basketball (just Sarah). What Sarah doesn’t realize is that the team she has won a place on thinks she’s Sam, a boy, because of her cropped hair. When Olivia, after typical pre- adolescent hemmings and hawings, admits to having an artificial leg, her friends learn how to react and when to help—and not. A subplot involving Sarah’s brother's endearing forays into dating is nicely handled, and Christina serves a wickedly funny comeuppance to a teacher who refuses to acknowledge the difference between El Salvador and Mexico. A lighthearted treatment
of kids' issues that manages not to sugarcoat. (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: April 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-375-80264-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of Cameron’s Huey and Julian stories (More Stories Huey Tells, 1997, etc.) are in for a treat as Gloria, their friend from those tales, gets a book of her own and graciously allows the two brothers to share it . In the first tale, Gloria makes a wonderful card for her mother, but the wind blows it away and it ends up in the cage of a cantankerous parrot. Thanks to Mr. Bates, Huey and Julian’s dad, the day is saved, as is the burgeoning friendship that Gloria and the boys have struck up with new neighbor Latisha in the story, “The Promise.” In another story, Gloria has to deal with a huge problem—fractions—and this time it’s her dad who helps her through it. Mr. Bates proves helpful again when the group trains an “obsessed” puppy, while Gloria’s mother is supportive when Gloria is unintentionally hurt by her three best friends. The stories are warm and funny, as Gloria, a spunky kid who gets into some strange predicaments, finds out that her friends and wise, loving adults are good to have around when trouble beckons. Great fun, with subtly placed, positive messages that never take center stage. (b&w illustrations) (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: March 9, 2000
ISBN: 0-374-32670-3
Page Count: 93
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
A skirmish over a favorite stuffed rabbit nearly destroys a friendship and the toy itself, but well-timed physical and emotional bandaging saves the day. When a little boy moves in next door to a little girl they quickly becomes friends and start sharing toys. This works well for cars, trucks, bears, and balls, but when the boy shows up with a new stuffed rabbit, cooperation goes out the window. In the ensuing tug-of-rabbit, each child yanks on the poor bunny’s ears until the stitching gives way. Figuring out a way to repair the rabbit also eventually patches up the friendship. Minor battles rage in homes and preschools everywhere, so children and adults alike will appreciate this subtle example of a peaceful resolution to toy disputes. Jahn-Clough’s pleasantly stubby children convey both healthy loud-mouthed anger and substantial charm. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-93545-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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