ROSIE SWANSON

The stars of Maxie, Rosie, and Earl: Partners in Grime (1990) return, as odd a trio as any in middle-grade fiction. Narrator Rosie is running for president of her class; if she can't win, she'll at least take her opponents down with her. With an uncle in law enforcement, Rosie believes it's her duty to inform on wrongdoers: when she's the victim of sabotage by another candidate (cute soccer star Alan Allen), her retaliation is a ``secret'' note to her classmates alerting them to Alan's past—shoplifting as a first grader. Her tale is as bright and funny as they come, especially when plumpish Earl and too-smart Maxie are on the scene as reasonably loyal allies. Rosie loses the election—but somehow, readers will want to cheer her on to further adventures. (Fiction. 8-11)