by Betty Hicks ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2003
Elizabeth, who now prefers to be called Iz, loves the chaotic life of her blended stepfamily: one part perfection—her chic, traveling mom; two parts casual—her laidback dad and stepmom Alice; three parts crazy—her three stepbrothers, Logan and the twins Joey and Jack. Her dad and Alice don’t even mind the kids’ assortment of quirky pets: cricket, chameleon, hedgehog, praying mantises, and turtle. But the pet the kids really want is a dog. They initiate the GAD Plan (Get a Dog), which involves adding weird animals and insects to the existing pets and then by losing control of them, hoping to convince their parents that one measly dog would be easier. The Plan itself quickly gets out of control when a hermit crab named Captain Hook and a parrot named Elvis join the gang (Elvis will only poop on top of Iz’s bedside lamp, on the light bulb). Further complications erupt when Iz’s mom decides to stop traveling to be at home so Iz can come live with her. Information about insects and animals are cleverly worked into the story, as are classic children’s books. Breezy, contemporary dialogue rings true; Iz’s guilt over the hedgehog dying and one of the twins being hospitalized feels real (from parrot bacteria); and the chapter titled “Exploding Bird Poop” is ripe for booktalk. How terrific to have a happy stepfamily, wholesome kids, caring parents, and a nicely resolved ending. The Simpsons-looking kids on the cover will attract attention to this upbeat, humorous, and genuine family story. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-7613-1891-7
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2003
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by Christina Li ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 12, 2021
Charming, poignant, and thoughtfully woven.
An aspiring scientist and a budding artist become friends and help each other with dream projects.
Unfolding in mid-1980s Sacramento, California, this story stars 12-year-olds Rosalind and Benjamin as first-person narrators in alternating chapters. Ro’s father, a fellow space buff, was killed by a drunk driver; the rocket they were working on together lies unfinished in her closet. As for Benji, not only has his best friend, Amir, moved away, but the comic book holding the clue for locating his dad is also missing. Along with their profound personal losses, the protagonists share a fixation with the universe’s intriguing potential: Ro decides to complete the rocket and hopes to launch mementos of her father into outer space while Benji’s conviction that aliens and UFOs are real compels his imagination and creativity as an artist. An accident in science class triggers a chain of events forcing Benji and Ro, who is new to the school, to interact and unintentionally learn each other’s secrets. They resolve to find Benji’s dad—a famous comic-book artist—and partner to finish Ro’s rocket for the science fair. Together, they overcome technical, scheduling, and geographical challenges. Readers will be drawn in by amusing and fantastical elements in the comic book theme, high emotional stakes that arouse sympathy, and well-drawn character development as the protagonists navigate life lessons around grief, patience, self-advocacy, and standing up for others. Ro is biracial (Chinese/White); Benji is White.
Charming, poignant, and thoughtfully woven. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-300888-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
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by Sharon Creech & illustrated by Chris Raschka ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2003
Soup and pasta, that is. The preparation of the two dinners forms the structure for this loose little treatment in which 12-year-old Rosie works out her changing relationship with Bailey, the proverbial boy-next-door. The reader meets Rosie and her Granny as they slice and chop, Granny’s penetrating questions and stories of her youth leading narrator Rosie to reflect in short vignettes on her lifelong friendship and on her current pre-adolescent difficulties. The scenario is repeated the following week, only now Bailey himself becomes part of the cooking crew, clearly benefiting as much from Granny’s well-timed pauses as Rosie. Rosie’s present-tense voice is fresh and young, with an ingenuous turn of phrase. The structure mitigates significant plot development, however: readers are presented with a situation—Bailey and Rosie redefine their childhood friendship—which is resolved ever-so-neatly, thanks to Granny’s remarkably parallel stories and a few pinches of garlic. Full of good humor and aromatic seasonings, this offering nevertheless may not stick to the ribs. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-06-029290-3
Page Count: 160
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2003
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