Dreaming of being the Apple Pie Princess in her town’s Apple Blossom Festival, Korean-American third grader Clara Lee defies a classmate who claims to be more deserving and bravely makes a speech in front of the whole school to win the honor. This appealing family-and-school story focuses as much on Clara Lee’s relationships with her little sister, Emmeline, and her “dream genius” grandfather as it does on her friends and the competition. Han, who has previously written about teens (The Summer I Turned Pretty, 2009) and preteens (Shug, 2006), captures an 8-year-old’s perspective perfectly. The first-person narrative includes imaginative play, family squabbles, the school-bus experience and a touching speech about the special joys of small-town life. Her grandfather assures her: “One hundred percent American. One hundred percent Korean. Doesn’t make you less than anybody else. It makes you more.” The message shines through but doesn’t overwhelm this engaging chapter book that will be welcomed by middle-grade fans of Clementine. Final art not seen. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-316-07038-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Emerging readers, particularly those who are knowledgeable about dance, will be better served by other stories.
Beginning ballet class is quite an adventure for Billie and her best friend, Jack.
Both start ballet with Miss Dainty as their teacher. Miss Dainty plays a “tinkly butterfly tune” for the girls and tells them to wave and flutter their arms. For the boys, she plays a “deep, stomping troll tune” to which they can make noise and chase the butterflies. Billie is a total failure at delicacy, knocking into and banging everything and everyone in her path. After dinner, the two best friends turn down dessert in favor of practicing their moves for the next class. Suddenly, Jack has an epiphany. His moves are delicate, so he will be the butterfly. Billie’s moves are aggressive and bold, so she will be the troll. Back in class, their teacher is pleased and accepting. Rippin’s description of a ballet class lacks any substance and is more suited to one for interpretive dance. She does not mention first steps or arm movements or even make a reference to a barre. The gender message—that girls and boys are not inherently gentle or fierce—is delivered with a wallop. Bold type highlights words more for appearance than for vocabulary. Occasional spot art does not compensate for the weakness of the text.
Emerging readers, particularly those who are knowledgeable about dance, will be better served by other stories. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-61067-095-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: July 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An unusually promising series opener for proto-Goosebumps fans.
A discarded notebook with information on disquieting creatures like the Rhinoceraptor and the Forkupine isn’t the only surprise waiting in Stermont for nerdy Alexander Bopp and his oblivious dad.
As if the small town’s name, three graveyards and abandoned glue factory aren’t eerie enough, Alexander is assaulted on his first day by several of the tall, fluttering “balloon guys” commonly used by stores as attention-getters. Moreover, his new class turns out to be temporarily relocated to the local hospital’s morgue, his new teacher loudly nicknames him “Salamander Snott,” and he becomes an instant target for aptly named classmate Rip Bonkowski. The next day, things get worse. Cranking up the horrorlarity with googly eyed cartoon figures and sight gags on nearly every page, Cummings pitches his nervous but resourceful newcomer into a climactic, all-out battle with an entire army of aggressive, air-stealing bendy balloons. Happily, with help from Rip and other unlikely allies, Alexander ultimately saves Stermont from a pandemic of permanently flattened tires, pool toys and whoopee cushions.
An unusually promising series opener for proto-Goosebumps fans. (Light horror. 8-10)Pub Date: July 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-493222-2
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
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