Still, the tale of Gertie and her grab for greatness is a rich and enjoyable read, and children will relate to her heartfelt...
A can-do attitude, loyal friends, and a foolproof plan prove insufficient when a seat-stealing new girl swooshes in.
Gertie Reece Foy is a feisty, white fifth-grader with an indomitable spirit and a surefire plan to be the greatest fifth-grader in the "whole school, world, and universe! And that was just Phase One." A for-sale sign in front of the house where her mother lives has pushed Gertie into action. Gertie lives with her dad and aunt, and she is totally fine with that. Yep! But she wants Rachel Collins, her mother, to know exactly how wonderful, remarkable, and great she is. Almost as soon as she launches her big plan, however, blonde, white new girl Mary Sue Spivey starts throwing wrenches in it. Beasley’s debut is populated with a cast of homespun characters that come alive in a tasty blend of twitches, aphorisms, and good, old-fashioned meanness. In addition to determination and an endless supply of Twinkies, she gives Gertie two good friends: Junior, who brims with nervous energy, and supersmart Jean with her extra-sharp No. 2 pencils. (Tamaki depicts the latter two as white and dark-skinned, respectively, in her charming grayscale illustrations.) Readers will wonder why Gertie's mom lives so close by but evidently has no contact with her daughter, a question that may drive some to distraction.
Still, the tale of Gertie and her grab for greatness is a rich and enjoyable read, and children will relate to her heartfelt emotions. (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30261-0
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
The Baudelaire children—Violet, 14, Klaus, 12, and baby Sunny—are exceedingly ill-fated; Snicket extracts both humor and horror from their situation, as he gleefully puts them through one terrible ordeal after another. After receiving the news that their parents died in a fire, the three hapless orphans are delivered into the care of Count Olaf, who “is either a third cousin four times removed, or a fourth cousin three times removed.” The villainous Count Olaf is morally depraved and generally mean, and only takes in the downtrodden yet valiant children so that he can figure out a way to separate them from their considerable inheritance. The youngsters are able to escape his clutches at the end, but since this is the first installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there will be more ghastly doings. Written with old-fashioned flair, this fast-paced book is not for the squeamish: the Baudelaire children are truly sympathetic characters who encounter a multitude of distressing situations. Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-440766-7
Page Count: 162
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
Like its predecessor, a satisfying, Incredibles-style mix of awesome exploits and common family issues.
Deprived of superpowers in the previous episode (Almost Super, 2014), can the Bailey and Johnson clans put aside their squabbles to tackle their common nemesis, the Joneses?
Determined to prove that they have the mettle to join their parents and relatives in fighting crime, 13-year-old Rafter Bailey, his little brother, Benny, and erstwhile rival Juanita Johnson (definitely the brains of the trio) kick off their own search for the Joneses’ secret hideout. Little do they suspect that those clever villains have planted a ringer in their very midst. Sabotage and other distractions ensue, until Juanita’s sudden disappearance sharpens not only the urgency of the search, but also Rafter’s guilt for being a poor friend. The kidnapping turns out to be a crucial mistake for the bad guys, however, as resourceful Juanita gets off a call for help that both brings the Baileys and Johnsons together for a collective rescue operation and, amid much breakage of glass and heroic feats of derring-do, foils the evil schemes of scenery-chewing archfiend October Jones. Rafter makes a likable narrator, emotionally open and determined to be both a good superhero and a good friend.
Like its predecessor, a satisfying, Incredibles-style mix of awesome exploits and common family issues. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-220958-0
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
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