by Kathleen Leverich & illustrated by Walter Lorraine ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1995
Felicity Doll, self-proclaimed star, is once again out to make Priscilla Robin miserable in Leverich's third book about the duo (Best Enemies Again, 1991, etc.). Inspired by her older sister, Priscilla is starting a club of fourth graders who want to help out and do good deeds. Felicity, angered by anyone else in the spotlight, sets out first to destroy the club, then to take it over. Felicity's venom is matched by her cleverness, and as Priscilla counters every attack, their struggle begins to resemble a chess match. This amusing and fast-moving story bears no resemblance to reality: Felicity is so rotten, and Priscilla is so good, that no one would ever be able to tolerate either one of them. In its exaggerated form, however, it presents some thought-provoking and rather complex ethical dilemmas, and Felicity will surely stir young readers to exuberant indignation. Leverich effectively mirrors the black-and-white view middle-elementary children have of themselves and others. By the end, Felicity gets a much-deserved comeuppance (it won't necessarily satisfy the readers who want to see her drawn and quartered), bringing this engrossing transitional bookof which there are too fewto a fine and funny close. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 7+)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-688-13963-9
Page Count: 98
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1995
Share your opinion of this book
More by Kathleen Leverich
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Kathleen Leverich & illustrated by Walter Lorraine
BOOK REVIEW
by Xavier Hernandez & Jordi Ballonga & translated by Kathleen Leverich & illustrated by Francesco Corni
by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Bee Willey ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2000
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Share your opinion of this book
More by Meredith Hooper
BOOK REVIEW
by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Bee Willey
BOOK REVIEW
by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Stephen Biesty
BOOK REVIEW
by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Stephen Biesty
by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Brian Selznick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1996
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating...
Nicholas is a bright boy who likes to make trouble at school, creatively.
When he decides to torment his fifth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Granger (who is just as smart as he is), by getting everyone in the class to replace the word "pen'' with "frindle,'' he unleashes a series of events that rapidly spins out of control. If there's any justice in the world, Clements (Temple Cat, 1995, etc.) may have something of a classic on his hands. By turns amusing and adroit, this first novel is also utterly satisfying. The chess-like sparring between the gifted Nicholas and his crafty teacher is enthralling, while Mrs. Granger is that rarest of the breed: a teacher the children fear and complain about for the school year, and love and respect forever after.
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating tale—one to press upon children, and one they'll be passing among themselves. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-689-80669-8
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1996
Share your opinion of this book
More by Andrew Clements
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Mark Elliott
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.