BY LIZZIE

Nine-year-old Lizzie finds her mother’s old manual typewriter and proceeds to record the events of her life in a monthly journal. Written in the present tense, the ordinary life of this fourth grader unfolds in episodic short chapters (six to eight pages each). Lizzie recounts spats with her older brother, Norman, missing her father who lives five hours away, and a foray into Pig Latin with her best friend Carol. She conquers swimming class, survives the adoration and copycatting of a baby sister, and earns money in a yard sale. In September, Lizzie begins sixth grade with the toughest teacher in school. In December, she is stunned when she draws his name for “Secret Santa.” This is a quiet middle-grade read that is sure to find some fans among those who enjoy a nice “school story.” (Fiction. 7-10)