Hershey’s hilarious sequel to My Big Sister Is So Bossy She Says You Can't Read this Book (2006) throbs with energy and narrator Effie’s warm, sarcastic wit. Life goes on with her now-divorced dad in prison, but Effie’s more exuberant because she has two tremendous best friends. She gets worried, however, when best friend Aurora wants to transfer to a school with a hot basketball team and escape the boys at St. Dom’s who tease her about her burgeoning breasts. In solidarity, Effie and her other best friend Nit don empty bras that create slight bumps under their shirts. Effie is further unnerved when Mom invites a college friend to take sanctuary in their home while he struggles with his vocation as a Catholic priest, and her older sister begins to affect religious behavior. Effie agonizes about the possibility that her mother may be falling for another loser like dad. All Hershey’s characters are complex people, but it is Effie’s unique fourth-grade wisdom and way with words that will touch readers’ hearts and funny bones. (Fiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: July 8, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-385-73541-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Wendy Lamb/Random
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2008
A smart, fresh take on an old favorite makes for a terrific series kickoff
A modern Sherlock Holmes retelling brings an 11-year-old black John Watson into the sphere of know-it-all 9-year-old white detective Shelby Holmes.
John's an Army brat who's lived in four states already. Now, with his parents' divorce still fresh, the boy who's lived only on military bases must explore the wilds of Harlem. His new life in 221A Baker St. begins inauspiciously, as before he's even finished moving in, his frizzy-haired neighbor blows something up: "BOOM!" But John's great at making friends, and Shelby certainly seems like an interesting kid to know. Oddly loquacious, brusque, and extremely observant, Shelby's locally famous for solving mysteries. John’s swept up in her detecting when a wealthy, brown-skinned classmate enlists their help in the mysterious disappearance of her beloved show dog, Daisy. Whatever could have happened to the prizewinning Cavalier King Charles spaniel? Has she been swiped by a jealous competitor? Has Daisy’s trainer—mysteriously come into enough money to take a secret weekend in Cozumel—been placing bets against his own dog? Brisk pacing, likable characters, a few silly Holmes jokes ("I'm Petunia Cumberbatch," says Shelby while undercover), and a diverse neighborhood, carefully and realistically described by John, are ingredients for success.
A smart, fresh take on an old favorite makes for a terrific series kickoff . (Mystery. 9-11)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-68119-051-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
A skirmish over a favorite stuffed rabbit nearly destroys a friendship and the toy itself, but well-timed physical and emotional bandaging saves the day. When a little boy moves in next door to a little girl they quickly becomes friends and start sharing toys. This works well for cars, trucks, bears, and balls, but when the boy shows up with a new stuffed rabbit, cooperation goes out the window. In the ensuing tug-of-rabbit, each child yanks on the poor bunny’s ears until the stitching gives way. Figuring out a way to repair the rabbit also eventually patches up the friendship. Minor battles rage in homes and preschools everywhere, so children and adults alike will appreciate this subtle example of a peaceful resolution to toy disputes. Jahn-Clough’s pleasantly stubby children convey both healthy loud-mouthed anger and substantial charm. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-93545-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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