The spirited Grace is back with her gang and quite a few changes, in her fourth outing, tackling a host of issues including divorce, moving, her mother’s wedding, a new baby, a friend’s eating disorder, jealousy and bullying. Grace’s best friend, Aimee, has moved away, and newcomer Crishell has not quite settled in, feeling like an outsider at times while Grace misses the special friendship she enjoyed with Aimee. The young ruffian, Russell, is still intimidating others with his verbal taunts and Grace is worried over her loyalty to her own papa in Gambia, having confused feelings about a new baby with stepfather Vince. As in the previous installments, Hoffman folds the larger problems within a loosely written plot centered around school and home life in a multicultural community. More playwriting of traditional fairytales together with some heart-to-heart talks with Nana seem to solve, if not air out Grace’s concerns. Hoffman manages to address the serious without a heavy-handed approach to the ups-and-downs of a typical child’s daily life. A nice addition to the easily read British series. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-84507-057-7
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2005
Told from the point of view of two warring siblings, this could have been an engaging first chapter book. Unfortunately, the length makes it less likely to appeal to the intended audience. Jessie and Evan are usually good friends as well as sister and brother. But the news that bright Jessie will be skipping a grade to join Evan’s fourth-grade class creates tension. Evan believes himself to be less than clever; Jessie’s emotional maturity doesn’t quite measure up to her intelligence. Rivalry and misunderstandings grow as the two compete to earn the most money in the waning days of summer. The plot rolls along smoothly and readers will be able to both follow the action and feel superior to both main characters as their motivations and misconceptions are clearly displayed. Indeed, a bit more subtlety in characterization might have strengthened the book’s appeal. The final resolution is not entirely believable, but the emphasis on cooperation and understanding is clear. Earnest and potentially successful, but just misses the mark. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: April 23, 2007
ISBN: 0-618-75043-6
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes.
Olympic gold medalist Morgan runs down the celebrity-sports-fiction checklist in this series opener: New school? Check. New friends? Check. New boyfriend? Maybe! New soccer team? Check. Inspire said team to take on snooty archrival private school? Check.
Quickly shedding perfunctory initial reservations, Devin sails into seventh grade at Kentville Middle School, makes instant connections in class and at Kangaroos soccer tryouts. She meets requisite bully Mirabelle at the latter, then goes on to be elected team co-captain. After a disastrous start to the season, she helps her team’s members and even the less-than-rigorous coach land on the same winning page. Following a sleepover, a dance, team-building drills and exercises, pep rallies, minor problem-solving and motivational strategizing, Devin prods the Kangaroos into position to beat the haughty Pinewood Panthers in a climactic rematch while also schooling Mirabelle, who has jumped ship to join the rival team.
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes. (soccer glossary) (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8570-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
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