Freckle Juice

Freckle Juice. by Judy Blume. (1971). 47p. New York: Random House Children's Books. 

Awards and Honors: none

Review:
Andrew Marcus wants freckles. He wants them so much that he agrees to pay his know-it-all classmate Sharon fifty cents for her secret family recipe for Freckle Juice. Andrew mixes up the juice according to Sharon's directions, but he doesn't get any freckles, he only gets sick. But Andrew doesn't want to admit that Sharon got the best of him, so he takes matters into his own hands.

Opinion:

Judy Blume is the author of some of the best known works of literature for children and Freckle Juice is a classic. It's an innocent story of childhood, best suited for younger readers. I do take issue with the fact that Sharon lies and steals, yet faces no repercussions and while it feels a bit dated, these are minor qualms.

Ideas:
This book is an excellent choice for younger tweens and English language learners. 

The Year of the Dog

The Year of the Dog. by Grace Lin. (2006). 134p. New York: Little Brown.

Awards and Honors:  2006 ALA Children's Notable, 2006 Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor, 2006 NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 2006 Kirkus Best Early Chapter Books, Booklist Editors' Choice for Middle Readers

Review: 

A lighthearted and semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story for young readers, The Year of the Dog was Grace Lin's first novel for children. The book tells the story of Pacy Lin, a Taiwanese-American girl growing up in upstate New York. Pacy's story begins and ends with a Chinese New Year celebration, marking a year in her life as she makes a new best friend, navigates her cultural identity, and discovers her talents.
 

Opinion:

This is a charming story for young tweens, especially those who are growing up in two cultures. Lin intersperses the novel with small, illustrations which will appeal to young readers. Although cultural identity is a serious topic, Lin has a wonderfully comic touch that makes this a lighthearted and fun story. 

Ideas:
This book is a great choice for Chinese New Year displays, and a must for libraries that serve Asian communities of any size.

Judy Moody Saves the World

Judy Moody Saves the World. by Megan McDonald. illustrated by Peter Reynolds. (2002). 160p. New York: Candlewick Press. 

Awards and Honors: none

Review:
This is the third title in the Judy Moody series, featuring the spunky heroine in a quest to save the world. After Judy Moody learns about the environment at school she makes it her mission to educate her family and her classmates on recycling, reusing and being kind to the planet. In true Judy Moody fashion, she tends to go a bit overboard in her attempts, but in the end all is well as Judy comes up with a wonderful idea for her class to help save the rain forest. There's also a secondary storyline involving her brother Stink and a band-aid design contest.

Opinion:
This series is suited for tweens on the younger end of the spectrum, and while I'm not the biggest fan of Judy Moody (I personally prefer Babymouse for a funny read featuring a spunky heroine), kids do enjoy the series for its humor and readability.

Ideas:
For kids who are outgrowing Junie B. Jones but who still want a fun read featuring a strong female character, the Judy Moody books are a good next step.