Gertie's Leap to Greatness

August 1, 2016
Like the title character in Kate DiCamillo’s Raymie Nightingale, the indefatigable Gertie Foy is determined to prove to an absent parent that leaving was a big mistake. Gertie, whose school bus passes her estranged mother’s house every day, sees a For Sale sign and learns her mother intends to remarry and move. She devises a five-phase plan to become the best fifth grader ever and get her mother’s attention before she departs, but Gertie’s ambitions run smack into full-of-herself new student Mary Sue Spivey. First, Mary Sue steals Gertie’s seat next to Jean, her best friend. Then, she steals Jean. Perhaps worst of all, Mary Sue’s mother, an environmental activist, begins a campaign against offshore drilling. (Gertie’s father works on an oil rig, and she lives with her Aunt Rae, who winningly sends her off each day by saying, “Give ’em hell, baby”). Given Gertie’s world of hurt, debut novelist Beasley wisely interjects humor as often as possible, and Tamaki’s winning illustrations add verve, perfectly capturing Gertie’s indomitable spirit. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Narrator Tara Sands's youthful verve expresses the enthusiasm and na�vet� of heroine Gertie Reece Troy, who is determined to become "the greatest fifth-grader in the universe." Sands contrasts this grit with a portrait of Gertie's rival, bratty Mary Sue Spivey. Gertie has a darker, more complicated rationale than mere enthusiasm for her goal. She was abandoned by her mother as a baby, and now her mother plans to move away. Sands articulates both Gertie's mother's coldness and Gertie's need for maternal recognition. Gertie's longing creates a strong subplot and undercurrent to the narration. But Sands's breezy reading predominates. Her tone emphasizes Gertie's resilience and, ultimately, her realization that the best course is to find joy in what she has, not to focus on what she's missing. S.W. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine