Melanie in Manhattan

January 1, 2005
Gr 3-6 -In this fourth installment in the series, fifth grader and avid diary writer Melanie Martin copes with problems at home in New York City. She thought that she and Cecily would be BFF, or Best Friends Forever, but now a new girl has moved in and seemingly wants to steal Cecily away. To complicate things, boys are starting to enter the picture. Melanie is having an online romance with Miguel, whom she met in Spain, but her classmate Justin has caught her eye as well. Things really start to get messy when Miguel announces he and his uncle are coming to New York to visit Melanie and her family. The protagonist struggles to balance her friendship with Cecily and to tolerate Suze, juggle her romances with Miguel and Justin, and act as a Manhattan tour guide. The diary format is appealing and Weston does an effective job of conveying typical preteen conflicts and concerns. Fans of the earlier books will appreciate this one." -Heather Ulesoo, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.