Pippa Morgan's Diary

October 1, 2015
Poor Pippa! Her desire to fill the hole left by her best friend's move is so great that she tells a whopper to make a new friend. Her self-reflective, humorous journal tells all. Pippa is like many 10-year-olds: obsessed with a pop singer (Tiffany J), insecure when a friend moves away, and filled with big dreams. One thing is clear: she will never be a singer. Her music teacher even discourages her from singing in the chorus! When popular girl Catie Brown sits next to her and shows an interest in the TV show Voice Factor, Pippa lets slip a lie: "I auditioned for it." And, since she has imagined her audition so many times, she goes on to describe the amazing success of her singing voice and the standing ovation from the judges. Their friendship grows on this lie, and Pippa goes to great lengths (and many more lies) to protect the fib. When the truth finally comes out, Pippa weathers the awkward storm. While the resolution might be a tad predictable for middle-grade squabbles, readers will get a good glimpse at how kids can untangle themselves from complicated predicaments. Droll line drawings decorate Pippa's journal, making this a good bridge book to longer chapter books. Likable characters in humorous situations make for a promising series opener. (Fiction. 8-12)

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September 1, 2015

Gr 3-5-In this journal-style novel, a young girl learns how quickly a lie can spiral out of control. Since her best friend moved away and her parents divorced, life has become difficult for Pippa Morgan, a 10-year-old with an active imagination. When a classroom seating change lands her right next to Catie, the most popular girl in school, Pippa tells a desperate lie (namely, that she auditioned for a popular televised singing competition) to impress her. Soon, her fib starts to unravel. Readers will quickly sail through Pippa's story, which is written as a series of diary entries in a large typeface with simple ink illustrations on nearly every page. Kelsey does a masterful job of concisely, but clearly, explaining important factors (the divorce of Pippa's parents, for example). Important preteen social issues are addressed, including lying to gain peer acceptance and dealing with divorce. VERDICT With its approachable style and friendly language, this is sure to please both older fans of Rebecca Elliott's "Owl Diaries" (Scholastic) and reluctant readers alike.-Kelley Smith, Women's Health Foundation, Chicago, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Grades 2-4 One lie can easily snowball into a bigger lieand make it nearly impossible to come back to the truth. Pippa is devastated when her best friend moves away, so when she's seated next to one of the most popular girls in her grade, she's ready to do almost anything to win her overeven make up a story about wowing the judges on a reality-TV singing competition. The only problem is, Pippa can't sing at all. A charming story about the lengths you can go to win someone over, this is a great addition to the perennially popular illustrated-journal trend in middle-grade fiction. Although the character-created sketches can draw Wimpy Kid comparisons, the tone more closely matches Marissa Moss' Amelia's Notebook (1995). Though the sections on Pippa's angst over her parent's recent divorce seem a little cliched, they are balanced with her vividly described daydreams. This is the perfect quick read for any student with starry-eyed aspirations and a big imagination.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)