Prom King

May 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-The fourth title in the series finds main character Fin Spencer using his magic diary to fix all the problems in his life. Fin wants to be prom king and has only two weeks to make that happen. He also wants to make a good impression on Claudia to win her back after a rather unfortunate accident on their last date. But at every turn, Fin messes up and must rely on his diary to undo his previous day's disasters. To make matters worse, to satisfy her cravings, his pregnant mum cooks the worst broccoli concoctions for dinner every night; his dad expects him to pick up the slack at home and do tons of chores; and his little sister Ellie has taken up the violin and her practicing is driving Fin crazy. The story follows Fin through his daily travails for the two weeks leading up to prom night. Using black-and-white line drawings and a variety of fonts, the book will draw the attention of reluctant readers who are moving toward longer novels. Some of the comedy feels forced, but students in elementary grades who like reading about tween and teen drama will enjoy the chaste escapades. VERDICT An additional purchase where the previous installments in the series have an audience.-Annette Herbert, F.E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY

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