Girls Don't Have Cooties

April 1, 2003
Gr 2-4-Another installment in a series about a third grader who is periodically transformed into someone else. When a classmate schedules a girls-only slumber party, the boys declare war, and Katie's two best friends are on opposite sides of the gender gap. So, when the "magic wind" turns her into a boy, she tries to reconcile the feuding parties, but her interference only seems to make matters worse. It takes a lost puppy and a determined team effort to bring the friends back together. The fantasy element adds a touch of humor to the familiar boy-girl conflict and the dialogue has an authentic playground ring. The drawings are reminiscent of comic-book art or those 1970s paintings of children with large eyes. Transitional readers will enjoy the humor and appreciate the satisfying triumph of friendship over gender roles.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.