Kiki

August 1, 2013

Gr 1-3-Two beginning chapter books. Girlie girls will flock to My Stylish Life, in which details of Kiki's day-to-day adventures are revealed in diary style, complete with doodles and black-and-white drawings. The child and her friends form a club to do crafts, bake, and have sleepovers. Readers can continue the adventures from Lotus Lane in the books about the other club members. Add this one if journal/diary-style books are popular. The second book is easier than the first, and has less text. Missy can't wait for picture day. Her outfit will have "belts that glitter, tights with stripes, and shoes that shine." Full-color cartoons capture her fashion style with ruffles, bling, and even goggles. However, when the big day arrives, Missy's mom has another idea about her picture-day outfit. Pouty, angry, and sad, the child is sent off to school without "ruffles, rainbows, ribbons, or sparkles." After a few arguments with her classmate Oscar over trading chocolate pudding for carrots at lunch, it's finally time for the picture, and what Missy and Oscar end up wearing will surprise children. Plenty of drawings assist readers with plot development between panels, spreads, brief narrative, and captions. Speech bubbles are scattered throughout to enhance character development. Fans of Junie B., Eloise, and Ivy and Bean will laugh out loud as they follow Missy's adventures.-Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2013
Grades K-2 Girly girls who have outgrown the Fancy Nancy beginning readers will flock to this illustrated early chapter book about fashion-obsessed Kiki. Writing and drawing in an OTT (over the top) diary her mother gave her, Kiki discusses her BFFs in the LLGC (Lotus Lane Girls Club). Our girl loves an acronym; her sweater-wearing dog, Maxi; selecting outfits for Funky Fashion Friday; and stating facts (FACT: I am 100% inspired by Mom's kimonos! ). Throughout, there are hip line illustrations that reinforce the text, like a map of Kiki's neighborhood, with each of her friends' houses labeled, as well as IM messages and doodles. The plot moves quickly and includes your basics: friendship drama, a missing dog, pajama parties. This offers more of a reading challenge than early readers (particularly given the hand-lettered type on ruled notebook paper), and it is a nice stepping stone to more advanced chapter books. Looks like each of the LLGC girls will get their moment in the sun; next up is Coco: My Delicious Life, due out this summer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)