The Only Girl in School

November 9, 2015
There's a lot going on in this slim novel about Claire Warren, who starts fifth grade as the only girl at her small island school. She recounts the mostly depressing events of the yearâbeing pummeled at dodgeball, ostracized in the lunchroom, bullied by both soccer opponents and her own teammatesâthrough letters to her best friend, Bess, who has recently left their Maryland island for California. There is also an attempt to sabotage Claire's boat before the annual regatta and a mystery involving Smuggler Joe, who haunts Foyes Island to guard his secretly buried treasure (Claire's letters are accented with "taped-in" cartoons from Durfee that humorously track her ups and downs). The story nearly leaves the rails with an unexplained supernatural element, but Standiford (Switched at Birthday) moves on quickly, and by graduation, Claire has earned some hard-won victories. It's a measure of how grim the year has been that the note of hope on which Claire's story ends involves moving on to middle school, where there will, at least, be some other girls. Ages 8â12. Author's agent: Sarah Burnes, Gernert Company.

November 15, 2015
Claire, the only girl in her small Maryland island school, recounts her fifth-grade year in a series of humorous yet poignant letters to her best friend who moved away. With Bess in California and Henry, her other best friend, ignoring her, Claire is lonely. She does have the girls' bathroom to herself, transforming it into a cozy clubhouse where she can read and create wall drawings of her daily trials, which range from Yucky Gilbert's relentless pursuit to kiss her to Webby's bullying behavior. From the traditional annual elementary school square dance to the production of A Christmas Carol, in which she plays all female parts, from having hot sauce poured on her pizza to being tripped in soccer--nothing dampens Claire's spunk. A champion in previous sailing regattas, Claire convinces Henry to crew for her; they are a team again. A touch of magical realism ensures Claire, Webby, and Henry's success on their school project about local legend Smuggler Joe, thus cementing their friendship. Durfee's cartoonlike illustrations nicely capture the book's amusing tone and also affirm that Claire and her six classmates are white, though teacher Mr. Harper has dark skin. An engaging first-person voice and convincing characters make this epistolary novel of friendship and girl power a success. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2016

Gr 3-6-Ten-year-old Claire Warren has a rocky start to the school year. Her best girl friend, Bess, has moved away, and good pal Henry is suddenly too cool to hang out with a girl. Now, Claire must figure out how to negotiate the tricky landscape that is fifth grade-as the only remaining girl in school. Claire's story is recounted through her letters to Bess, which she supplements by re-creating her drawings from the school bathroom wall (she has the girls' bathroom to herself, after all). Standiford successfully taps into the feeling of growing up on a small East Coast island. Claire has a strong voice and authentic dialogue. Her strength of character shines as she faces challenges with humor and resilience. The plot covers a lot of ground-a birthday party, a school dance, soccer games, sailing competitions, and even the appearance of a pirate ghost. There are implausible moments, but the courage in Claire's consistent refusal to change herself to please others always feels genuine. VERDICT An engaging tale of unwavering self-acceptance. Readers will laugh out loud and emerge from the story satisfied with the cheerful resolution.-Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Grades 3-7 When Claire's best friend, Bess, moves from tiny Foyes Island, in Maryland, to San Francisco, Claire finds herself in an unusual position. Not only is she the only girl in the fifth grade, she's the only girl in the whole school! There are some perks; for example, she has the girls' bathroom entirely to herself, and she gets all the female roles in the class production of A Christmas Carol. Mostly, though, it's miserable. Her other best friend, Henry, is giving her a very cold shoulder, and all of the boys, each of whom has a nicely distinct character, ignore her or tease her mercilessly. One exception is Yucky Gilbert, who has a huge crush on her, though he's kindhearted, helpful, and doesn't follow the crowd. Narrating the story through letters to Bess, Claire is well-rounded and asserts herself admirably. Though a subplot involving the ghost of a smuggler and buried treasure is somewhat intrusive, it doesn't detract too much from the story about Claire's determination. Durfee's illustrations support the narrative admirably.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)