Sophie Hartley, On Strike

January 1, 2007
Gr 3-5-The star of "Queen Sophie Hartley" (Clarion, 2005) returns in another winning story. Fed up with her kids arguing over their weekly chores, Mrs. Hartley devises a job chart for them. Sophie, now nine, finds the situation unfair-older brother Thad figures ways around his duties, little John only has "fun" tasks, and baby Maura has no jobs at all-so she and her older sister Nora do most of the work. While her friends spend Saturday afternoons together, miserable Sophie is stuck home cleaning, and she finally reaches her breaking point. Following the example of their father who went on strike from work, she and Nora go on strike from their chores. Things quickly backfire, with smelly garbage and dirt threatening to take over the household, and Sophie must learn about negotiating her demands while attempting to solve her family's dilemma. Readers will empathize with this spunky youngster and her true-to-life problems. Well-developed characters, smooth dialogue, and a satisfying ending will leave them eager to read more of Sophie's escapades."Michele Shaw, formerly at Yorkshire Academy, Houston, TX"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
" Mutinous" is the perfect word to describe nine-year-old Sophie's mood after she awakens on Saturday to a list of chores. Procrastination results in her missing a day with friends, and when she sees her teenage brother, Thad, make light of his responsibilities, with only a halfhearted response from Mom, she's really miffed. "It's not fair," she thinks, and it isn't, but a list of chore rotations posted in the kitchen makes things worse: Thad's idea of dusting is to give a hearty blow. Sophie thinks a strike is the answer, but, predictably, chaos results, causing her to miss the way her family used to be. More insightful readers will wonder what happened to the issue of gender favoritism that popped up at the outset of the novel. Others, however, will focus on the lesson in cooperation that evolves, which Greene delivers with humor, sharp dialogue, and a family dynamic that remains both loving and real.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)