Ten Good and Bad Things About My Life (So Far)

September 1, 2012
What starts out to be a bummer summer turns out well in retrospect. In spite of the title, alluding to Pearl Littlefield's first outing, Ten Rules for Living with My Sister (2011), this represents her first assignment for fifth grade. It's an essay about summer vacation, written to an outline (supplied in the back and as chapter headings). With her father out of a job, money is tight, and except for a month at camp in New Jersey, Pearl and her older sister Lexie stay home in New York City. Still, there is plenty to write about: rescuing the cat that falls from their apartment window; a serious fight with her best friend, James Brubaker III; exhibiting a painting at her grandfather's retirement community; pretending to be a tourist during the family's "staycation"; and starting a business with JBIII after they reconcile. Pearl's first-person narration is convincing and sprinkled with gentle humor. Martin's characterizations are clear and distinctive; readers won't need to have met them in the previous title to feel they know them well. Pearl develops some sympathy for her father's job search and perhaps even for a hated classmate, and she learns--as readers will--that "you never know what's around the corner." Here's hoping more unexpected good things are in store for the Littlefield family. (Fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2012

Gr 3-6-In this sequel to Ten Rules for Living with My Sister (Feiwel & Friends, 2011), it's Pearl's first day of fifth grade, and she and her new best friend, JBIII, are determined to claim as much maturity as possible, even if that means only walking 10 feet ahead of Pearl's dad on the way to school. The story really begins when Pearl is given a writing assignment about her summer. Instead of going to the Wild West as planned, the family ended up taking a Staycation, since Pearl's dad has lost his job, and money is tight. Fraught with long trips to a discount grocery store in Brooklyn and refrigerator pizza meals, Pearl's summer looked to be a huge disappointment, but she tried to be enthusiastic for her family's sake. When her sister landed a job to help out, Pearl's wheels began to turn, and she tried her own hand at business. Along the way was summer camp, a big fight with JBIII, and even a trip to the hospital. Pearl is engaging and funny and will remind readers of that bouncy, noisy kid in the back of the bus who can't sit still. The flashback structure is a bit awkward, and Pearl's voice is often more mature than her characterization, but this is still a fun, heartfelt read. Hand it to kids who can't get enough realistic fiction. Cartoon drawings suggest Pearl's own from her summer scrapbook.-Jamie Kallio, Orland Park Public Library, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2012
Grades 3-6 The Ramona-esque star of Ten Rules for Living with My Sister (2011) is back, and this time she has to write the perennial essay known to many an elementary-school student: What did you do on your summer vacation? In a narrative that is structured like the outline of an essay, with headings and subheadings, 10-year-old Pearl Littlefield reflects back and begins with I. My dad got fired, followed by A. My family was shocked. This event restructures Pearl and big sister Lexie's entire summer, as their Wild West family vacation is canceled in favor of the more economically friendly New York staycation. When she is not busy being a tourist in her own city, Pearl is looking for ways to earn money; fighting with her best friend, JB III; and attending Camp Merrimac with her nemesis, Jill. It's a summer of growth for young Pearl, as she realizes that life has its ups and downs, and a fun read for middle-graders who like their fiction realistic and their protagonist feisty.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)