Julie BoweBesprekingen

A beautiful book that draws the reader in to the challenges and questions kids encounter when their parents split up. I love the layering of questions throughout the book, the relatable characters, and the realistic presentation of kids' relationships with parents and peers. Though there's a theme of dealing with divorce, there are still lots of sweet and funny moments. I hope Wren comes back for more adventures!

Victoria Torres Unfortunately Average: Face the Music is a middle school band story about the struggles of who should be first chair, and how musical opportunities might cause difficulties at school. Victoria, called Bonita by her father, has several friends with definite personalities. Oh, those years can be tough. The big holiday concert is coming up, and Victoria’s music teacher thinks she should take home the new piccolo to try. However, her best friend (Bea) is considered to be the best musician and is mad she was not selected. Later, Bea does try the piccolo enough that a blind audition is held at school for a fair decision, but there is plenty of drama along the way until that time.

Victoria Torres is average in every way and would like an opportunity to shine. She lives in an average house in the center of town, is a middle child, is average height, and sits in the middle of the flute section. Beaday, Saturday fun with her BFF, does not happen as planned after Victoria is chosen to take the piccolo home. They share a locker at school to make things even worse. Of course some people have to call the piccolo a pickle and make jokes.

Mom, Dad, and one friend Jenny are supportive of Victoria, but she needs determination and a positive attitude. This book is good for helping middle school students understand how to work through some difficult situations. It would make for good classroom discussions about what to do in similar situations.
This book was given to me for review for Multicultural Children's Book Day 2016 and is being donated to a Minnesota school.

Ida swears off best friends after Elizabeth moves away but can't help being drawn to new girl Stacey. I liked the realistic portrayal of Ida's angst and her desire to connect with a kindred spirit.

Girls will like this book but I don't think it would make an impact with the boys.

I've been waiting to read this until the release date was creeping closer and now it's practically here!

If you haven't introduced your 3rd and 4th grade girls to Ida May, now is the time! Ida May is EveryGirl,with all the little joys and torments of a 9 year old girl. She has a best friend, a fish, a love of drawing, and a loving family.

In the latest Ida May story, Ida's hard-won best friend, Stacey, isn't acting so BFF as she should be....and it's all because of that stupid game Jenna brought to school. Or is it?

Bowe presents the perfect blend of friendship angst, and her characters are rich and varied, no stereotypes here! The characters are realistic and their actions are believable, but not black and white. Ida's realization of the different ways people can be friends and the growth of the various characters pulls the plot of school excitements and friendship bumps along to a satisfying conclusion.

Verdict: I'd recommend these to pretty much any girl in 3rd or 4th grade and they'd also make a great book club selection, as there's plenty of possibilities for discussion (although the story never descends into didacticism, nor is it an "issues" book) I can't wait to show off our library's copy on my school visits!

ISBN: 0803735014; Published May 2010 by Dial; Review copy provided by author; Purchased for the library

Ida May writes in her diary, has a best friend Stacy and a new pet a fish. School is complicated because her friends sometimes don't get a long. Jenna is fighting with Brooke, and Jenna starts bringing a game of Truth or Dare to school and sometimes the Truths are hard an sometimes the Dares get rather mean. See what happens when Ida May is dared to have her ears pierced by another 4th grader.

This is a very different book from all the others in the Summer Book Club - but I wanted to make sure the girls didn't feel left out if they aren't into the adventure and mystery of the books I reviewed this summer. My Forever Friends is part of the Friends for Keeps series of 4 books. Based on the adventures and thoughts of four 4th grade girls with all the hangups, conflicts and attitudes (remember what that was like?) of girls at that age - if you're daughter has Frenemy's or Best Friends this book will be right up their alley!

This book revolves around Ida May and Jenna who are forced to spend time together when Jenna begins to spend time at Ida's home every day after school due to her mother's difficult pregnancy. Jenna is very list oriented, needs to have everything planned/followed and hates having her schedule changed (at least if she doesn't decide to change it). Ida ends up spending time with Rachel (Jenna's little sister) more to support her as Jenna has a mean streak and bosses Rachel around and puts her down quite a bit.

I don't know how many of you remember the middle school grades and how mean the girls could be to each other? Being best friends with one girl one week and then best friends with another girl the next week. This book reminded me a lot of that awkward age and how much I hated the stress and upheaval during that time. BUT, on the other hand, girls who read the series will identify with Ida May, Jenna, Stacy and the other girls in the Friends for Keeps series and should enjoy them thoroughly.

I'm going to rate this book a 4 - I didn't particularly care for the book but it is very well written, the author has a great understanding of girls at this age and I'm very sure that girls in the 4th - 6th grades will identify and understand exactly what's going on. And maybe they will learn some tricks they can use to get through this period in their young lives. =D

Wow! That is the first thing I though when I finished this book. I work with middle school kids and there is so much peer pressure to fit in. The middle grades are a time of drama, especially for girls trying to find their place. The characters in the book are fourth graders. Ida wants to fit in. Her parents won't let her get her ears pierced, her friends are changing before her eyes and she is trying to figure it all out. Should she go along with the "in" group or be herself? When are friends not really your friend? You can find answers to these questions by reading the book.

Ida and Stacey finds out the mermaid secret, and make a club. Then they make a wish on the front of the mermaid and guess what happened???

Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com

When Ida and Stacey create a secret club, the world gets kind of kooky. Perhaps it's because the club mascot is an evil mermaid, or perhaps it's because of all the secrets.

Best friends share secrets, right? But what if your best friend's secrets are getting you in trouble? And what if your worst enemy is acting more like your best friend than your actual best friend?

I couldn't wait for this sequel to MY LAST BEST FRIEND, and Julie Bowe is back with the authentic fourth-grade voice of Ida May:

"I'm NOT so thankful that Brooke invited Jenna to the party. That's because Jenna is the kind of person who would pin back your skin if she could. Then she would take something sharp and poke at all the stuff you'd rather keep hidden. Stuff like spilling your lunch tray. And tripping on the bus."

Ida May is the perfect fourth-grade narrator, learning to navigate the boundaries of a new friendship and gaining wisdom about relationships around her, all with the helpful insight of her sock monkey, George.

The anticipation of this second book was well worthwhile, as Ida remained true and strong, and Bowe developed secondary characters into some I'd like to know even better. This is a book elementary school teachers can put on classroom bookshelves with confidence that it's a well-told story to which kids will relate.

Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com

Bowe knows the fourth grade.

Julie Bowe's MY LAST BEST FRIEND rings true for anyone who's survived heartbreaking separation.

After Ida's best friend moves away, she's sure she'll never have another friend like Elizabeth. Until the day the new girl, Stacey Merriweather, smiles at her.

The thing I love most about this book is the way Ida thinks:

"She's smiling at you with the kind of smile you don't see on a real person very often. The kind you see a little kid draw with a big fat crayon on a piece of white paper. The kind you have to force yourself not to smile back at.

Trust me, you don't want to get too close to big-crayon smiles. That's because people with big-crayon smiles don't stick around very long. They move away just when you've gotten used to the way their hand feels sticky when you hold it, or the way they hiccup when they talk fast, or the way they whistle by sucking in instead of blowing out, or the way they can touch their nose with the tip of their tongue."

For Ida, entering the fourth grade without Elizabeth is like diving into the deep end of the pool before she's sure she can swim well enough to get back to the edge. She's got no safety devices and feels like no one is rooting for her as she splashes around and tries not to go under.

I don't know about everyone else, but that's exactly how elementary school felt to me sometimes. This is one of those books that comforts its readers with the knowledge that someone gets it. Someone like Julie Bowe.

I can't wait to read the sequel, MY NEW BEST FRIEND!

This book is part of a series that young children will enjoy. In this story, two friends find a magical night-light that seems to grant wishes. They start a secret club. But soon, one of the girls suspects that the other is using the mermaid to tell some big lies. This is a great story for those adjusting to the pressures of growing up.

I liked this book so much because it is a light hearted, quick read book. A new novel, “My Last Best Friend” is not in the local libraries yet, so I bought the paperback edition for only $5.95.

Excellent story of fourth-grade girls learning about friendship, secrets, etc.

I liked how they were secret friends and had secret codes.

After her best friend moves away, fourth-grader Ida May is determined not to make another best friend, despite the efforts of a new girl in her class.

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