Kid Konnection: Clementine, Friend of the Week
Clementine is excited because her name’s been drawn to be the Friend of the Week at school! As Friend of the Week, she gets to be the line leader, collect the milk money, tell her life story and have the class write a booklet about her! Clementine’s friend Margaret is a year older and tells Clementine that she should give all of her classmates great compliments all week so they’ll write wonderful things about her in her booklet. Clementine is determined to get a great booklet, so she decides she should follow Margaret’s advice, which turns out to be harder than she thought it would be.
After she runs out of compliments, Clementine decides that maybe giving gifts is a better idea. Her first attempt at gift giving proves to be popular with her classmates, but not so popular with her teacher and principal. Clementine’s next idea seems fool-proof until her cat turns up missing and she’s too upset to follow through. In the end, Margaret comes through for Clementine and both girls learn a wonderful lesson about friendship.
I just loved Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker! This is the fourth book in the middle grade Clementine series, but the first that I’ve read, and I don’t feel like I missed any background necessary to enjoy the book.
Clementine is such a great character – she’s artistic and creative and just a little bit messy. I love the names she comes up with for animals and for her brother! Clementine is earnest and loyal and loves her animals. In other words, she’s just an ordinary kid with ordinary problems that a lot of kids can relate to. I also loved that Clementine’s parents are concerned and caring, but don’t try to solve Clementine’s problems for her. They’re there to help when she needs it, but let her handle things herself.
Clementine, Friend of the Week has cute illustrations by Marla Frazee. I think younger middle-grade readers will really enjoy this early chapter book.
For more children’s books reviews, go to Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, leave a comment as well as a link on her site.
Review copy provided by Hyperion Books. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
This sounds like such a charming read
This sounds like a fun series. I’ll have to keep these books in mind for gift-giving time.
We love Clementine! I forgot about this book. I really need to pull it out and read it.
It sounds adorable – just like the cover!
I didn’t know about Clementine! She sounds adorable!
I don’t have young kids, but this book sounds great. It’s actually nice to see a children’s book that has nothing to do with fairies or gremlins or visiting other dime
Straight From Hel
nsions.
Speaking of other dimensions, I apparently entered one that split the word “dimensions.”
My younger students enjoy Clementine!
Sounds like a wonderful series. I’m going to have Aidan look at them next time we go to the store and see if he would be interested in them. Thanks for the review.
My Betty is just getting into the Clementine series (she’s read the first one and maybe the second, I’m not quite sure). They’re quickly becoming favorites, and we love Marla Frazee’s illustrations.
This book is sitting next to me on the pile of the “to get to” over the weekend. It was fun to read your thoughts on this.
This book sounds really wonderful! It does look like there are some good lessons in it.
My son came home one day because he was Friend of the Week and it was such a big deal for him. We haven’t read any of the Clementine books and they sound delightful, especially this one. Thanks for the review.
This sounds like a sweet story and one I would have enjoyed reading as a young girl.
I love Clementine, too! And I think Marla Frazee’s illustrations are just perfect.
Sounds like a cute book!
I have a friend whose kids I think would love this book. One is just learning to read on his own, and the other is just getting into chapter books. Thanks for the great review! This book sounds like a lot of fun!
Sounds cute and totally reminds me of my daughter’s “Student of the Week.”
I gave my niece (who was seven at the time) the first in this series. I think she read it in less than 24 hours! I may have to get her this one for Christmas. Fun review, Kathy!