Lola Levine Is Not Mean!

Gr 1–5—In this first book of a new series, Lola is a second grader who loves sports, especially soccer. She also enjoys expressing her feelings by writing her diary. And she has a bratty little brother. Sound familiar? Her classmates think she is a tomboy, and the boys don't like to play games with her because she hurt a fellow classmate, Juan Gomez, by mistake. So now she is known as Mean Lola Levine. Lola is half Jewish and half Peruvian, and her favorite word is shalom—though it's a bit overused throughout the book. She deals with typical woes, such as worrying about how to survive in school, and she learns an important lesson about how words can hurt others. Her supportive family and best friend, Josh, help her cope. The writing style is typical of the genre: straightforward and predictable. Beginning chapter book readers will enjoy Lola's spunk and humor. Black-and-white illustrations are sprinkled throughout.