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

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