If you started going to a brand new school, who could you tell about your very worst days? Maureen 'MO' Murphy shares them with her, 'My Worst Days Diary.' When she starts her new school, Mo has lots of embarrassing moments: burping in front of the class, handing in the wrong homework, going to a birthday party on the wrong day, forgetting all her lines in the school play, and many, many more. Read along as 'Mighty Mo' finds out that her worst days eventually lead to great ones. A perfect beginning reader for anyone who has ever had a 'really bad' day!

Similar authors: Paula Danziger

Similar books: It's a Fair Day, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger; Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Reviewed by: mb

Date read: 7/22/2009

ISBN-10: 0836816234

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Seventh grader Frankie's life is thrown into turmoil when she inadvertently opens her widowed father's email and discovers he has met and become interested in a woman. In an attempt to thwart their romance, she replies to the woman's messages with all sorts of untrue information about her father and younger brothers. Of her brothers, she writes, they have diarrhea every minute of the day and are genetically disposed to being mean to adult females. She then tells her that her father is chronically ill, so kissing him is a bad idea. Besides, he just became engaged to someone else. The woman is a zookeeper specializing in naked mole rats. How she handles Frankie's correspondence and helps her solve many other junior high disappointments and issues is a hilarious treat to read.

Reviewed by: ewl

Date read: 5/19/2009

ISBN-10: 0823420981

ISBN-13: 9780823420988

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Warning! Do not read beyond this sentence! The narrator has a story that he won't tell, because you (the reader) will run into terrible danger if you know the secret. All right, he will tell, using made-up names and places. Cassandra is a survivalist who is always prepared for disaster. While visiting her adopted grandfathers, she overhears the story of the mysterious death of the local magician and determines that she must solve it. Together with fellow classmate Max-Ernest, an aspiring stand-up comedian, she discovers there is more to this secret than meets the eye, or nose, when they examine the 'Symphony of Smells,' which contains a code to the mystery. Before long, they meet up with the villainous Dr. L and the 'golden lady,' ageless Ms. Mauvais and realize they must hide the secret or they will perish.

Similar authors: Lemony Snicket

Similar books: Series of Unfortunate Events

Awards nominated: 2013 Bluestem Nominee

Reviewed by: vfv

Date read: 5/19/2012

ISBN-13: 9780316113663

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Roscoe Riley doesn't understand why his mom calls Super-Mega-Gonzo Glue 'don't-you-dare glue,' but he does know he is supposed to bring art supplies to school. Glue seems useful. It also seems useful later in the day when his teacher has a problem. As his family says, 'Roscoe to the rescue!' Roscoe knows he can help his teacher keep her job using only the glue. What could go wrong?

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 10/29/2010

ISBN-10: 0061148822

ISBN-13: 9780061148828

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Wallace Wallace, accidental star of the football team, won't tell even the smallest lie. When he refuses to pretend to like his English teacher's favorite book, Old Shep, My Pal, his teacher sentences him to detention until he rewrites his book report. Since Wallace won't give in to write the kind of report his teacher wants, he's banned from football practice and stuck in rehearsals for the school's play. The play is Old Shep, My Pal, adapted from the book and directed by none other than his teacher, Mr. Fogelman. Wallace's truth-telling mouth just can't keep quiet, though, and soon the play takes a turn no one could have predicted.

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 3/30/2010

ISBN-10: 078682462X

ISBN-13: 9780786824625

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