Amazon.com (ISBN 0763612316, Paperback)

The first day of third grade puts Judy Moody in a mad-face mood. She just knows everyone will come back from summer vacation with word T-shirts, like "Disney World" or "Jamestown: Home of Pocahontas." All Judy has is a plain old no-words T-shirt. She'll have to go to a new classroom, with a new desk, and she won't have an armadillo sticker with her name on it like she did last year. And knowing her luck, she'll end up sitting next to Frank, the boy who eats paste. For breakfast her dad makes eggs with the yellow middle broken, and her younger "bother," Stink, thinks he knows everything now that he's starting second grade. But bad moods never last long with the irrepressible Judy Moody, and before long, her day--and year--look brighter. Mr. Todd assigns the class a "Me" collage, which sets Judy on a lively and hilarious self-exploration over the next few action-packed weeks.

Prolific author Megan McDonald (Beezy and Insects Are My Life) introduces readers to a thoroughly charming, independent, willful heroine, who is far more upbeat than she likes to let on to her reading audience. Remarkably understanding adults populate Judy's world, allowing her to express her witty, resourceful self freely. Peter Reynolds's personable line drawings complement McDonald's text in a light, pleasing style. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter