Ellen Conford (1942–2015)

I love collecting older Scholastic books because occasionally, you hit a gem. This is one of those.

Victory is one of those characters—somewhat like Anne of Green Gables or The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry—whose main coping technique when things aren’t going their way is to imagine themselves in a different situation. In this case, Victory has dreams of being someone grand—if it’s an election for class president, she envisions herself as the president of the United States. If it’s show more the evening after an awkward birthday party, she imagines she’s the winner of a beauty pageant. Along the way, Victory has the most hilarious side comments or observations about different people in her life.

This is a fast, enjoyable read. It’s nothing outstanding, in my opinion, but it’s a lot of fun, and I can see my younger sisters enjoying it eventually. show less

After re-reading Dreams of Victory, a childhood favorite, a few years ago, I somehow acquired a copy of this book. Finally pulled it off the shelf and read it.

Julie Howe is a high school sophomore, navigating schedules, friends' problems, clubs, and unexpected situations. Each chapter is written with a rule from the high school rule book at the start, and then a humorous story on how that rule is working - or not - for the narrator and her classmates.

The first chapter was particularly show more funny. The students' schedules have been created by the newly installed computer and are printed on computer punch cards. Julie has PE first class, a student has been assigned to 3 home economics classes, 2 lunches, 2 study halls and woodshop each day, and another friend has all seven of her classes with the worst teachers in the school. Each student ultimately resolves the schedule problems. I found the comments about computers particularly amusing - the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It reminds me so much of my own high school years, and the times in which it was published. (1976; I was a young teen at that time.) That said, any teens reading it today would have to read it as historical fiction - and references from the times that might inspire a trip to Wikipedia. For example, ditto machines. A teacher's looks are compared to Robert Redford, who today is elderly and plays evil villains in Marvel movies. Pastel colored loose-leaf paper. Julie's family receives a letter from her brother at college.

I do plan to keep this book and read it when I need a light-hearted trip down memory lane. show less

This is the sequel to "Dear Lovey Hart, I Am Desperate" which was a childhood favorite of mine. Reading this for the first time at the age of 48, I thought this was even funnier than "Lovey Hart." The "Brandy Alexander" scene is a comic masterpiece! The boyfriend Chip is not worth the heroine's time, which seems pretty realistic.

This is another old children's book that's been sitting unread on the shelf in our home library for decades.

Dorrie Kimball is convinced her life will be misery now that her best friend has moved far, far away from the house next door and a pair of mischievous twin brothers have moved in.

Slowly, and in the mildest fashion, she discovers life isn't so bad if she only takes her head out of her butt.