Lisa GreenwaldReviews

The format will be attractive to a of lot kids. It's all texts, emails, and notes. An easy read about middle school drama that borrows heavily from [b:The Hundred Dresses|42369|The Hundred Dresses|Eleanor Estes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476941110s/42369.jpg|1000219] and [b:Wonder|11387515|Wonder (Wonder, #1)|R.J. Palacio|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1522713326s/11387515.jpg|16319487].

For a much deeper book about middle school friendship, first love, and texting I highly recommend [b:Goodbye Stranger|23615709|Goodbye Stranger|Rebecca Stead|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439670673s/23615709.jpg|43219487].

Even though I thought this was kinda meh, I have to admit I got sucked into the drama and finished it. It took me less than an hour to read. On the positive side, it raises important questions about social cruelty, bullying, and privacy. Do you have to be friends with a new kid (even if you think she's annoying)? How can you stop digital bullying in your school? Should parents be allowed to read all of their kids' texts?

Great last book to the series.

Great! Good elements of friendship.

While determination, friendship, and dreams create a girl to root for, the yummy food has the reader wishing they could visit the deli themselves.

Eleven-year-old Ellie has a great family, wonderful friends, and, best of all, delicious food whenever she wants thanks to the family's deli. Unfortunately, the deli's business has been going down hill. When she overhears her parents mentioning they might have to close for good, Ellie's world crashes around her. Not ready to ever give up the deli, she decides to see what she can do to save it. Luckily, she has amazing friends on her side...or maybe not. A new girl throws a wrench into her friendships, and she's learning that there's more problems to the deli than just the declining customer base. Even a wish on the special chicken soup might not be enough to save everything.

This is a charming read from beginning to end. Ellie is a character with a big heart, lots of love, and enough spunk to ensure she can't be underestimated. The dedication she has to her family and friends sets a wonderful foundation, which gives that extra sense of warmth. Friendship drama and family health issues bring all-to-familiar problems, which many readers can identify with in some way or another. While these add depth and heart, they also are handled in wholesome ways, which make Ellie that much more likeable as she does her best to stay afloat and still make a difference.

Ellie's personality drives this tale and inspires. Readers will enjoy watching how she and her friends find solutions where the adults cannot...and none of these stretch beyond the realm of reality. Instead, kids get the message that they can make a difference if they put forth the effort.

To top things off, there are simple but fun illustrations sprinkled throughout the book. There is also a recipe at the beginning of each chapter. These vary greatly not only in types of food (hearty to sweet), but also span a somewhat wide span of cooking skills, making sure that there are some recipes for the younger end of the age group as well as the upper. If nothing else, parents can lend a hand...which fits to the family togetherness of Ellie's deli. Also, the author has naturally worked in various facets of the Jewish culture and traditions. So, there's more than just a lovely story involved, and I can't wait to see what other adventures Ellie and the deli will bring in the future.
I received a DRC, enjoyed meeting Ellie quite a bit, and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I plan to discuss this book with my grandaughter because she shares some circumstances with the characters. I do not see much of this behavior with most of her friends, but I am sure it happens. I was disappointed in the obsessive importance of boys in these girls' lives. I was also disappointed to see the meanness performed. However, the author saw to it that most everything worked out, and then it became quite preacy, which I found bothersome. I did like some of the author's writing and apreciated her descriptions and metaphors. There was also some unnecessary sterotyping of characters by religion.½

Students are loving this series, and I can see why. The deceptively simple format tells a convincing story of sixth graders dealing with all the pressure, stress and conflict of being 11ish. It must be a relief to kids who read this and feel like someone really understands what they are dealing with. Can't wait to read the rest of the series, but it'll be a while before I can snag it from one of the kids.

Cecily, Prianka, and Gabby have been friends as long as they can remember, and they have communicated using group texts to each other. However, Victoria is new to school and is trying hard to fit in. When she discovers that the three other girls talk to each other through group texts, she tries to join in so she can become their friend. The girls aren't exactly mean to her, but they do exclude her from their texting group, but what happens when one of the girls makes a mistake?

TBH, This Is SO Awkward is the first in the TBH series. Almost the entire story is told through texts, notes, journal entries, and emails. The format makes it a little difficult to get into the flow and pace of the story because the reader must constantly check to see who is talking in order to understand what is going on. However, this method of storytelling does allow for a quick read, especially for those who are familiar with texting language and symbols. There is also a glossary in the back of the book to help those who need translations. Overall, TBH, This Is SO Awkward, is an original story, containing a good lesson.

Cecily, Gabby, and Prianka are all looking forward to the summer. To make sure they can spend the summer together,they plan to go to a summer camp, but Cecily is feeling a little left out because she is spending so much time as 6th grade rep, while all her friends only seem to be interested in boys. At the same time, Prianka's friend has a cousin who is moving in because he is being bullied at his school in Florida because of his religion.

TBH, This May Be TMI is the second entry in the TBH series. This story injects a little more depth because the school has added journal assignments that students must do to help them understand themselves and each other better. Also, the story line about the boy who is being bullied adds another layer to the story as the three girls and their friends try to figure out how to help him. It is still a little difficult to follow which student is saying what, but overall, TBH, This May Be TMI is a little better than the first book in the series and offers some well presented advice about bullying. 3 1/2 stars

Cute middle grade fare.

A trio of friends experience a lot of drama throughout the first half of the school year as they deal with planning a dance, worrying about crushes, looming threats of moving, and not-so-successfully negotiating adding new friends to the mix.

This book is written almost entirely in text (complete with tons of emojis), with the addition of a few letters from the principal, handwritten notes, and emails. This may seem like a contrivance but it works incredibly well here. I love seeing a modern twist on the epistolary novel. Greenwald manages to build a compelling story with characters who feel real.

A big undercurrent in this book involves the introduction of a new girl to the school; she desperately wants to fit in and while the three main friends don't intend to be mean, they end up being exactly so. I like the idea that no one really sets out to be the bully but sometimes it happens if a person isn't consciously trying otherwise. I think this is important for kids (and adults) to realize and hope this book will help them examine their own social relationships.½

I can see why kids love this. The trifecta of friendship, family, & boy issues (all relatively mild and neatly resolved), plus beauty tips, feel-good environmentalism without a hint of sacrifice, and a girl entrepreneur who saves the day! What's not to love? The adults are two-dimensional... but then, everyone sort of is. The dialog is often clunky. The resolution is way too easy. And there's no depth at all, no symbolism or richness to the language. I'll happily recommend this to my reluctant reader girls; it's light and clean and they enjoy it. But I've decided it's too weak to add to my summer reading list.

When Mia s summer starts with an epic breakup, she s sure the rest of the vacation will be miserable. But her best friend, Justine, would never let that happen. Their plan has two parts. One: use their summer job driving a snow cone truck to keep tabs on Mia s ex in person. Two: create a fake persona to connect with Mia s ex online.

Though this second Dog Beach book was more predictable than the fun first one, it still moves along, notably with new ice cream flavors and boyfriends.
Will there be a Scream Surprise Scoop coming up in what we hope will be a long-enduring series? And, maybe Remy and Josh together eventually as Vets...

Older readers may find annoying Remy's recurring personality trait of always holding something back for no good reason other than to drive the plot.

Two plot line heads-up calls:

1. Since Remy had never met Josh, despite both of them living on Seagate only blocks apart for many summers,
it would be a good plan NOT to walk alone at night. Yes, he turned out to be a welcome friend, but other strangers
could be problematic.

2. For an immediate intense island evacuation, even the most laid back Manhattan parents would not just have left a note!
Maybe Remy was not in her bed when they went to wake her - already headed out to make sure the stage was ready...or
she didn't hear them call as she ran up the road after Marilyn Monroe...or...?½

Welcome to Dog Beach deftly weaves fun and sadness, dogs, friends, and dreams into a summer filled with surprise plot turns.

The friendship lines could use more depth from other perspectives.½

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendations: YA 5-8
Reading Level: Middle School

This book is set up with most of the text in text messages. The characters text back and forth using text language and emojis. There are interjections in the text when the school sends out a flyer, essay submission, diary entries or a quick Remind message for a school announcement.

Middle school teen girls, and best friends, Prianka, Gabby and Cecily (with a few others) are excited for Spirit Week and the end of the school year. They have big plans for a fantastic summer break. As the school year goes on, things about the girls, secrets etc. come out. Some people are not ready to deal with all of this drama. Memes are being sent around the school that are not so nice and they are being sent without permission. Add in a little mother/daughter bra shopping, and you have a perfect drama filled middle school story.

I enjoyed reading this book. There were a few of the text messages that I was not 100% sure what they meant by it, but I could still gather the meaning of the text. (Plus at the end of the book there is a glossary with ALL the text definitions.) I loved how it was written different from a typical text. This was a fast read and good YA book.

I really liked reading all the essay drafts throughout the book. Here the character does tie together bits and pieces of the story to get a feel for what it is like living a middle school, teenage girl life. By the final draft of her essay, we see how she has grown, been challenged and changed through her 6th grade year.

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Excellent
Recommended: Recommended
Level: Middle School

TBH, this book is pretty stinking cute.

Gabby, Priyanka, and Cecily are three best friends in the sixth grade learning how to navigate first crushes, school dances, and new classmates. A lot of issues arise throughout the story, like social media misuse, bullying, and a bit of stalkerish, pushy behavior. It’s hard to agree with one party in regards to the issues being presented because no one is completely innocent.

New girl Victoria feels unwelcome in her new school and takes it upon herself to take some of her classmates phone numbers from the school registry and just randomly start texting them. While this isn’t the worst offense possible, it’s still a little bit of a violation of privacy. It would have been different if she had asked the classmates first if they were comfortable with her contacting them, but instead she just went full speed ahead and basically pushed into their social circle. On the other side of the spectrum, Cece, Gabby and Pri were not all the most welcoming, and while they didn’t think they were being outright mean to Victoria, they didn’t realize that by ignoring her, they were hurting her feelings just as badly as if they were to say nasty things to or about her. In the end however, things get resolved and wrapped up nicely. Everyone realizes that it’s easier to just be nice, and give others a chance and get to know them before making any judgments.

My favorite thing about this book was that the entire thing was told in text and email format with lots of emojis. It really enhanced the story and made it easy for pacing purposes and atmosphere. Young kids are really obsessed with their phones and texting their friends so it portrayed their age group quite well and dug into the real life issue of cyber bullying. I love stories that are told in mixed media, especially text. It makes things more interesting and definitely helps with finishing the story faster.

Overall, this was a really cute read and a great way for young girls and boys to learn a lesson about social media behavior and acceptance.

3.5 stars

*Read at work for review for ROYAL*

TBH, this book is pretty stinking cute.

Gabby, Priyanka, and Cecily are three best friends in the sixth grade learning how to navigate first crushes, school dances, and new classmates. A lot of issues arise throughout the story, like social media misuse, bullying, and a bit of stalkerish, pushy behavior. It’s hard to agree with one party in regards to the issues being presented because no one is completely innocent.

New girl Victoria feels unwelcome in her new school and takes it upon herself to take some of her classmates phone numbers from the school registry and just randomly start texting them. While this isn’t the worst offense possible, it’s still a little bit of a violation of privacy. It would have been different if she had asked the classmates first if they were comfortable with her contacting them, but instead she just went full speed ahead and basically pushed into their social circle. On the other side of the spectrum, Cece, Gabby and Pri were not all the most welcoming, and while they didn’t think they were being outright mean to Victoria, they didn’t realize that by ignoring her, they were hurting her feelings just as badly as if they were to say nasty things to or about her. In the end however, things get resolved and wrapped up nicely. Everyone realizes that it’s easier to just be nice, and give others a chance and get to know them before making any judgments.

My favorite thing about this book was that the entire thing was told in text and email format with lots of emojis. It really enhanced the story and made it easy for pacing purposes and atmosphere. Young kids are really obsessed with their phones and texting their friends so it portrayed their age group quite well and dug into the real life issue of cyber bullying. I love stories that are told in mixed media, especially text. It makes things more interesting and definitely helps with finishing the story faster.

Overall, this was a really cute read and a great way for young girls and boys to learn a lesson about social media behavior and acceptance.

Light, easy, fast read but nothing special.

I just realized this was the 3rd book in a series.

So that means 2 things: it's a good book and can stand alone without you feeling like you are missing the point, and that I'm not very observant.

I'm pretty sure that there are many fans of this series, I'm one now too, and anyone who has read the previous books will love this one as well.

it's a very cute story, with cool and smart characters. The writing was good, the characters acted age appropriate, and it wasn't one of those books that make me roll my eyes.

I just realized this was the 3rd book in a series.

So that means 2 things: it's a good book and can stand alone without you feeling like you are missing the point, and that I'm not very observant.

I'm pretty sure that there are many fans of this series, I'm one now too, and anyone who has read the previous books will love this one as well.

it's a very cute story, with cool and smart characters. The writing was good, the characters acted age appropriate, and it wasn't one of those books that make me roll my eyes.

I just realized this was the 3rd book in a series.

So that means 2 things: it's a good book and can stand alone without you feeling like you are missing the point, and that I'm not very observant.

I'm pretty sure that there are many fans of this series, I'm one now too, and anyone who has read the previous books will love this one as well.

it's a very cute story, with cool and smart characters. The writing was good, the characters acted age appropriate, and it wasn't one of those books that make me roll my eyes.

Lovely & easy reading book with lots of funny moments and many troubles for Lucy and her friends.
I like the whole story, also the characters and their exciting adventures.
I find this book a great read for teens, their parents and not only.

Here are some quotes I like and would love to share:
“Best friends are more important than boyfriends.”
“…once you hear that someone likes you, they immediately seem cuter.”
“When you’re really excited about something, you don’t mind when people ask questions about it. You want to tell them everything so that they can be excited too.”
“Maybe that’s how you know if you like someone. If you don’t want to be the most important person in the world to that person, you’re probably not that interested in going out with them.”
“People with broken hearts shouldn't be reading stories about weddings.”
“It becomes surprisingly easy to lie when you've been doing it so consistently for so long.”
“Sometimes all you really need is to be needed.”
“Maybe life isn't meant to be perfect. It’s meant to be complicated and messy and confusing, and that’s what makes it exciting and memorable.”
“The more you feel like you have everything figured out, the less you actually do.”
“That’s the thing about life – you never really know what will change, and whether that change is good or bad. You have to be open to anything.”

One girl, one dream. In My Life in Pink and Green By Lisa GreenWald, Lucy Desberg a seventh grader from Connecticut dreams of being a makeup artist. Though, when her family pharmacy isn't doing so well, she might have to put her makeup dream aside and focus on saving the pharmacy. Lucy does everything she can to save the pharmacy, but is it enough? Her confidence in what she does takes her far, but when her mom and her grandma have no faith in her, she begins to doubt herself. Lucy uses her makeup skills to bring in some extra money to help the pharmacy, but when she finds a $25,000 grant, she knows that that's how she can salvage the pharmacy.
This fiction story was a bit predictable, by reading the first few chapters, you would already know what would happen. I would recommend this book to middle school students because it is childish yet to challenging for an elementary student. The author developed the characters nicely but the plot did not have very strong points. Although the story was enjoyable, it had aspects that were poor and not well written.

In this story, Remy and her 3 best friends return to Seagate, a beach community where everyone knows everyone for the summer. They have been doing this for years and they love the routines they have there- but this summer things are going to change.

To start with, Remy’s dog that she loved died and she is super sad about it. He use to play with her on the beach all the time. So it’s hard to go to their old hang out place, Dog beach at first. But then she starts getting to know other dogs, meets some new people and it gets easier. She begins to see that her lots of her life is changing and will need to figure out a way to deal with that, too

This is a sweet story about friendships that are easy and comfortable but need to change even when we don’t want them to. It doesn’t mean they have to get left behind, not if you can find away to work it out. The friendship between the 3 main characters was great and I liked how the end leaves you wanting to read more about them, but not hanging on a cliffs edge about it. I would give this almost 5 stars.

Best book on earth ( this is my all time fav book