Book Review

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker: Uploaded to Amazon.com

Clementine is a delightfully original romp through the wacky world of a sassy nine year old. I read it aloud to my 6 year old daughter and 4 year old son, and they both loved it. From the first page, we were all entertained by Clementine's interpretation of the world around her.

Clementine has had a rough week. No one told her she wasn’t supposed to answer the principal’s phone (she was only trying to be helpful), everyone told her to pay attention (she was paying attention, just to different things), and when she tried to help her best friend, Margaret, solve her hair problem, well, it was just a hard week. And the more Clementine tries to make things right, the harder her week seems to become. How was she supposed to know that glue wouldn’t stick hair back on? Or that cutting and coloring her hair to match Margaret’s was exactly the wrong thing to do? As she tries to sort out the messes she’s made, Clementine is ever cognizant of her role as “the hard one” (as opposed to her little brother, “the easy one”), which makes her worry that her position in the family lies precariously in the balance.

I loved how Pennypacker’s use of language made the text seem to flow right out of Clementine's own mind. For instance, when Clementine's art teacher calls her out for not paying attention, she is quick to step up for herself as she thinks,

"I was the only person in the whole art room who was paying attention. Which is why I could tell everyone in the middle of the Pledge of Allegiance that the lunchroom lady was sitting in the janitor's car and they were kissing. Again. No one else saw this disgusting scene because no one else was paying attention out the window!" (p. 4)

Marla Frazee’s hilarious illustrations, kept us in stitches. They were simple and uncluttered, showing a point of view beyond Clementine’s one-sided rendering of events. For instance, Clementine says that she “accidentally touched [Margaret’s] lamp,” but the illustration on pages 22 and 23 shows a different interpretation of the situation.

My daughter gave Clementine five stars, and I must concur. We can’t wait to read The Talented Clementine next!