Clementine, Friend of the Week

Gr 2—4—Clementine has been chosen as Friend of the Week for her class, and she's going to have the greatest week ever. She'll get to do all kinds of fun things like feed the fish, collect the milk money, serve as line leader, and more. But, best of all, at the end of the week, all of the kids will write in a notebook about everything that makes Clementine the best friend. Acting on suggestions from her friend, Margaret, Clementine sets out to make the best impression on her classmates so they will write extra-nice things about her. However, when Clementine's kitten goes missing, the glory of this special week is quickly forgotten and the sad little girl devotes herself to finding her beloved pet. The latest title (Hyperion, 2010) in the series by Sara Pennypacker takes listeners to the highest highs of third grade and the lowest lows of a young girl fearing she has lost something she loves. Narrator Jessica Almasy convincingly captures all of these emotions and perfectly matches her pacing to the tale's action. Clementine's fans will be transfixed by this reading, and those new to the series will come to love her through Almasy's pitch-perfect telling of Clementine's latest adventure.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT