Pippa Morgan's Diary

Gr 3–5—In this journal-style novel, a young girl learns how quickly a lie can spiral out of control. Since her best friend moved away and her parents divorced, life has become difficult for Pippa Morgan, a 10-year-old with an active imagination. When a classroom seating change lands her right next to Catie, the most popular girl in school, Pippa tells a desperate lie (namely, that she auditioned for a popular televised singing competition) to impress her. Soon, her fib starts to unravel. Readers will quickly sail through Pippa's story, which is written as a series of diary entries in a large typeface with simple ink illustrations on nearly every page. Kelsey does a masterful job of concisely, but clearly, explaining important factors (the divorce of Pippa's parents, for example). Important preteen social issues are addressed, including lying to gain peer acceptance and dealing with divorce.