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Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular

by Jimmy Gownley
176p. 978-1-41698-610-2.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4-7 Amelia McBride returns in an all new, hilarious adventure to learn some hard truths. She finds out that some people will never be popular, but that they don't have to be unpopular. When a mistake involving space suits turns Amelia and her friend Rhonda into social outcasts, they consult "The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular". In their quest to be "normal," she and her pals try out new hairstyles, attitudes, and friends, with their now-recognizable humor and spirit. They straddle that strange line between childhood and adolescence, wanting to be cool but ending up racing down the hill in a wheelbarrow. The dialogue is effortless and evokes laughter on every page. That alone is reason to read the book, but Gownley's ability to give his heroine such earnestness and thoughtfulness is what sets this story apart. Both Amelia's mother and her aunt play important parts in her life and avoid being shoved to the side. The full-color illustrations will elicit giggles all on their own. Whether for a library stocked with earlier Amelia books or one without, this is an essential purchase."Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
Comics star Amelia McBride returns for another misadventure, as she and her friends attempt to become popular by following advice from the title book. Though there's no didacticism to be found, Amelia’s choices show that she's figuring out how to do right, not just shooting for popularity. Exaggerated facial expressions and varied comic-panel illustrations support and develop the story's humor.
The book’s structure, in which Amelia narrates her story and comments on the events, is inventive and engaging. Amelia’s antics will make readers laugh and help them identify with the problems she and her friends face. Amelia, her family, and her friends are all well-developed characters with positive relationships that are enjoyable to read about. The art is colorful, expressive, and fun. For example, in Amelia’s aunt Tanner’s flashback, the art changes briefly to mimic the style of Archie comic books.

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