ALLEN, Crystal. Spirit Week Showdown. illus. by Eda Kaban. 240p. (The Magnificent Mya Tibbs). Balzer + Bray. Jan. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780062342331. Gr 4-7–Fourth grader Mya is very excited about Spirit Week, since she and her best friend, pageant-winning Naomi, plan to win VIP tickets to the Fall Festival by showing the most spirit. When Mya is paired instead with “Mean” Connie and doesn’t insist on changing partners, Naomi breaks off their friendship, calls Mya names, and vows to win the tickets herself. Mya is a quirky character who throws tall tales into conversations and often finds herself in trouble. Her initial reluctance in working with Connie is realistic, as is their eventual friendship, but Naomi’s actions, especially in a past incident involving Connie, are at a level of meanness that seems much older than fourth grade. Mya’s family is wonderful: her pregnant mother is very supportive, her father has Mya help at his business, and her brother suffers through his own friend issues. The Texas setting will be intriguing for readers in other parts of the country, although a bit more explanation about Mya’s school would have been helpful in setting the scene. Mya is African American, and her classmates are realistically diverse. This series starter is ideal for readers who have matured past Sharon Draper’s “Sassy” (Scholastic) or Anica Mrose Rissi’s “Anna, Banana” (S. & S.) and are enjoying Leslie Margolis’s Boys Are Dogs (Bloomsbury, 2008) or Lauren Myracle’s Ten (Dutton, 2011). VERDICT The length, school activities, and emotional content seem more appropriate to middle school, so this novel will appeal to sophisticated elementary students.–Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School