Step Fourth, Mallory!

It makes a nice change for me to curl up with a book for girls, having, as I do, boys, so it was a pleasure to read Step Fourth, Mallory, by Laurie Friedman, illustrated by Jennifer Kalis (Carolrhoda Books, 2008, 175 pp of large type and generous margins). One of the book things that I feel vaguely embarrassed about is that I've never read many of the standard books for young girls--no Ramona, no Amber Brown, and until now, no Mallory. I'm pleased to have met her!

Step Fourth, Mallory takes the title character off to fourth grade. She's anxious to please her teacher, Mr. Knight, but things go wrong, and wronger, and wronger still on that front. And both Mallory and her bestest friend like, as in LIKE, the cute new guy in class, and he seems to like her more. When you start the school year so happy because your best friend is at school with you, and five minutes later you're so happy to have met guy you like, it stinks to find that both are in jeopardy.

This is a great book for (surprise!) the girl starting fourth grade, but I think third graders of both genders, and maybe even fourth grade boys, will enjoy it. But not much older--there's a bit of easy reader feel to it.

Here's Mallory's website, if you want to learn more about her and her books!