Jacqueline Wilson has won both the Smarties Prize and the Children's Book Award for her past work.
" Wilson creatively reshapes [heroine] Charlie's own experiences to depict the plight of a girl living 100 years earlier, thus adding new dimension to Charlie's perceptions while offering intriguing period particulars." -- "Publishers Weekly," Starred " Charlie's creative writing is a gentle endorsement for using one's imagination to work through problems. Readers will empathize with many of the situations Charlie copes with." -- "The Horn Book Magazine" "From the Hardcover edition."
" Wilson creatively reshapes [heroine] Charlie's own experiences to depict the plight of a girl living 100 years earlier, thus adding new dimension to Charlie's perceptions while offering intriguing period particulars." -- "Publishers Weekly," Starred " Charlie's creative writing is a gentle endorsement for using one's imagination to work through problems. Readers will empathize with many of the situations Charlie copes with." -- "The Horn Book Magazine" "From the Hardcover edition."
Gr 4-6-Charlotte (Charlie) Enright thinks her first day of school will be "Easy-peasy, simple-pimple"-until she meets her new teacher. Miss Beckworth is a no-nonsense type, whereas outspoken Charlie likes to play the class clown. To make matters worse, Miss Beckworth assigns seats alphabetically and Charlie ends up sitting next to Jamie Edwards, the perennial teachers' pet. This year, the class is focusing on the Victorian period; each student is required to do a special project on the era. When Charlie spots a photograph of a nurserymaid about her age, she names her Lottie and writes a diary from the servant's point of view. Lottie's fictional diary entries alternate with Charlie's own story, with the former adding historical detail, and both narratives reflecting the changes in the girl's life. And things are changing for Charlie: her single mother loses her job and becomes romantically involved with the father of the child she now baby-sits, her best friends are suddenly boy crazy, and she finds out that Jamie isn't all that bad after all. Wilson has written a funny, thoughtful novel with a well-developed main character. Charlie's emotions and reactions are true to life-frustration, jealousy, and uncertainty about the future. By turns poignant and humorous, this book is a winner. Sharratt's entertaining pen-and-ink illustrations are scattered throughout, highlighting details from the text.-Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
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