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Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).

From Horn Book

November 1, 2015
In this seventh and final installment of the series, change is afoot, and Clementine is in the thick of it. Reader Almasy captures the big-hearted, earnest first-person voice of Pennypacker's heroine (which mitigates the absence of Marla Frazee's spirited illustrations in the audiobook format). Characterization and expression come through loud and clear as Clementine grapples with everything from the end of the school year to the birth of a new sibling. Just as Clementine resists saying goodbye to her beloved teacher Mr. D'Matz, loyal fans will not want to bid farewell to this series. megan dowd lambert

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

October 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-Clementine faces a host of rising fourth-grader issues as the school year ends. She's feuding with her father over his refusal to become a vegetarian like the rest of the family, she can't bring herself to say goodbye to her third-grade teacher, and the family's new baby is due soon and they haven't even chosen a name yet. Picking the baby's name should be easy, but her other problems are more serious. She's avoided her teacher and given her dad the silent treatment for so long that she begins to regret it-but it's so hard to stop! Clementine and her friends sometimes exhibit the concerns of adults (school friends worry about future wedding plans), but Clementine's steadfast good nature and silliness are endearing and relatable. Jessica Almasy narrates, bringing infectious enthusiasm to Clementine's usually upbeat and slightly sassy personality. Other character voices are clearly defined, with Clementine's parents sounding especially authentic. VERDICT Fans of the series and kids ready to move up from Junie B. Jones will enjoy. ["This last title in the popular and laugh-out-loud chapter book series is a must-have for library collections": SLJ 2/1/15 review of the Disney-Hyperion book.]-Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

March 1, 2015
In this series-ender, third grade is almost over, but Clementine is far from ready to say goodbye to her familiar classmates and supportive teacher. Mr. D'Matz keeps trying to tell her about all the ways she's grown and changed since entering his class (Clementine, rev. 1/07, and sequels), but all Clementine hears when he talks about baby chicks ready to spread their wings is "his favorite story about how great it is when perfectly happy, unsuspecting birds get kicked off their branches." Meanwhile, she's not speaking to her father over an argument about vegetarianism, her new baby sibling is due any day, and her friend Margaret's mother is about to get married. All this change and clamor is handled with the series's signature light touch, mixing compassion, humor (often a function of Clementine's tart perspective on various situations), and respect for Clementine's very real, very relatable anxieties. The plot unfolds gently onward, seamlessly interweaving threads that are just right for their audience. Frazee's breezy pen-and-ink half-page, full-page, and spot illustrations capture Clementine's frenetic energy and goofy panache to expand upon already rich portrayals of her frazzled-but-loving parents, patient teacher, and similarly beset classmates. A warm, bittersweet sendoff for a beloved literary friend. claire e. gross

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

February 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-Third grade is ending and Clementine feels anxious as the school year comes to a close. She does not like saying goodbye, and she's especially not ready to bid farewell to Mr. D'Matz. She's also worried about her mother's nutty "nesting" behavior as the new baby's birth approaches, and she's so mad at her dad she isn't speaking to him. Everything wraps up neatly by the end, though, and Clementine is finally ready to face the summer and embrace the unknowns of fourth grade. Clementine is just as fresh and funny in this seventh and final title in the series as she was in the first book. It's sure to be popular for readers already familiar with Clementine and will doubtlessly engender a new set of fans to read each of the books about this entertaining character. VERDICT This last title in the popular and laugh-out-loud chapter book series is a must-have for library collections.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Booklist

February 1, 2015
Grades 1-3 Rambunctious Clementine is back, and with third grade almost over, she has calmed down and grown up. At least that's what her favorite teacher, Mr. D'Matz, thinks. Actually, Clementine is not ready to leave her teacher. She is also not ready to end a standoff with her father: she wants him to go vegetarian (regularly handing him drawings of sad animals), and he refuses. And if all that isn't enough, the new baby is expected soon. Pennypacker puts a pleasing bow on the popular series, giving Clementine a complicated family situation to deal with and allowing her to explore the feelings that come with being angry at someone you love. Ingenious, too, is the way she finds for Clementine to finally resolve the situation, reminding readers that love can be as important as taking a stand. Frazee's illustrations always charm, and that's true here. Although readers may be disappointed that Clementine and Mr. D'Matz don't get a face-to-face good-bye, the poignant ending still works its magic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

From Kirkus

January 15, 2015
Antic third-grader Clementine faces her biggest challenge yet: looming change. It's the last week of school before summer, and everyone is excited except for Clementine, who definitely does not feel ready for fourth grade. Whenever her beloved Mr. D'Matz tries to talk about it, Clementine avoids the subject. Fortunately, she's got a few things to keep her occupied. Classmates Maria and Rasheed are planning their wedding, and Clementine is deeply involved, acting as proxy wedding planner since her bossy upstairs neighbor, Margaret, is an expert. Her mother is expecting a new baby, "nesting" in ever more comical fashion, and Clementine is working hard on a good name for the tyke. Perhaps hardest of all, vegetarian Clementine is subjecting her father to the silent treatment, since he will not give up meat. While it's gratifying to see how much Clementine has grown-much as Clementine might herself suspect she hasn't-this outing doesn't pack the punch of previous books. The wedding subplot in particular feels superfluous, and both Clementine's apprehension about change and her insistence on the moral high ground feel deserving of center stage. Still, her ebullience will likely carry readers past this to the valuable understanding that change will come and sometimes the best you can hope for is a compromise. Though looser in weave than previous appearances, still this provides the emotional honesty readers have come to expect. (Fiction. 6-10)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From School Library Journal

August 1, 2013

Gr 2-4-Clementine is busy navigating third grade. Her family is expecting a baby and working on a surprise project for her Mom. Now that spring has sprung, Clementine has planted an apple tree and she's busy watching it grow. Her friend Margaret is going crazy with spring cleaning and worrying about the upcoming field trip to Plimoth Plantation. But that's not all. There's the funky odor on bus seven, and the fourth grade class has rules about eating without making a sound-no slurping, chewing, smacking, or snicking (what is snicking anyway?). Clementine has a lot to be concerned about, but a new student named Olive will help her work through her woes with a few bumps along the way. There's a lot going on in this book (Hyperion, 2013), but in the end Pennypacker ties it all together. Clementine learns important life lessons about growing up, becoming independent, and making choices. She's reminiscent of Ramona, Junie B. Jones, and Judy Moody with her own style and personality that listeners will easily relate to. Jessica Almasy's narration brings life and energy to the characters. The inclusion of sound effects and some music would have made the telling even more engaging.-Jessica Gilcreast, McDonough Elementary, Manchester, NH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

July 1, 2013
In her sixth book, changes continue for Clementine: her mother's belly is growing bigger, neighbor Margaret's mother is getting married again, and new girl Olive is stealing some of our heroine's thunder. Add to that the mystery of the ungodly stench on Bus 7 and we have classic Clementine.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

February 1, 2012

Gr 2-4-The irrepressible third grader, Clementine, is back in this installment (Hyperion, 2011) of Sara Pennypacker's series. Clementine sees the ominous "Family Meeting" sign on the refrigerator, she thinks that she is going to be in big trouble. The actual reason for the meeting is far worse than anything she could have imagined: her parents are expecting a baby, and they didn't even ask her if it was okay! To make matters worse, a key element in Clementine's science project has gone missing, her best friend Margaret is turning into a makeup fiend, and she lost her favorite winter hat. Dismayed at first, Clementine realizes that her worries have a solution: mostly, the love and warmth of her family, but having her own tool belt doesn't hurt, either. Jessica Almasy brings Clementine to life with a performance that is chock-full of sparkle and verve. The girlish pitch of her voice is perfectly suited to the character, and her enthusiastic delivery is spot-on. The slightly different voices she gives the adult characters serviceable but not memorable. But this isn't really a drawback, as it allows Clementine to be the star. A sweet story with pitch-perfect narration makes this audiobook a must-have.-Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

January 1, 2012
Clementine knows that a family meeting means trouble. She's unprepared for her parents' bombshell--a new baby--and her reaction is less than enthusiastic ("Four is the perfect number for a family!"). Clementine is becoming a more complex character, and fans of this fine series will enjoy the nuanced way she has become more trustworthy and grown-up while staying true to herself.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Horn Book

September 1, 2011
Clementine knows that a family meeting means trouble, and when her mother won't give her an advance peek at the agenda, Clementine is really worried. Is she smiling enough? Being nice to her brother? Using her best manners? Nothing can prepare our heroine for the bombshell her parents drop: there will be a new baby in the house. Clementine's reaction is less than enthusiastic. "Our family is four. There are four sides to a puzzle so we can all work on it at once...Four is the perfect number for a family!" Clementine's friends are changing, too. Margaret has become a "makeup fiend," and Waylon, her science class buddy, is suddenly obsessed with his self-professed superpowers. Even Eighteen, the rat who was supposed to be the star of their science project, has run away. Clementine's father reassures her by admitting that he understands her ambivalence about the new baby. And when Clementine calls a family meeting of her own, readers will see how much she has matured in just a few years...and can imagine what a great big sister she will make. Clementine is becoming a more complex character, and fans of this fine series will enjoy the nuanced way she has become more trustworthy and grown-up while staying true to herself. robin l. smith

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Kirkus

Starred review from August 15, 2011

Clementine has had many not-so-good days. But this one just might be the worst.

She loses her favorite hat, her science project is ruined and the "family meeting!" sign is up on the refrigerator—that's never a good thing. Even though family meetings are supposed to be about family issues, Clementine usually ends up getting in trouble. But this one is different. Clementine's dad announces that their family is going to grow. Are they are getting a gorilla, like Clementine has always wanted?! No. It's a new baby. Clementine is N-O-T, not happy. They are a family of four. Four is a perfect number. In infallible Clementine reasoning: "Four can be two and two sometimes, and nobody is lonely. Two kids and two grown-ups. Two boys and two girls. There are four sides to the kitchen table, so we each get one." Five just doesn't work. Pennypacker tackles the oft-written new-baby theme from a refreshing, older perspective; jealousy is not the foremost emotion, it's vulnerability. Everything is changing too fast. Clementine and her dad have always had a unique bond, but in this venture, he especially shines. He picks up on unspoken feelings and knows just how to give the right amount of comfort.

Filled with familiar Clementine charm but, more importantly, a whole lot of heart, too. (Fiction. 7-10)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

From School Library Journal

August 1, 2011

Gr 2-4-Clementine's fifth adventure for early chapter-book readers addresses a topic many children can relate to. The third-grader's parents call a family meeting to announce that a new baby is on the way. Clementine's reaction to the news is realistic-she says "No thanks!" She argues that four is the perfect number for a family, for reasons as varied as there are four sides to a puzzle to the fact that hot dogs come in packages of eight, so a family of four can have two each. Her parents are a little surprised by her reaction but take the time to try to understand how she is feeling and demonstrate how special she is to them. Through some humorous conversations with her friends, grandparents, and teacher, Clementine changes her perspective on the situation. This is a solid entry in the series, and it will surely keep readers wanting more.-Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Booklist

July 1, 2011
Grades 2-4 Something is always up with third-grader Clementine. Here, it's her worries about a family meeting and the disappearance of the rat she and her friend Waylon are using in a science experiment. The mystery of the family meeting is solved early onthere's a new baby on the way. Unraveling her feelings about this event takes up most of the book. The whereabouts of the rat is also resolved, though in a way some readers might see coming. This entry in the popular, ongoing series is once again illustrated by Frazee's delightful pictures.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

From Horn Book

January 1, 2011
Third-grader Clementine is gearing up to be Friend of the Week, the class's all-around helper (being Clementine, this includes drawing free-of-charge tattoos). Her campaign comes to a halt when her beloved kitten, Moisturizer, goes missing. Readers will empathize with Clementine's emotional response to her missing cat and will cheer as she learns some things about herself and her friends.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

December 1, 2010

Gr 2-4-Clementine has been chosen as Friend of the Week for her class, and she's going to have the greatest week ever. She'll get to do all kinds of fun things like feed the fish, collect the milk money, serve as line leader, and more. But, best of all, at the end of the week, all of the kids will write in a notebook about everything that makes Clementine the best friend. Acting on suggestions from her friend, Margaret, Clementine sets out to make the best impression on her classmates so they will write extra-nice things about her. However, when Clementine's kitten goes missing, the glory of this special week is quickly forgotten and the sad little girl devotes herself to finding her beloved pet. The latest title (Hyperion, 2010) in the series by Sara Pennypacker takes listeners to the highest highs of third grade and the lowest lows of a young girl fearing she has lost something she loves. Narrator Jessica Almasy convincingly captures all of these emotions and perfectly matches her pacing to the tale's action. Clementine's fans will be transfixed by this reading, and those new to the series will come to love her through Almasy's pitch-perfect telling of Clementine's latest adventure.-Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

November 1, 2010
Narrator Almasy's reading of the latest installment in the Clementine series is very contemporary and just a teeny bit over the top -- completely appropriate for the voice of the vivacious, live-in-the-moment third grader. Here Clementine's best-laid plans to bribe her classmates into saying really nice things about her as "Friend of the Week" go awry after Moisturizer, her beloved kitten, goes missing. Almasy's delivery is not just animated but also fluid and accomplished, and she distinguishes secondary characters with ease. Listeners will find themselves engrossed in the story and empathizing wholeheartedly with Clementine -- and wishing that they, too, could write in Clementine's "Friend of the Week" booklet about "why it's so great to have her around." martha v. parravano

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Booklist

October 1, 2010
Grades 2-4 Popular Clementine is back, but the question is, how popular is she with her classmates? Shes been chosen Friend of the Week, but will the kids find enough nice things to write about in her friendship booklet? Best friend Margaret, a grade older, gets all weird when the topic of the booklet comes up. Pennypacker does a fine job of juggling a number of plotlines, especially when she ties the friendship booklet to Clementines missing kitten. Fans wont be disappointed, and readers new to the series will enjoy this, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

From Horn Book

September 1, 2010
Third-grader Clementine is gearing up for her reign as Friend of the Week. She will get to be the all-around helper in class and her classmates will sign her Friend of the Week booklet, writing reasons "why it's so great to have [her] around." All is well until fourth-grader Margaret brags that her own book was filled with compliments about her organization, cleanliness, and helpfulness. Clementine knows she won't get comments like those unless she takes action. Following Margaret's suggestion, our heroine sets out to pay compliments in order to guarantee some nice words in return. But, being Clementine, she has to do more, including drawing free-of-charge tattoos and promising all the decorations in her dad's closet for bicycle decorations for a bike rally. Clementine's campaign comes to a halt when her beloved kitten, Moisturizer, goes missing. Her new skills are now put to the real test as she, along with an unlikely helper, search for her pet. Readers will empathize with Clementine's emotional response to her missing cat and will cheer as she learns some things about herself and her best friend. Secondary characters, particularly older boy Mitchell and Clementine's understanding parents, add much to Clementine's life and make this a worthy addition to an already-excellent series. robin l. smith

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

Starred review from July 1, 2010
Gr 1–4—-lementine is back for another adventure as she is chosen to be "Friend of the Week." The honor has many important responsibilities such as leading the Pledge of Allegiance, collecting milk money, being line leader, and feeding the fish. At the end of the week, the third grader will get a friend booklet signed by all of her classmates telling her how much they appreciate her. Clementine's best friend, fourth-grader Margaret, advises her to give compliments to classmates all week so she'll get good comments in her booklet. The following day Clementine starts giving them to every person she comes in contact with, primarily based on appearance, which doesn't always work out as she planned. Just as she looks forward to the best week ever, things take a turn for the worse when her kitten goes missing. She forgets all about her promises to decorate her classmates' bikes for a bike rally and is afraid they will be disappointed in her. Little does she know how much they support and love her. Pennypacker's writing once again brings creativity, humor, and sensitivity to Clementine and her world. Black-and-white line illustrations grace the book, capturing the child's personality and varied emotions. A must-have for most collections. Fans will be in for another fun serving of their favorite girl named after a fruit.—"Janet Weber, Tigard Public Library, OR"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From School Library Journal

Starred review from July 1, 2008
Gr 2-4-Irrepressible and delightful Clementine is back. She is enjoying third gradeshe is in sync with her teacher, Mr. D'Matz, and is rarely sent to speak with Principal Rice, a major accomplishment in her school life. Then Mr. D'Matz is selected as one of three finalists for an Adventures for Teachers archaeological dig in Egypt and leaves for a week to meet with the committee. Clementine is distraught to learn that if chosen as the winner, he will be gone for the rest of the school year. When the substitute arrives, Clementine learns that she has to follow completely different rules. The next week is not an easy one for the child as she adjusts to Mrs. Nagel, worries about losing Mr. D'Matz, copes with her everyday life as an impulsive eight-year-old, and frets about the letter she is supposed to write to the prize committee about her teacher. Through it all, she shines with a vibrant spirit that can never be completely extinguished, even when she is feeling down. Frazee's pen-and-ink drawings perfectly capture Clementine's personality and her world."Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

July 1, 2008
Just as the bouncy Clementine is finally getting the hang of third grade, with the help of her very understanding teacher, she learns that he is a finalist in a contest to study in his beloved Egypt. While he is away for a preliminary week, Clementine immediately gets into difficulties with the substitute. "I can't guess Mrs. Nagel's rules...She doesn't tell them until it's too late and I'm already in trouble." Clementine tries to sabotage her teacher's trip by writing a negative letter to the award committee, but she redeems herself at the end. Subplots involve Clementine's selling-off of her neighbors' charity donations and a notebook she and her building-superintendent dad use to write a story together. This may be the best entry so far in the series, as Pennypacker develops her ingenious but impulsive character with less reliance on cutesy phrases in Clementine's narration. And Frazee's line drawings go a little further this time in showing Clementine's highly charged emotions and her capacity for creating chaos in her surroundings.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Booklist

April 1, 2008
Popular Clementine returns, with a problem onher hands. Her teacher, Mr. DMatz, has been nominated to take part in a program that may win him a trip to Egypt, meaning hell be gone for the rest of the year. Trouble starts immediately. Mr. DMatz leaves for a week of training, and the substitute just doesnt understand the arrangementsClementines worked out with her teacher to make life easier forthem both. So unhappy is sheabout Mr. DMatzspossible departure that when the class is asked to write supportiveletters to the selection committee, she goes a different waya much different way.Although occasionally Clementine sounds more like Pennypacker than herself, books in this seriestie together all the elements that make the bestmiddle-grade fiction: realistic families, the ups and downs of school life, and an awareness of a how a kids mind works. Clementine is a kissing cousinto Beverly Clearys Ellen Tebbits and Ramona Quimby, and Frazees perfect line drawings make this link even stronger.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

From School Library Journal

Starred review from April 1, 2007
Gr 2-5-In her second adventure, Clementine is the only untalented student in her third-grade class, with the talent show fast approaching. She hints that her family may be leaving Boston and moving to Egypt on Friday if her father takes the building manager job at the Great Pyramid, but her teacher just laughs. Her friend Margaret offers her tap-dancing lessons, but her improvised beer-cap tap shoes don't work. Her baby brother (variously called by vegetable names) always laughs when she sings like Elvis, but her parents veto the leash she needs to keep him on stage. It's Mrs. Rice, the principal, who finally shows everyone where the child's talents lie. Clementine is a true original, an empathetic human being with the observant eye of a real artist and a quirky, matter-of-fact way of expressing herself. Whether shopping for new shoes with her mother, saving the talent show, or dining with her parents at the Ritz-no-crackers restaurant, she is laugh-out-loud funny. Frazee's line drawings are plentiful and just right. Libraries will need multiple copies of this one, because early chapter-book readers will jump at the chance to spend another eventful week with Clementine."Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Booklist

March 15, 2007
Recommenders hoping to turn indifferent readers into voracious ones often reach first for solid, funny chapter-book series; this follow-up to " Clementine "(2006) proves that Pennypacker's deserves a place alongside those by Johanna Hurwitz, Beverly Cleary, and Megan MacDonald. Here, Clementine frets over her own role in the school talent show, while friend-enemy Margaret flaunts umpteen stage-ready skills. Sure, a child's inability to recognize her own "astoundishing" gifts is a familiar plotline, and some readers may long for a flashier area for observant, insightful Clementine to shine than is ultimately revealed (she is retroactively hailed as the show's director). But children will see their own experiences and foibles in Clementine's precise observations, such as this zinger regarding grown-ups' habit of proffering reference books instead of answering questions: "And then suddenly I did not want to know! That is the miracle of dictionaries!" Frazee's polished, warm-spirited line drawings, not all seen, capture the endearing idiosyncrasies of its heroine, who will equally charm returning readers and those meeting her for the first time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

From Horn Book

January 1, 2007
Third-grader Clementine feels lucky that spectacular ideas are continually "sproinging up" in her brain, but her best friend, parents, teacher, and principal don't see things in quite the same way. In one short but eventful week Clementine finds herself in the principal's office again and again, struggling to explain perfectly reasonable behavior to increasingly impatient adults. Why, for example, can't her friend Margaret's mother appreciate that Clementine was trying to help when she cut off all of Margaret's long shining hair with plastic school scissors? Clementine's first-person narration is fresh and winsome, and the episodic plot is accessible to young readers but includes details and layers that add a richness rare in short chapter books. Frazee's abundant pen-and-ink illustrations bounce along the pages with the same energy as the story: socks sag, hair sticks out at odd angles, and affection shines through each of the drawings. When everything seems to be going wrong, and Clementine fears that her parents are ready to give her away, the very same skills that usually land her in trouble come to her rescue. The ending of Pennypacker's very funny book is as happy for Clementine as it is for her readers.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Booklist

October 15, 2006
As Clementine says, "Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain." All the better for readers who like to laugh. Reminiscent of both Ramona and Junie B. Jones, Clementine is an ingenuous third-grader with a talent for trouble and a good heart. Her best friend is her neighbor Margaret, a fourth-grader who experiences both qualities firsthand. After all, plenty of kids may have had their hair chopped off by a helpful friend in an effort to get the glue out, but how many of those friends would think to improve matters by drawing hair " back "on the scalp, forehead, and neck with a Flaming Sunset permanent marker? "It looked beautiful, like a giant tattoo of tangled worms," Clementine observes in the fresh, funny, first-person narrative. Frazee's expressive ink drawings capture every nuance of the characters' emotions, from bemusement to anger to dejection. Sometimes touching and frequently amusing, this engaging chapter book is well suited to reading alone or reading aloud to a roomful of children.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

From School Library Journal

Starred review from October 1, 2006
Gr 2-4-Clementine, a not-so-common third grader, knows her way around the principals office as well as she does the art-supply closet. Daily rituals take on a different view when seen from her eyes. Shes constantly being told that she needs to pay attention, but to her mind she is paying attention and making astute observations. Whether looking out the window during the Pledge of Allegiance at the janitor locked in an embrace with the lunch lady or dealing with a pesky pigeon problem at her apartment building, her concentration is always focused. Clementine goes to great lengths to be friends with fourth-grade neighbor, Margaret, but more times than not, both girls end up in trouble. Humorous scenarios tumble together, blending picturesque dialogue with a fresh perspective as only the unique Clementine can offer. When the protagonist pleads to skip school because of a self-inflicted haircut fiasco, she tries to convince her mom that she must have caught arthritis from old Mrs. Jacobi or has possibly come down with the heartbreak of sore irises. Frazees engaging pen-and-ink drawings capture the energy and fresh-faced expressions of the irrepressible heroine. And even though she confesses that I do not think fathers should be comedians, her parents are portrayed as being fairly cool. A delightful addition to any beginning chapter-book collection."Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from August 7, 2006
I have had not so good of a week," begins the irrepressible narrator of this winning caper. Pennypacker (Stuart's Cape
) then takes readers straight through that week, making clear that Clementine has an unfailing nose for trouble and a comical way with words. The eight-year-old proclaims herself lucky because "spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain." One of these ideas concerns her fourth-grade friend and neighbor Margaret getting glue in her hair, and Clementine's attempt to help; together they cut off nearly all of Margaret's long locks. Further strategies involve the use of permanent markers and Clementine undergoing a sympathy coif. Frazee's black-and-white illustrations of the close-cropped gals captures the mixed emotions of their shared fate. Her portraits of the heroine's three-year-old brother, "who didn't get stuck with a fruit name," and whom Clementine calls by various vegetable names, including "Spinach," "Lima Bean" and "Pea Pod," may remind readers of the charming star of Frazee's Walk On!
Along with the humorous bits, Pennypacker seamlessly weaves into the narrative common third-grade themes, such as Clementine comparing Margaret's neatly dressed banker mother with her own overalls-clad artist mother, and envying Margaret her kitten from the litter of Clementine's own lately deceased cat, Polka Dottie. Luckily, Clementine ends her week on an up note. Fans of Judy Moody will welcome this portrait of another funny, independent third-grader. Ages 7-10.

From AudioFile Magazine

Move over, Ramona, Judy Moody, and Junie B.! Clementine, an imaginative third-grader and a great and loyal friend, has arrived. Clementine constantly hears reminders from teachers and the principal to "pay attention." Clementine knows she does pay attention . . . better than anyone else, including the adults. "Okay, fine," her attention is on the wrong things, but her motivations are simply creative attempts to be helpful. Jessica Almasy gives voice to this friendly, funny kid. Almasy sounds like a third-grader with a story to tell, bringing the precocious, ingenious Clementine to life. Her voice has the tone, pitch, and tempo of a third-grade girl struggling to do the right thing, truly S-O-R-R-Y when things go wrong, and in the end better than "Okay . . . Fine!" N.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine