Sunday, December 3, 2023

Amelia Gray is Almost Okay by Jessica Brody - OPTIONAL

Amelia Gray is Almost Okay by Jessica Brody, 420 pages. Delacorte (Random), 2023. $18

Content: G


BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW


12yo Amelia has the cutest dog ever - Biscotti - who makes friends wherever he goes.  Which is a lot of places, because Amelia and her Dad are on the move.  Her dad makes a living by reinventing hotels - helping the owners re-envision their places and updating - though he is the idea guy, not the contractor. This latest reinvention is different - Dad declares that they are staying all summer.  Since Amelia has always maintained a low profile in the schools she goes to, this time she decides to try being different - some days Mia, some days Mellie, maybe even Amie - different looks, different likes, different personalities. But some days require her to change hourly - how can she keep it all up? And what will happen to her budding friendships if her deception is discovered?


Amelia’s antics are a bit grating - and ridiculous that she thinks that it is a good strategy for making friends. I also think the 420 pages are too much to gain it a wider audience. Jessica Brody usually hits it out of the park and this time I just don’t think it works. Trying to do too much at once.


Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS


No comments:

Post a Comment

Welcome to Kiss the Book Jr.!

Welcome! Kiss the Book Jr. is for board books, picture books, early readers, and chapter books.  Also, any novels and non-fiction that we ag...