Clementine

I think I may have found a character as delightful as Ramona Quimby, and that's saying a lot considering Beverly Cleary is pretty much my idol. (Portlander and children's librarian!) So you know I'm not kidding around here. Having seen Clementine by Sara Pennypacker in various school libraries, I finally picked it up after I noticed it on the Sasquatch Book Award list.

It is charming. Clementine is having a bad week and it all started when Margaret got gum stuck in her hair and attempted to cut it out. Clementine, being the good friend that she is, helped Maragert even out her new haircut by lopping off the rest of her hair. Of course this lands Clementine in the principal's office... and it's all down hill from there.

Clementine's narration is absolutely adorable. Like this:
"Then I got busy working on my project so I wouldn't have to hear any "Clementine-pay-attention!"s. Except I did anyway. Which was unfair because each time, I was the only person in the whole art room who was paying attention. Which is why I could tell everyone right in the middle of the Pledge of Allegiance that the lunchroom lady was sitting in the jantior's car and they were kissing. Again. No one else saw this disgusting scene, because no one else was paying attention out the window!"

Recommendation: YES!

(Read a really great review: here by E. R. Bird)