Albertina the Practically Perfect

Fowler, Susi Gregg

ISBN 10: 0688158293 ISBN 13: 9780688158293

Publisher: Greenwillow, 1998

Synopsis

Molly is not happy about moving and leaving all her best friends, her grandparents, and her tree house behind, but when Molly meets a perfect new friend, the two girls set out to have as much fun as possible.

About this title

About the Author

Susi Gregg Fowler grew up in Juneau, Alaska, and after several years of travel, college, and work elsewhere, she returned to Juneau to live. She has worked on many books along with her husband, Jim, and one of their picture books from Greenwillow, I’ll See You When the Moon Is Full, won a Christopher Award in 1995.

Reviews

Grade 2-4-Molly knew making friends in a new neighborhood wouldn't be easy. Her suspicions are confirmed when her first encounter is with Violet, the neighborhood bully. But then she meets Albertina. Together, with Grandfather's help, the two girls build a tree house. Although Molly knows Albertina and Violet are friends, she continues to rebuff the bully. However, her trust in her new friend is violated when she discovers that Albertina has told Violet about her fear of the dark. Eventually the three-way friendship has a chance when the girls learn that Violet shares the same fear and has admired Molly all along for her competence with tools and the designing and building of the wonderful tree house. Readers will appreciate this determined young girl and the matter-of-fact Albertina, who seems destined for her own story in a sequel. Several black-and-blue watercolors per chapter lighten the pages. The emotional relationships as well as the events ring true in this fine tale for newly competent chapter-book fans.
Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Best friends and small quarrels are the subject of this mild short novel, covering familiar ground for the early chapter book readers. When Molly moves to a new neighborhood, she's snubbed by Violet the bully, but becomes instant best friends with Albertina. The two embark on building a treehouse together, and Molly shares her secret fear of the dark. Albertina is exceedingly sunny, the perfect best friend, until she gives away Molly's secret. At an age where even petty grievances are crushing blows, Molly is betrayed; the girls reunite when she accepts that best friends can make mistakes. The style is light and easy, the characters chummy and wholesome. Fowler (I'll See You When the Moon Is Full, 1994, etc.) is lenient with the girls' ages and abilities; their conversations lapse into stiff adultish expressions, and they construct the walls of the treehouse without supervision, yet Molly can't sleep without a night-light. Still this is an amiable choice for transitional readers, with two-color illustrations to break up the text. (Fiction. 7-9) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Gr. 2^-4. Molly worries about making new friends when she and her family move across town, especially after she encounters Violet, who introduces herself with a threatening karate kick. Then she meets Albertina, a girl who seems absolutely perfect. Soon Molly is revealing her innermost secrets, such as her fear of the dark. The two are inseparable all summer long, but when school starts, Molly feels betrayed when she overhears Albertina telling Violet about Molly's night light. Matters are soon resolved, leaving open the possibility that Violet may become a friend, too. Fowler has a good ear for dialogue and a keen sense of the insecurities surrounding new friendships. Illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings with halftone overlays, this easy chapter book should be popular with emerging readers. See also P. J. Petersen's My Worst Friend, reviewed below, for a very different view of friendship. Kay Weisman

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwillow
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0688158293
• ISBN 13: 9780688158293
• Binding: Library Binding
• Illustrator: Fowler Jim
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 80