Ages: 8-12 Pages: 190 Genre: Realistic Fiction
Back in the saddle and ready to review some awesome children’s literature.
I’m opening back up with this selection from Lauren Child, “Utterly Me, Clarice Bean.”
I first discovered Lauren Child’s work when I stumbled upon the “Charlie and Lola” series while working as a nanny. This British brother/sister duo is navigating life with vivid imaginations and vibrant illustrations. It’s also been made into a television series (I’m not sure which came first, books or show…most likely books).
When I saw that Lauren Child had written a “chapter book” for middle grade readers, I scooped it up and dove right in.
Clarice is a young girl (wikipedia says she’s 12, but I can’t remember seeing her age listed in the book..), the 3rd out of 4 children, and really wanting to be an only child. Her best friend Betty Moody is one and travels around the world with her very cool, contemporary parents. Claire insists that her existence is nothing but hum drum, but her family includes a cooky cast of characters including two harmlessly senile/erratic grandparents. Her teacher, though a pest, is a constant source of entertainment and her classmates are an odd bunch, as well.
This novel was a fun read and was peppered with Lauren Child’s signature illustrations that could be very tempting to even the most reluctant readers. Clarice’s story of navigating through everyday home and school life is interspersed with plot points from her favorite series of novels: “Ruby Redfort”, about a girl detective with ultra-wealthy parents who, for whatever reason, have no idea that their child is a secret agent. It’s interesting to see how Ruby’s situation parallels that of her favorite fictional character, albeit with less money, gizmos, and gadgets.
I would definitely recommend this one to younger readers–the typeface is bigger and so middle graders need not be daunted by the length of the book.
Other Children’s Books by Lauren Child:
- Ruby Redfort Look Into My Eyes
- Clarice Bean Series
- Clarice Bean Spells Trouble
- Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now
