The amazing frecktacle

The girl's revenge by [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor] is another installment in the adventures of the Hatford boys and the Malloy girls. The battle between Caroline and Wally heats up a few degrees when Caroline volunteers to be paired with Wally for a school project. The assignment involves interviewing one another and then spending one day trying to walk in the other person's shoes, so to speak. Caroline has ulterior motives, of course, and plans to make Wally's life as miserable as she can in retaliation for past offenses. Alternate chapters feature the story told from the perspectives of both Caroline and Wally which allow the reader a chance to see how even the best laid plans can go awry. The use of dual narrators is a sophisticated literary device, yet the book remains totally accessible for grades 4-5 readers who will be pleased to take sides and root for either Caroline or Wally to win this latest skirmish in the battle between the Malloys and the Hatfords. Of course, there are plenty of other Naylor books to direct kids to if they like this one, including her adventures of Shiloh and the Alice books. If you could change something about yourself, what might it be? Kids have some interesting answers to this question, and the following books pose some fascinating alternatives as well. Nicholas Bells is facing some serious problems in his life. His dad has disappeared; his mother seems preoccupied with other matters; and he is being teased unmercifully about his freckles, all 5,792 of them. In The amazing frecktacle, Nicholas must find some way of getting rid of his freckles. When the strange and oddly threatening Mr. Piddlesticks offers to help him, Nicholas knows he should refuse. But if he could just get rid of his freckles, Nicholas believes all of his problems will end. Little does he realize that troubles are just beginning when Piddlesticks takes every one of his freckles which turn out to be magical freckles now under the evil control of Piddlesticks. The old adage, "Be careful what you wish for; it just might come true," is an appropriate theme for this book with its wonderful combination of humor and pathos. Readers will identify with Nicholas' feelings about being the target of some nasty teasing and name calling. They will delight when the Amazing Frecktacle manages to wreak some revenge on those who have done him injustice.