Publishers Weekly
Despite its outlandish cover art and title, Birdseye's (The Eye of the Stone) down-to-earth novel presents the journal of a chatty fifth grader determined to change his image as he enters a new school. Cody, however, gets off to a rather rocky start: the day before school opens, a girl sees him in his underwear through an open dressing-room door as he tries on jeans. Though Amy-who turns out to be a classmate-doesn't share this incident with their peers, Cody's embarrassment triggers recurrent nightmares featuring underwear-related debacles. The boy's intermittently bumbling attempts to be the cool "New Me" rather than the goofy "Old Me" lead to some thought-provoking choices on Cody's part, some comically calamitous episodes and some poignant moments. For instance, after seeing the popular boys shooting hoops, Cody writes, "I would have played, too, if they'd have asked me. But it was starting to rain anyway-again-so I guess it didn't matter." The author hits a few shaky notes (e.g., Cody's disdain for cleaning his cat's litter box becomes tedious; his infatuation for Amy stretches credibility, as when he refers to himself as "Loverboy" in his journal). But many passages compensate for them-including the way Cody couches his bungling of the talent show as a step-by-step formula for creating a "really good disaster." Ages 8-12. (Nov.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-Cody Lee Carson is resolved to become a "changed man." Starting fifth grade at a new school in a new town means that nobody knows about his Old Cody "doofus, bozo-brained" mess-up tendencies, including the infamous Tweety Bird-underwear-in-the-spotlight episode. The New Me Journal of the boy's bumpy transformation from hapless fourth grader to confident fifth-grade graduate comes complete with stories of sibling strife, classmate clashes, student council elections, and his first big crush. This lively and believable record of Cody's attempt to put his best foot forward and figure out where he fits in has great appeal for middle graders who are themselves experiencing the awful awkwardnesses of preadolescence, reinventions of self, science fairs, and fallings-out with friends. With its ever-so-catchy title and its many practical jokes (appropriate for a protagonist with an April 1st birthday), it's a sort of male companion for Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's early "Alice" (Atheneum) and "Boys"/"Girls" battle books (Delacorte). A well-paced, positive, and pleasant read.-Kathy Krasniewicz, Perrot Library, Old Greenwich, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
From the Publisher
"Despite its outlandish cover art and title, Birdseye's (The Eye of the Stone) down-to-earth novel presents the journal of a chatty fifth grader determined to change his image as he enters a new school."—Publishers Weekly
"Fifth-grader Cody Carson is new to town and determined to become a "new me," a changed kid. The old Cody found himself caught in one embarrassing situation after another, most notably being sprawled onstage in his underwear. The new Cody is determined to be cool and makes some real strides in building friendships, improving grades, and acting responsibly . . . Both the title and cover will draw readers to this book."—Children's Literature
"A sort of male companion for Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's early "Alice" (Atheneum) and "Boys"/"Girls" battle books (Delacorte). A well-paced, positive, and pleasant read."—School Library Journal
