The More the Merrier

by Stephanie Barden, Diane Goode (Illustrator)

Overview

In Stephanie Barden’s The More the Merrier, middle-grade readers will root for Cinderella Smith the same way they do for Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody, and Clementine.
 
Cinderella takes on mean girls in the second book in the Cinderella Smith series. A clique has formed in her third-grade class, and they don’t want Cinderella in the group. Cinderella and her best friend, Erin, try to figure out what to do about the popular girls while making time to study for the big spelling bee.
 
Parents will appreciate the way the chapter book takes on the serious subject of bullying with a light touch, while emphasizing the importance of having true friends. The book also shows that studying pays off.
 
Engaging illustrations by Caldecott Honor Award winner Diane Goode bring Cinderella to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062114310
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/24/2012
Series:	Cinderella Smith , #2
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

In between tripping over abandoned shoes, chasing after escaped pets, and searching for lost belongings, Stephanie Barden wrote her first book, Cinderella Smith, which was followed by Cinderella Smith: The More the Merrier. The author teaches classes at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, where she lives with her husband, Tom; son, Joe; and eighty-pound lapdog, Otis.

Diane Goode is the illustrator of more than fifty beloved and critically acclaimed picture books, including the Caldecott Honor Book When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and the New York Times bestseller Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts. You can visit her online at www.dianegoode.com.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 2–4—Third-grader Cinderella Smith is experiencing growing pains. Rosemary T., who has been her neighbor forever, informs her that things like skipping, holding hands, and making up combination words are "immature." When Aunt Flora comes to stay with Cinderella and her sister while their parents are away, Rosemary T. decides that Aunt Flora is weird and may just be a witch. Cinderella and her friend Erin decide that the best way to deal with Rosemary T. is the silent treatment, but Aunt Flora helps the girls figure out that communication might just be the answer. The plucky heroine is right at home beside Judy Moody, Clementine, and Ramona. Quirky, but not over-the-top, her experiences are true to life and she remains comfortable in her own skin. Cinderella is an ally to the kids in her class, and might inspire some readers to speak up themselves.—Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City

School Library Journal