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Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: The New Girl

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    More spunk and "rules" from Cabot's popular series.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Allie has some pretty good rules that she goes by, including first impressions matter and it's important to stand up for yourself even when you're scared. A couple of the rules border on personal preference like, "when someone is yelling at you with excitement, it's polite to yell back."

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A bully threatens to beat up a girl, adults and kids discuss self-defense and how to punch someone in the nose. A bully roughhouses with kids and traps a few in folding chairs. A girl talks about brains exploding out of her head and splattering on the wall -- more as a reaction to startling news as opposed to violence.

  • Sex:

    One girl has a crush on a boy, but it goes no further than fantasy and giggles.

  • Language:

    Mild name calling like "mean" and changing someone's name to mean stinky.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Adults are shown drinking alcohol in response to a stressful situation and children order Shirley Temples.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: The New Girl was written by Terreece Clarke

Parents need to know that Allie deals with a bully and other social and family situations in the book, including a bossy grandmother and worry over sick kittens. She does seem to have an obsession with the visual of brains splattering -- she uses this analogy in the first book in the series as well.

Families Can Talk About

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  • Familes can talk about how to work through disagreements with family and friends. How did Allie's mom deal with her meddling mother-in-law? Who provided the best advice for Allie's situation with Rosemary? How do you think you would have handled it?
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More on Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: The New Girl

Book Summary

Allie and her family have just moved into a new home and she's nervous about starting her new school. It turns out she had reason to be nervous when she encounters Rosemary, a big bully with her sights set on making Allie's life miserable. Allie tries to figure out how to deal with Rosemary, make new friends, get over her little brother's embarrassing behavior, and wait patiently for her kitten to be born. Will she be able to do it, and what rules will she make up along the way?
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Is It Any Good?

The second book in Meg Cabot's Allie Finkle series is light and fun. The title character has some cool attributes -- she knows how to stand up for herself and is considerate of her friends. But one thing that distracts from the story is the dialog. It feels a little too simple, too little girlish -- almost like an adult speaking how they think a 9-year-old would speak.What Cabot does well is exploring interpersonal dynamics from a kid's perspective. It's great to see Allie trying to work through both family issues and conflicts with friends. Readers will identify with Allie's struggle of wanting to belong and be accepted while also trying to remain true to herself and the things she values, like being nice to others. Allie's a born leader and it's interesting to watch where she leads others.
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Publisher’s Details

Publisher: Scholastic Press, Publication date: 8/5/2008
Number of pages: 240, Price: $15.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9-12, Read Alone: 9-12

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    haleema
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    icarly/hannahmontana/wisards of waverly place

    this book is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    haleema
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    icarly/hannahmontana/wisards of waverly place

    this book is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    haleema
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    icarly/hannahmontana

    I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    haleema
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    hannahmontana/icarly

    i love this story i raed half of it so far and i got it from the library it is the best book i ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MEG CABOT IS THE BEST AUTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    MissHelloKitty
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good Book

    I love this book :)

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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