Amber Brown Series
By Carrie Kingsley,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Amber grows up in funny, touching early reader series.
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What's the Story?
The AMBER BROWN series follows Amber through elementary school and big life events that many young readers have experienced: divorce, a best friend moving away, feeling overwhelmed at school, being scared to make new friends, and much more. Even though Amber stays close to her best friend Justin after he moves, it isn't the same, and Amber misses him terribly as she navigates her parents' divorce. Their divorce affects everything throughout the series, just as a reader whose parents are divorcing likely feels the impact in every aspect of life. Amber jokes a lot, and there are lighthearted moments and endless puns that keep the stories from being overwhelmingly sad, and a giant ball of used gum adds a realistically gross angle to a story about young kids.
Is It Any Good?
This series is so good, so touching, and so emotionally spot-on for young readers that parents can relate to the complex vulnerabilities as well. It begins when Amber Brown is in third grade. She's young, silly, and funny, but also hurt and confused and sad about the big upheavals in her life. As Amber navigates divorce and friendships, her parents and teachers encourage her to talk about her feelings, and to be accountable for her actions. There's a huge amount of respect for Amber as a person; the adults in her world have hard conversations with her and are fully developed characters alongside Amber.
The running theme of the series is that life is constantly changing, so we should make the most of each day and each moment. It's not a bad message to plant in the brains of readers whose worlds are getting more complicated as they grow up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ways Amber Brown's world changes after her parents separate. What are some of the big ways, and some of the little ways? What differences do you think will happen that Amber hasn't realized yet?
Have you ever had a friend move away? Did you stay in contact, or wish you had? What would you say to him or her if you wrote a letter today?
Have you read any books that have characters who are like Amber or Justin?
Book Details
- Author: Paula Danziger
- Illustrator: Tony Ross
- Genre: Family Life
- Topics: Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Puffin Books
- Publication date: September 7, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 7 - 10
- Number of pages: 96
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 19, 2018
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