Common Sense Media Review
By Patricia Tauzer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Seventh grader documents her struggles in clever scrapbook.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say this book is an enjoyable read that resonates with middle school experiences, making it particularly appealing to those about to enter that age group. While some reviews point out mature themes like drinking, they emphasize the engaging illustrations and relatable content, overall recommending it for kids aged 8 to 12.
- fun illustrations
- relatable content
- engaging read
- suitable for ages 8-12
- mature themes present
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Ginny starts seventh grade with a very hopeful to-do list including things like: get a new dad, look good in the school photo, get the starring ballet role, win something, and so on. As the year goes on, she does cross items off her list -- but reality doesn't always live up to her expectation. Starting with a disastrous hair-dyeing experiment, one thing after another goes wrong, and her middle school experience is far from what she had planned. Told completely through the "stuff" she has collected (notes, receipts, classroom assignments, poems, cartoons), this is the story of how she survives one very trying year of ups-and-downs that are "worse than meatloaf."
Is It Any Good?
This seemingly random collection of receipts, notes, and lists effectively creates a complete narrative with a strong, intriguing storyline, well-developed characters, and emotional depth. Formatted like a scrapbook with cartoon strips, poetry, and classroom notes strategically placed to move the story along, this book is touching, and fun to read. Middle school kids will related to the issues in Ginny's life, and will enjoy reading back and forward through all the "stuff" that made up her year. Because this book is so visually engaging, it's a great choice for reluctant readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this book compares to the author's other books, which include the Babymouse series, and also books like Turtle in Paradise. Have you read her other work? What do you like best?
Discuss the value of keeping scrapbooks, and just how the "stuff" you collect can tell the story of your life. Which things told you the most about Ginny's world? Elizabeth Berkley also used a scrapbook format for her advice book Ask Elizabeth; what does this format do for readers? What would you include in your own scrapbook?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Elicia Castaldi
- Genre : School
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Ginee Seo Books
- Publication date : July 24, 2007
- Number of pages : 128
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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