Rock Star: Jada Jones, Book 1
Kind, honest friendship tale shows girl's inner strength.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Rock Star: Jada Jones, Book 1, by Kelly Starling Lyons, is a fun, upbeat story filled with kindness, great lessons in friendship, and lots of information about rocks. Some of the most wonderful moments happen when Jada's vulnerability and strength appear at the same time: the sadness of missing her best friend coupled with the determination to keep doing what she loved, and the frustration of being disliked by someone and then asking them why. Vanessa Brantley-Newton'scharismatic illustrations lend spark and color to a fast story that's great for fluent readers and those newer to chapter books.
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What's the Story?
As ROCK STAR: JADA JONES begins, Jada's best friend moves across the country and she doesn’t think she'll ever cheer up, have fun at school, or find another friend who truly shares her love of rocks. Things start to get better when she's paired up with Lena and Simone for a school project, but something is wrong with Simone: She's always upset when Jada's around. Jada hopes she can figure out what's going on and make new friends -- and maybe even help them see how cool rocks really are.
Is It Any Good?
Friendship is the central theme in this kind, upbeat story that sets a great example for open, honest, vulnerable, strong, and forgiving all at once. In Rock Star: Jada Jones, young Jada is missing her friends and lets herself be sad, and her parents let her work through it. The moments with her possible new friends show real strength: Jada is unabashedly her rock-loving self, but risks being hurt by reaching out to new friends. She models great strength with her honesty toward Simone, and there are some lovely lessons about thoughtful ways to react to other people's behavior.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the risks Jada Jones: Rock Star takes by sharing her love of rocks with Lena and Simone. How do you feel when you talk about something other people might not enjoy? How do you react when other people do talk about their hobbies?
What are some of the more memorable rocks you've found? Where have you found them?
What other books about friendships have you enjoyed? What have you learned from them?
Book Details
- Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
- Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- Genre: For Beginning Readers
- Topics: STEM, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Science and Nature
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Penguin Workshop
- Publication date: September 19, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 6 - 8
- Number of pages: 96
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: May 11, 2021
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