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Clementine Review
User Submitted Clementine ReviewsNovember 20, 2008 Humorous, fun, and witty! This is such a sweet story about a darling little girl with special needs who is charming and lives her life fully. It is humorous, filled with life lessons about responsibility, sibling rivalry, and getting into mischief. Fun to read. Right up there with Junie B. Jones and Amelia Bedelia! Highly recommend it. August 31, 2008 Grades 2 & 3 Great book to begin the year with students as a read aloud. I teach 3rd graders which this book contains appropriate language and is great as an easy listening book. August 7, 2008 targeted for poseur parent purchases Something has been bothering me about this series. The book is alright... witty and my daughter liked it well enough to read the follow-up The Talented Clementine. What bothered me is that it feels almost designed to prey upon my insecurities about my scenester sensibilities and my lower-middle class no-glory adult lifestyle. Like so many Brainy Baby plastic products, reading the book I can imagine the pitch the author's agent made to the publisher, "We'll tap into the market of every Gen Y poseur who popped out a baby and had to grow up, get a job, and give up their rock-and-roll lifestyle. We need a chapter book series to sell to those buy who used to spend their disposable income on going to shows who shell out for cool. They're still living in the basement apartment and no chance of moving up, but they believe their offspring has a shot at the golden ring. Indie kids with kids." I guess I'm a bit peeved that they wouldn't know that I already HAVE Ramona and Beezus, and although my husband would like to imagine that he still looks like Clementine's dad, you know, like he looked in his twenties? when he still had hair? before the paunch? I know better. And I'm the one buying the books around here. So you're just going to have to try a little harder next time and give me some substance. July 17, 2008 Fun and engagins My daughters (ages 8 and 10) and I read this together and laughed aloud. The images are lively and the main character is endearing and quirky. May 21, 2008 Troublemaker This book is about a girl named Clementine. Clementine cut off Margaret's hair at art time. In bathroom at Clementine's school Clementine cut off Margaret hair in the bathroom. Margaret had glue in her hair. I like this book because Clementine cuts off Margaret's hair because it had glue in it and she was sitting under the sink because she crying and she was half bald. I would recommend this to a person who likes to get in trouble. by Audrey May 20, 2008 Troublemaker This book is about a girl named Clementine. Clementine cut off Margaret's hair at art time. In bathroom at Clementine's school Clementine cut off Margaret hair in the bathroom. Margaret had glue in her hair. I like this book because Clementine cuts off Margaret's hair because it had glue in it and she was sitting under the sink because she crying and she was half bald. I would recommend this to a person who likes to get in trouble. by Audrey May 19, 2008 Troublemaker This book is about a girl named Clementine. Clementine cut off Margaret's hair at art time. In bathroom at Clementine's school Clementine cut off Margaret hair in the bathroom. Margaret had glue in her hair. I like this book because Clementine cuts off Margaret's hair because it had glue in it and she was sitting under the sink because she crying and she was half bald. I would recommend this to a person who likes to get in trouble. by Audrey May 18, 2008 Just right for an 8 year old girl Clementine is the sort of little girl that other eight year-old girls want for a friend. The book is easy to read but still challenges a second grader. The story is one that my own granddaughter found to be entertaining and she definitely wants to read more about this new friend....CLEMENTINE! April 24, 2008 Smart and Funny, That's Clementine Clementine is a delightfully original romp through the wacky world of a sassy nine year old. I read it aloud to my 6 year old daughter and 4 year old son, and they both loved it. From the first page, we were all entertained by Clementine's interpretation of the world around her. Clementine has had a rough week. No one told her she wasn't supposed to answer the principal's phone (she was only trying to be helpful), everyone told her to pay attention (she was paying attention, just to different things), and when she tried to help her best friend, Margaret, solve her hair problem, well, it was just a hard week. And the more Clementine tries to make things right, the harder her week seems to become. How was she supposed to know that glue wouldn't stick hair back on? Or that cutting and coloring her hair to match Margaret's was exactly the wrong thing to do? As she tries to sort out the messes she's made, Clementine is ever cognizant of her role as "the hard one" (as opposed to her little brother, "the easy one"), which makes her worry that her position in the family lies precariously in the balance. I loved how Pennypacker's use of language made the text seem to flow right out of Clementine's own mind. For instance, when Clementine's art teacher calls her out for not paying attention, she is quick to step up for herself as she thinks, "I was the only person in the whole art room who was paying attention. Which is why I could tell everyone in the middle of the Pledge of Allegiance that the lunchroom lady was sitting in the janitor's car and they were kissing. Again. No one else saw this disgusting scene because no one else was paying attention out the window!" (p. 4) Marla Frazee's hilarious illustrations, kept us in stitches. They were simple and uncluttered, showing a point of view beyond Clementine's one-sided rendering of events. For instance, Clementine says that she "accidentally touched [Margaret's] lamp," but the illustration on pages 22 and 23 shows a different interpretation of the situation. My daughter gave Clementine five stars, and I must concur. We can't wait to read The Talented Clementine next! April 24, 2008 One handed cartwheel Just like Clementine discovered that "the most exquisite words in the world are on labels you will find in the bathroom", I have discovered an exquisitely funny book that I can read over and over and still find new laughs. Pennypacker writes with such simplicity and with the beguiling outlook of a third grader. The fact that she plans to smoke cigars, but not have a husband, only adds to her hilarious outlook on life. The book is entertaining without pushing the fact that it is actually a children's book. Pennypacker adds small details like Clementine's attention "problem" (she IS in fact paying attention...to everything) and adults' expressions. Clementine has her own way of recognizing and naming these expressions, and she is right on target with each one. The illustrations only added to the humor and brilliant expression in the book. For more Clementine reviews click here.
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