Lunch Will Never Be the Same!

Gr 2–4—When a girl from France enters Phoebe's third-grade class, she brings an exotic lunch to school. Sage makes fun of it, but Phoebe tries it and really likes it. When she discovers that Camille's family eats fancy food all the time because her dad is a chef, Phoebe becomes determined to get invited for dinner. Her mother explains that she must first invite Camille to her house, but Phoebe is embarrassed because her family eats only plain food like spaghetti, meatloaf, and leftovers. To make matters worse, Sage is acting jealous and wants nothing to do with the newcomer. Can Phoebe find a way to keep her old friend as well as the new? Will she succeed in her exotic dinner dreams? The characters are a little unrealistic and one-dimensional at times, but the plot is engaging and easy to follow. The cartoon illustration, some full page, funny and enhance the text. Fans of Junie B. Jones and Judy Moody or those who like realistic fiction and friendship stories will enjoy this chapter book.—Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT