Violet Mackerel's Possible Friend

Gr 1–3—Violet Mackerel is worried. Her family has moved to a new house, and she is hoping for a friendly girl to live next door, but she worries that her clothes, hand-me-downs from her older sister, might not be impressive enough. And when Violet does meet a new girl named Rose who lives next door, she worries that her homemade birthday present won't be special enough. The fifth installment in this early chapter book series is as whimsical and honest as ever. Young readers will delight in the enthusiasm that Violet and Rose devote to their playdates and the attention to detail that they give to the teeny, tiny notes that they pass back and forth through the small knothole in the fence bordering their houses. Violet is a lover of all small things, being one of them herself, and that comes across deliciously in the passages that depict the girls building a friendship based around an appreciation of miniatures for a dollhouse, tiny bells, purple gemstones, and other items that might be inconsequential to grown-ups but are beloved by Violet. Charming grayscale illustrations, again sketched by Allen, connect and expand upon the text. Fans of Junie B. Jones, Clementine, and Amber Brown will happily add Violet to their reading shelves as well.—Lisa Kropp, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY