Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker
If you have not read any of the Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker than you are seriously missing out! These are perhaps some of the most adorable books I’ve ever read. I loved them! What a treat! As if the story wasn’t enough, man, those illustrations!! Marla Frazee is fast becoming one of my favorite illustrators. Not that long ago I reviewed her Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages, which I thought was just about the cutest picture book I’ve ever seen.
In Clementine, we are introduced to well, Clementine, who in my opinion, is one amazing character! The fact that she’s named after a fruit doesn’t escape her notice, so she makes up for this by calling her baby brother all kinds of different vegetable names. Clementine is in the third grade and has a hard time sitting still and paying attention. Never mind the fact that she is always paying attention, that is, to everything else around her.
Clementine lives in an apartment building where her best friend Margaret, who’s in the fourth grade and has a lot of rules lives upstairs. Margaret’s older brother is NOT her boyfriend, her dad maintains the building and her mom is a working artist. In this book, Clementine deals with hair disasters, visits to the principles office, the great pigeon war, and the fear that her parents are planning on getting rid of her. How can you not love Clementine. I fell in love with this character as soon as I laid eyes on her.
The Talented Clementine is the second book in the series. In this book, Clementine panics when it’s announced that the third and fourth graders will be putting on a talent show at school because she doesn’t have any talents. She can’t even hop without falling down! Her friend Margaret says that she’ll share some of her talents, after all, she has one for each letter of the alphabet, but when the big day comes Clementine still doesn’t have anything. What’s a girl to do? I’m still loving Clementine! Man, I’m falling deeper in love!
In Clementine’s Letter, Clementine’s world comes crashing down around her when her teacher announces that he will be on leave for the rest of the year. Clementine does not understand her new substitute teachers rules and comes up with a plan that will bring her teacher back for good. So wow, that’s brief. This book did not disappoint. Clementine is always in the middle of one adventure or another. I’m still loving her. She’s an absolute delight.
I don’t care if your eight or ninety-eight, read these books! You will not be sorry that you did. You will love and cherish every minute that you share with Clementine. She’s just one of those characters who makes your way into your heart and you feel like you’ve made a friend you want to have forever. And let’s not forget that those illustrations just floored me.
Visit Marla Frazee’s website and if anybody could point me in the right direction for Sara Pennypacker’s website. I came up empty handed.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Middle Readers
Tags: A-D Title, M-P Author, published 2008
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I only listened to the first one (a few months ago) and thought it was good; however, if Clementine would have been casted as a first grader instead of a third grader it would have been much more accurate. All of us in the car, were very perplexed at times by her talk and behavior, so we decided to shift gears and “pretend” she was in first. Then, we were able to enjoy the story.
on September 13th, 2008 at 6:55 amI love this series. Unfortunately, my library doesn’t have the third one–at least not yet–but the first two I just adored.
on September 13th, 2008 at 9:02 amI haven’t seen these – we’ve been doing the Junie B. Jones thing at my house, but I think my daughter would like these. She is a cutie, and I really liked Marla Frazee’s website.
on September 13th, 2008 at 9:25 amI just picked all three of these books up from the library earlier this weeek and should be reading them soon.
on September 13th, 2008 at 10:07 amokay so seeing as how i’m 15 which is in between 8 and 98 i would say that that means it has to go on my list… =]
on September 14th, 2008 at 1:11 pmThese sound great! I’m definitely going to keep these in mind for when my girl is a bit older.
on September 16th, 2008 at 9:22 amJoy – Did you at least look at the illustrations? For me, that was half of the delight of this book. If you haven’t, I’d recommend glancing through it.
Becky – Aren’t they just adorable. You’ll enjoy the third. Loved them!
Traci – I haven’t read Junie B. before. Maybe I should look into it.
Jeanette – Yay! I wish I could read them again for the experience of rediscovering them although I just finished.
Tara – No need to wait! You’ll enjoy them as much as your daughter.
on September 17th, 2008 at 8:19 pmNo, we didn’t Natasha – it was an audio version. I do agree that visuals can make or break a book. The next time I’m at the library, I’ll give it a peek.
on September 18th, 2008 at 4:57 amI just happened to stumble across your blog as I was looking up information on Clementine. I am a third grade teacher, and I am reading Clementine with my advanced reading group. Some are going chapter by chapter as I assign them, and others are so caught up in the story that they are three or four chapters ahead! I am only about halfway through the book myself (trying to stay ahead of my students!), and I, too, adore Clementine. My kids will be delighted to know there are more books in the series. We may have to do a Clementine marathon!
on September 24th, 2008 at 6:44 pmJoy – You’ll have to tell me if you like them or not!
Nicole – Hey, thanks for stopping by! Mine was a Clementine Marathon as I read them all straight through. I thought they were just great!
on September 28th, 2008 at 12:28 amI just love Clementine! I haven’t read the newest one yet, but I devoured the first two. Have you read Judy Moody? She’s another fabulous third grader.
on October 1st, 2008 at 7:59 amOur state (SD) nominated Clementine for it’s children’s book award, the Prarie Bud. I read it this summer and picked it to be the first book we’re reading aloud with the homeschool group that meets here once a week. I’ve got kids from 2nd through 9th in the group, and we’re all enjoying it a lot. What a great book for reading aloud!
on October 20th, 2008 at 11:55 ami luv this book it was really fun to play with my children from school and home that i will never forget this and i will tell my grandchildren to read it and my grandchildrens child/children and there beyond u are a very good author i have read all of your books thank you for being my best friend forever when we were in kindergarden. I love u Melinda
on October 26th, 2008 at 10:56 amdear,miss sara
on October 26th, 2008 at 11:01 ammy childern love your books. my neace says that there boring but i got her to read the last book you had and she says that that was a great experiens for her. and now shes in fourth grade reading those books that i call the wonderful world of readind with sara.now this moment im in a program thats called read with sara the arouther and now i got a new car from that programe
I love your books they are wonderful i read them to my daycare after school in catcare. And if I were an author i would dedicate a book to you and if you can dedicate one to Biancamy niece please and if you do then thank you she is a curly headed with brown hair that is being torchered by her own parents so write her a book.But I can’t take her.Alspo Baracko Obamama was kissing John Maccain wife And thank you
on October 26th, 2008 at 11:05 am