froggylibrarian1's review
4.0
Can I tell you first that the cover annoys me? The girl is far too young looking and the boy??? If it is Wain, he was hardly at the house at all and certainly not when the ferret was stealing the homework. The cover doesn't do the story justice.
Okay...on to the book. This has been nominated for the Cybils and I had already purchased it for my library. It was very cute. Zaritza is a drama queen and fully expects to be cast in the role of Calamity Jane in a school production. Problem is she has gotten behind in math. She promises to watch the class ferret and make up her work over break but then the ferret eats her homework (what little she had done). The first half of the book is all about how she struggles to finally get caught up in math. Thr second half is about how she deals with the disappointment of not getting cast as Calamity Jane,
It was an easy, fun read. Not overly deep or anything. The friendship message was good although maybe rushed a bit...Overall though I liked it.
Okay...on to the book. This has been nominated for the Cybils and I had already purchased it for my library. It was very cute. Zaritza is a drama queen and fully expects to be cast in the role of Calamity Jane in a school production. Problem is she has gotten behind in math. She promises to watch the class ferret and make up her work over break but then the ferret eats her homework (what little she had done). The first half of the book is all about how she struggles to finally get caught up in math. Thr second half is about how she deals with the disappointment of not getting cast as Calamity Jane,
It was an easy, fun read. Not overly deep or anything. The friendship message was good although maybe rushed a bit...Overall though I liked it.
satyridae's review
4.0
I picked this ARC up at ALA on the strength of the adorable cover and the clever title. I knew I was in good hands about 30 or so pages in, when I realized that I wanted to grab Zaritza and give her a good shake. Jennings has created an entirely believable 11-year-old drama queen who just walks right off the page, and one who I really didn't like at all for much of the book. I warmed up to her plenty by the end.
Zaritza has a complicated life- a little baby sister, a cranky mom, an over the top dad and math homework. Lots of math homework. So much math homework that she's in danger of being kept out of the fifth grade play unless she gets it turned in. She's entirely self-centered and scheming, full of herself and full of drama in equal measure. How she learns that other people (and ferrets) might be something other than her supporting cast.
Nicely drawn characterizations, involving plot and lots of laughs. Recommended for your favorite fifth-grader.
Zaritza has a complicated life- a little baby sister, a cranky mom, an over the top dad and math homework. Lots of math homework. So much math homework that she's in danger of being kept out of the fifth grade play unless she gets it turned in. She's entirely self-centered and scheming, full of herself and full of drama in equal measure. How she learns that other people (and ferrets) might be something other than her supporting cast.
Nicely drawn characterizations, involving plot and lots of laughs. Recommended for your favorite fifth-grader.
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