Marty McGuire

December 1, 2011

Gr 2-3-Marty loves playing in the mud and catching frogs, but when she learns that her teacher has cast her as the Frog Princess in the third-grade play, she is anything but happy. However, by showtime, she has found a way to remain true to herself and add a little drama to the performance. Marty's teacher gives readers a brief lesson on the variations of "The Frog Princess," and an acting coach provides tips for improvisation on stage. Though large print and many amusing black-and-white drawings make this the model format for children just stepping into chapter books, today's young audience may find the story a bit bland.-Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2011
Grades 2-4 Marty's best friend, who used to climb trees and catch crayfish with her, now prefers to take dance lessons and play princesses with another classmate. When their third-grade teacher unexpectedly taps Marty to play the princess in the class production of The Frog Prince, she takes on the role reluctantly, feeling more affinity with frogs than with princesses. Marty adds an element of surprise on opening night, earning wild applause, a parental warning, and friends, old and new. Messner brings Marty's personality and concerns to life in a first-person narrative that, among other things, records the difference between what she thinks and what she says: I'd call Veronica Grace Princess Bossy-Pants if I were allowed to call people names. But I'm not. So I won't. The many illustrations capture the characters' emotions with wit and style. A promising start to the chapter-book series about Marty McGuire, a confident child with a kind heart for animals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2011
Marty is a tomboy forced to portray the princess in the school play. By combining her ingenuity and her love of nature, she saves the production, makes her parents proud, and gets her best friend back. This elementary-school story, with spirited black-and-white illustrations, is highly readable, with engaging characters and accessible language.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)