Just Grace

This has a super cutie patootie cover on the arc that I happily snatched out of my coworker's hands!

Poor Grace. She is one of 4 Graces in her class and her teacher does the unthinkable...renaming the girls with Grace "insert last initial here". When one of the Graces volunteers to be Gracie, our Grace says that she can be called just Grace. Unfortunately, her teacher begins calling her "Just Grace". Not happy news to a young girl.

Just Grace's story is all over the place, not unlike most girls in the third grade. She is very concerned with "girl things" and "boy things". According to Grace, the following are boy things: "1)Spitting and making burping noises. 2) Not caring that your shirt or pants are sticky with food or mud or worse...mucus. 3)Really liking big and flashy superheroes...the kind with capes. 4) Drawing comics." [arc pp9-10] The thing is, Grace likes to draw comics. Her comic is called "Not So Super...but still good", and is a collection of her fantasies about her life.

Charise Mericle Harper writes in a wonky voice that takes some time to get used to. Once I started reading in my mind in a Pinky Dinky Do voice (you parents may know what I am talking about), the flow started to actually flow for me.

The book has all the trappings that 3rd grade girls will love. The aforementioned supercute cover, lists and more lists, boy-girl pre angst figuring, wonderings about her teacher/neighbour, a fascination with her flight attendant downstairs tenant, comics, and photos of kitties.

I know a couple of girly girls I will be handing this to once it is published!