Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Amelia Writes Again
Fiction Series
For ages 8 to 12
Simon and Schuster, 2006 ISBN: 978-1416909040
Amelia is now ten-years-old, and she has a new notebook to write in. Though Amelia’s big sister Cleo is sometimes (make that often) impossible, she did give Amelia the new notebook for a birthday present. Amelia cannot help feeling that things should be different now that she is ten. But they aren’t. Actually, they are pretty complicated because Amelia’s friend Leah thinks that Amelia should share her notebook with her. Amelia does not want to upset Leah, but at the same time she feels that she should be allowed to have something that is private. Shouldn’t she?
Then something happens that takes Amelia’s mind off the problems she is having with Leah. An arsonist sets a fire in Amelia’s school, and one section of the building is badly damaged. Try as she might, Amelia cannot wrap her brain around what has happened. She cannot understand why anyone would deliberately set a fire and cause so make destruction and heartache.
One of the things that makes this book so enjoyable, is that Marissa Moss manages to capture Amelia’s personality to perfection. Just like a real person, Amelia rambles a little as she writes, and just like a real person, she struggles to spell certain words. It is interesting watching her trying to negotiate the road ahead that is, on occasion, full of potholes.
With an amusing and often touching text, and Amelia’s doodles on every page, this is a book that readers of all ages will appreciate.
