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Summary
Summary
When Fran lands the part of Princess Penelope in the school play, she's thrilled--until her teacher warns her that she will be kicked out if she doesn't improve her behavior. Even worse, her parents threaten to get rid of her puppy unless he shapes up. Will Fran be able to keep her puppy and the leading role?
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Third-grader Fran is so determined to be the boss of the playground that she cheats at tetherball, shoves to advance in line, and finds that no one wants to play with her at recess. She's a match for mean Jean in Alexis O'Neill's The Recess Queen (Scholastic, 2002) but, with above-average reading skills, Fran breaks the stereotype of a dumb bully. She brings home gold stars on the days she behaves, her parents gently and patiently coach her on impulse control, and her teacher is also more patient than one might expect. Readers may relate to rude behavior that occurs beyond the sight of school staff. More importantly, they may be inspired by Fran's determination to cultivate self-control in response to negative comments from peers and teachers as she strives to maintain her lead role in the class play. Readers will also enjoy the parallel plot of Fran and her father taking their Newfoundland puppy to obedience classes, and Fran's joy about the dog's progress. A light tone, clear writing, action, vivid descriptions, and realistic school and family scenarios earn this book a place on library shelves. Bjorkman's expressive black-and-white illustrations appear on many pages, sustaining the mood and giving young chapter-book readers a text break. Offer this story along with Elizabeth Starr Hill's Bird Boy (Farrar, 1999) and Carolyn Marsden's The Gold Threaded Dress (Candlewick, 2002) for a broad view of behavior.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Fran gets her way by using her loud voice. After upsetting a kindergartner, she realizes she's a bully. The lure of playing the princess in the school play plus watching her dog in puppy kindergarten give her the keys to better behavior. Fran, whose outsize personality comes through in the black-and-white line art, learns her lesson in a believable way. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Impetuous third-grader Fran wins a prime spot in the class play and learns to control herself, thanks to puppy school. Fran really wants to be the princess in the play but her behavior is anything but royal: She barrels through groups of little kids ("squirts") to get to the tetherball pole first, collects roadkill to sneak into a schoolmate's backpack and grabs the wrist of her kindergarten reading buddy. At home, her big puppy Hercules is having the same self-control problems, and, with Fran's mother expecting a baby, it's clear that Hercules needs to shape up. Or else. It's hard to say who learns more at puppy kindergarten, Hercules or Fran, but they both progress, and Fran gets to show what a sweet princess she really can be. Though the resolution is too tidy, the familiar situation will resonate with the early elementary set. One cavil: The large typeface, coupled with Björkman's expressive, somewhat exaggerated, black-and-white drawings, would be much more accessible to new readers if the design allowed for more white space between lines and at the margins. (notes on puppy-training) (Fiction. 7-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Vociferous, boisterous third-grader Fran has difficulty controlling her behavior. She teases classmates, pushes her way around at recess, and carelessly shoves her reading buddy, injuring him. Then she wins the leading role in her school play with the caveat that she will be replaced if she misbehaves. Despite being labeled a bully, Fran remains clueless about her conduct, until she takes her Newfoundland puppy to obedience school, where both dog and child learn valuable lessons about good behavior. The author of Butterfly Buddies (2001) offers another entertaining novel full of believable kids with recognizable problems. The concept of female bully-antihero is unusual in books for this age group, and the idea works particularly well here, as Fran is truly shocked to realize how others perceive her. With a brisk plot, short chapters, and frequent pen-and-ink illustrations, this story will be a good pick for children making the transition to short novels.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2008 Booklist