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Summary
Summary
Moving is tough. Being the new kid in school is even tougher. But the hardest thing of all about the move that Doreen "Dodo" Bussey's family is making is that she suspects it might be because of her. She got into trouble at her last school.
On the drive to their new home, her mother gives Dodo a blank notebook, which she uses to chronicle the move, the first days in a new city, and the ups and downs of starting a new school and making new friends. In the process, she reinvents herself as the Doodlebug. Her little sister seems to adjust to everything so easily--why is it so hard for Dodo?
Author Notes
KAREN ROMANO YOUNG (www.karenromanoyoung.com) is the author of over a dozen books for children, both fiction and nonfiction, including The Beetle and Me: A Love Story, which has won several state awards, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, and earned her a "Flying Start" in Publishers Weekly . She lives in Bethel, Connecticut, with her family.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Doodles and fancy lettering abound in Dodo's journal, which the 12-year-old takes up as her family moves to San Francisco for a fresh start after Dodo is expelled from school for sharing her ADD medication. The child's voice comes through clearly as she discovers her artistic talent and uses her creativity to get through the challenges of school. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Doreen's family moves from LA to San Francisco after she gets caught selling her Ritalin to classmates ($.25 a pop). She chronicles her transition to a new school and attempts to control herself through art instead of medication in this doodle-filled volume. Doreen's vivid first-person narration and humorous sketches combine for an entertaining look at one seventh grader's life. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Those who might be tempted to dismiss this heavily illustrated saga of middle-school angst and family upheaval as a Wimpy Kid knock-off will miss an engaging, original heroine, a satisfying story and lots of great pictures. Seventh grader Doreen Bussey, aka Dodo, decides to take the nickname Doodlebug when she starts at a new school. It's a perfect choice, as she tells the tale of her family's move from Los Angeles and their experiences in San Francisco in words, scribbles, Venn diagrams, dialogue balloons and ornate lettering. Clever touches include using different shapes for each member of her family (allowing readers to recognize who is speaking despite the simplicity of the drawings) and several illustrated aphorisms. Some details, like the fact that the family is interracial, are shown but not stated, rewarding careful examination of the artwork. And the fact that Dodo has figured out for herself how to manage her attention problems offers not just a heartening view of a resourceful child but also a telling testament to the power of creativity. Charming and thoughtful. (Fiction. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Seventh-grader Doreen Dodo Bussey's family has moved to San Francisco, where her father is starting a new job; however, because she was kicked out of her old school, Doreen believes that she was responsible. When given a blank notebook to while away the long drive, Doreen starts doodling all kinds of things and decides to call herself Doodlebug. She writes in the notebook about her new school, how easily younger sister Momo (Maureen) seems to adjust, and about the troubles she gets into with her new teachers, who don't quite understand Doodlebug's absolute need to doodle. Along the way, readers find out what happened at her old school; learn that her parents are struggling, too; and see that Momo has her own problems adjusting. Like Melissa Moss' Amelia books, Young presents the story as if it is Doodlebug's notebook, incorporating drawings, graphs, and different kinds of lettering that are an integral part of the story and make this insightful look into a middle-grader's life a pleasure to read.--Kan, Kat Copyright 2010 Booklist
