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Summary
Summary
In Stephanie Barden's The More the Merrier, middle-grade readers will root for Cinderella Smith the same way they do for Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody, and Clementine.
Cinderella takes on mean girls in the second book in the Cinderella Smith series. A clique has formed in her third-grade class, and they don't want Cinderella in the group. Cinderella and her best friend, Erin, try to figure out what to do about the popular girls while making time to study for the big spelling bee.
Parents will appreciate the way the chapter book takes on the serious subject of bullying with a light touch, while emphasizing the importance of having true friends. The book also shows that studying pays off.
Engaging illustrations by Caldecott Honor Award winner Diane Goode bring Cinderella to life.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Third-grader Cinderella Smith is experiencing growing pains. Rosemary T., who has been her neighbor forever, informs her that things like skipping, holding hands, and making up combination words are "immature." When Aunt Flora comes to stay with Cinderella and her sister while their parents are away, Rosemary T. decides that Aunt Flora is weird and may just be a witch. Cinderella and her friend Erin decide that the best way to deal with Rosemary T. is the silent treatment, but Aunt Flora helps the girls figure out that communication might just be the answer. The plucky heroine is right at home beside Judy Moody, Clementine, and Ramona. Quirky, but not over-the-top, her experiences are true to life and she remains comfortable in her own skin. Cinderella is an ally to the kids in her class, and might inspire some readers to speak up themselves.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Shoe-losing, adverb-using, word-creating Cinderella returns in this sequel to Cinderella Smith. This time, Cinderella prepares for a spelling bee, makes pancakes with her cool aunt, and stands up to classmate Rosemary T., who is "very, extremely mean" to Cinderella and her friends. Without condescension, Barden sensitively and gracefully handles the topic of bullying; Goode's line drawings add levity. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Cinderella Smith knows how to spell and define many words, but sometimes the hardest word to understand is friendship. Third grade with beloved Mr. Harrison is "vexylent," especially when Cinderella invents new words and her friends begin to adopt them. But, alas, things can be "awshucksible," too. The Rosemarys are in her class and continue to make life difficult. They make fun of her words, visiting aunt, little sister Tess and just about anything else that Cinderella enjoys. When the reward for winning the school spelling bee (getting to choose the theme for a class party) is announced, the gauntlet is thrown. Cinderella and her crew do NOT want to have Rosemary T.'s "I Believe in Unicorns" party. Cinderella and best friend Erin will have to do a lot of studying. In between study sessions, the girls become increasingly irritated by the mean behavior of the Rosemarys and decide to give them the silent treatment, which ends in a very believable confrontation. Goode's appealing line drawings keep things light and help readers cheer for Cinderella. The invented words, the spelling bee and Cinderella's voice, which is maturing and becoming more likable, make this a great offering for youngsters who are figuring out the confusing social terrain of third grade. (Fiction. 8-11)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Cinderella is back and as irrepressible as ever. The third-grade spelling bee is next week, and the winner gets to plan a class party, so she and BFF Erin spend a lot of free time quizzing each other. Cinderella's parents have gone out of town, so Aunt Flora a dental hygienist who drives an Opel GT nicknamed the Flying Machine has come to babysit. Nemesis Rosemary has decided that Cinderella's love of skipping and her inability to keep both shoes on her feet make her a baby, so the insults fly, but Cinderella learns to ignore the jibes. The sequel to Cinderella Smith (2011) has a retro feel teachers wait with students for carpool, the girls walk to school that still melds easily with contemporary problems like bullying and tests. Goode's illustrations capture both the tension between Cinderella and Rosemary, and the delights of the everyday that Cinderella still revels in. A simple joy of a book, Barden's story has given third-graders their very own hero whose final decision of inclusiveness is warming.--Moore, Melissa Copyright 2010 Booklist
