3 out of 4 stars
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Gracie is a typical tomboy. She loves her friends and family. And she loves baseball. She was even good enough to get picked for the boys’ team. But not everyone thinks that’s a good thing. The school bully, Penelope, constantly teases Gracie for being “one of the boys.” But in Gracie Saves the Day! by Catherine Gibson and Michael LaChance, Gracie stands strong with the help of her friends.
When Gracie’s friend Mary begs her to participate in the school dance contest, Gracie is hesitant. She really wants to help Mary, but dancing is pretty far outside her comfort zone. Give her a ball and glove any day. But a tutu? Her friendship, however, is stronger than her own misgivings, and Gracie agrees. With family and friends behind her, Gracie even starts to get a little excited. But there’s Penelope, in the shiniest tutu, trying once again to bring her down. Gracie needs to make the ultimate decision: What is the most important thing to her? Is it her own success? Is it her best friend? Or is it taking down the meanest girl in school?
Gracie Saves the Day! is a story of friendship, dedication, and finding out who you are. It deals less with bullying and more with how children can and should react to it. It also shows the importance of friendship and standing up for others. The themes in the book are universally important, especially in a world where so many girls are lacking self-esteem. The authors create a hero who is willing to be a little embarrassed in order for her friend to succeed. It also shows, through Joey, how friends should encourage one another and build each other up in the face of bullying or criticism. Joey’s encouragement to Gracie is a wonderful example for children of all ages:
The book is formatted as a picture book, with wonderful full-page illustrations by Rebekah Phillips. It has 25 pages. Although the story will appeal to children, especially girls, in grades K-4, the independent reading level is closer to grades 3 and 4. It would, however, make a nice read-aloud for younger children. The authors include an activity guide at the end of the book, with project ideas and discussion points. As an elementary school teacher, this is a very helpful addition, and allows teachers (and parents) to really drive home the lessons portrayed in the book. It also allows the children to role play specific situations, enabling them to be better prepared for them in real life.“So what? You’re a team player and Penelope’s not. You’re
a friend no matter what people look like or what they wear.
We like you just the way you are.”
My only criticism is that there are several editing errors in the book, mostly regarding proper punctuation. For example:
While adults generally will read past such errors, books are the way young children learn to write well, and careful editing is a must. Otherwise the reader will assume the punctuation is correct. For this reason only, I gave the book 3 out of 4 stars.“Hey, Gracie is a girl.” Said Mary.
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Gracie Saves the Day!
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