Sunday Sundaes (Sprinkle Sundays #1)

Gr 3-6—Allie arrives home from camp to find out that her parents are getting divorced, she's moving and must attend a new school, and her mom is opening up an ice cream store. The ice cream store isn't so bad, but a new school means leaving her best friends, Sierra and Tamiko, and no longer being in charge of Book Fest. Allie isn't happy. On the first day of school, three mean girls target her, and the rocky transition is further complicated by her feelings of jealousy that Sierra is running the Book Fest and that Tamiko and Sierra have made a new friend. With the successful opening of the ice cream shop and some new pals, Allie finds a way to stand up to the mean girls and see Sierra and Tamiko every week. A cat named Diana (after Anne Shirley's best friend) and other literary references are sprinkled throughout, which renders this title tailor-made for book lovers. Written by the author of the popular "Cupcake Diaries" books, this is the first entry in a new series. The trauma of divorce and bullying are dealt with superficially, but perhaps these issues will be explored in more depth as the series progresses. Allie's feelings towards the changes in her life and her best friends' new friend are relatable and realistic. VERDICT Purchase for collections aimed at reluctant readers, where light-hearted realism is in demand and where the "Cupcake Diaries" are popular.—Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL