The cover alone of Princess Bess Gets Dressed is enough to attract a whole herd of little girls: a princess, lots of pink, and sparkling with glitter. Here is a delightful story in rhyme about a princess' busy day. Cuyler takes us through Bess' many activities and responsibilities, describing all the different wardrobe changes a princess must endure. We learn at the beginning that Bess' favorite thing to wear is a "secret I can't share." That little bit of foreshadowing adds some intrigue that is finally answered in the end. I like the fact that the author does not focus soley on the clothing. Each change of fancy lacey dresses is in conjunctin with an activity, such as dancing, painting, or lunching, and Bess is always engaged with other people in a positive manner. We are exposed to some wonderful clothing vocabulary words; pantaloons, frock, muslin, shawl. Bess is a dutiful princess, never complaining about her royal duties. At the end of the day, we finally get to find out what Bess likes to wear best. And I couldn't agree with her more! Look for Princess Bess Gets Dressed in Picture Books under Cuyler.
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
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