(3) 4-6 In brief free-verse chapters, Izzy (Izzy Kline Has Butterflies) narrates particular moments from her first year of middle school. Changes and challenges, all handled lightly, abound: friendships shift, Izzy's ballroom dance partner is an arch-rival, her mother gets involved with a woman, and she develops a crush on a Spanish exchange student. Angsty but resilient, Izzy is an appealing character with relatable experiences.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) 4-6 Fourth grader Izzy has her share of common woes--mean girls, school anxiety, play auditions, Dad's new girlfriend, an older brother who's retreating into "the teenage nation," and a new friend with a secret (she's a cancer survivor). Our window into Izzy's world is a series of short, episodic first-person prose poems adding up to a well-rounded portrait of a thoughtful character.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) 1-3 Starring Jules series. Illustrated by Anne Keenan Higgins. A typical summer vacation is not in the cards for young actress Jules Bloom. This third book involves a road trip, her eighth birthday, her best friend being an ocean away in England, a stuck-up co-star, and her first major role in a spy movie. Ain's writing is refreshing, and Jules is a charming yet realistic character who grapples with real childhood problems.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Starring Jules series. Illustrated by Anne Keenan Higgins. A new grade, a new teacher, and the premiere of her television show are all things that are stressing out young actress Jules Bloom. Once she learns to express how she's really feeling, things begin to fall into place--at school and on set. Jules's entertaining voice has been consistent across this series, and the fourth installment is not disappointing.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(2) 1-3 Starring Jules series. Illustrated by Anne Keenan Higgins. Seven-year-old Jules's friendship with Charlotte "Stinkytown" Pinkerton has been on the rocks ever since Charlotte came back from vacation with two new best friends. Enter new-kid Elinor--funny, smart, and ready for a playdate. Will Jules mess it up with her blunt and judgmental manner? Fans of Clementine and Judy Moody could have a new buddy here.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(3) 1-3 Starring Jules series. Illustrated by Anne Keenan Higgins. Spunky second grader Jules Bloom is set to start filming her first movie when disaster strikes. This plan change results in her starring in a television pilot instead, a school play, and "a top-secret project" to help her new best friend Elinor. Jules works admirably to juggle school, acting, and her friendships in this entertaining second outing. Higgins's illustrations reflect Jules's charming effervescence.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) YA Sabine is a teenage aristocrat in pre-revolution Paris. Rebelling against a social-climbing mother and disloyal best friend, Sabine is drawn away from her comfortable life by the servants she admires and the childhood friend she loves. Guest appearances by Jean Honoré Fragonard and Ben Franklin make the story stumble over its own ambitions, but colorful descriptions give passages Parisian flair.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot