Marty McGuire

"That nice Mrs. Kramer lied to me about third grade.

On the last day of school, she gave us cupcakes with sprinkles and little beach umbrellas and said have a super-duper summer and she'd wave to us in the hallway next year.  She said third grade would be even more fun than second grade.  She said we'd read bigger books and keep our old friends and make new ones and even get to be in the school play.

None of that is true.  Because Veronica Grace Smithers has stolen my best friend and taken over recess.  I'd call Veronica Grace Princess Bossy-Pants if I were allowed to call people names.

But I'm not.

So I won't."



Gone are the days of playing Jane Goodall saving chimpanzees during recess.  Veronica Grace has taken over and all the other girls are playing princesses to practice for the upcoming school play. Marty would much rather be catching frogs with the boys than doing all this princess stuff, but when she is cast as the princess for the play she has to decide if she can do both.

Why I Love It

I always love books where the kids feel like real kids you'd meet on the street.  Sometimes when adults write children they end up sounding like smaller adults.  When the kids in a story ring true I think it helps kids to connect with the characters and the story.

I also love that Marty learns throughout the story that it's okay to like getting messy and still enjoy wearing a tiara.  Too many stories try to box girls into either a tomboy or a princess mold.  I love that Marty learns she can totally do both.  For another book that helps girls break the mold, try The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale.

You Should Know

To show how Marty is comfortable with animals, the first time she catches a frog it pees on her.  She is, of course, unfazed by this normal animal behavior, but the teacher insists she change her clothes.  It's a small detail in the story, but depending on the kids your reading I'd rather be forewarned of bodily functions.

Marty's mother works in animal rehabilitation.  They currently have a recovering raccoon living in their house and to emphasize that the animal is still wild and not a pet, her mother refers to it as "God's raccoon".  I think it's a perfectly reasonable use of the word, but sometimes kids understandably worry any time a G is followed on the page by O and D.  Some discussion about what she means should alleviate concerns.

Talking Points

• Have you ever had a friend who decided they were interested in different things than you like Annie and Marty?  What did you do?
• Why do you think Marty's mom says she has to be the princess?  Do you agree with her mom or not?  Why?
• Sometimes you have to read between the lines.  "It's the sort of stuffed animal you win at the county fair if you can't pop the balloon with the dart but you get a prize for trying."  Find others
• At the end of chapter 9, can you predict what Marty's great idea is going to be?
• How would this book change if it was told from another point of view?  Can you tell the story as if Annie is talking?  What about Rupert or Mrs. Aloi or Veronica Grace?
• Annie says that they can like looking for crayfish and also enjoy dancing.  Do you agree?  Why or why not?
• What does it mean to improvise?  How does what Marty learns about improvising help her learn to play with Annie and Veronica at the end of the book?