Summary
Amelia’s parents are divorced and she has had to move out of Manhattan into Pennsylvania. There Amelia meets a whole new group of friends. Reggie, Rhonda, and Pajamaman soon make Amelia forget about her sadness and keep her occupied. Amelia’s aunt also helps Amelia deal with her heartache. Amelia has many situations that the average kids of a broken home must deal with. She may be forced to move again and at one point, her mother goes on a date!
My Impressions
This was a book that many children of divorce, me included, can relate to. Amelia is likable, but not without flaws. I had many problems with my parent’s divorce growing up and a book like this could have been a great relief. There are a wealth of these books now, but when I was growing up, they were scarce.
The graphic novel form is also very inviting. The pictures are all at once cartoonish and realistic. I think this might allow some kids that normally wouldn’t read a book on this subject be more likely to read it.
Reviews
Amelia is no sweet innocent, nor are her three G.A.S.P (Gathering of Awesome Superpals) buddies: Reggie, superhero in the making; Rhonda, Amelia's tough bete noire with a fourth-grade thing for Reggie; and quiet, mysterious Pajamaman.ealousy, meanness, sadness, and confusion, as well as surprising generosity, and love crisscross the pages in energetic, freewheeling, full-color cartoon art that unwraps a kid's-eye view of life honestly, poignantly, and with a hefty dollop of melodrama. --Stephanie Zvirin Copyright 2004 Booklist
With a Peanuts-like look and Charles Schulz's impeccable comic timing, a Calvin and Hobbes sort of attitude, and even a Yellow Kid homage (in Pajamaman's ever-changing chest emblems), this will appeal to the broader audience of comic strip readers as well as to comic book fans. (Only one small complaint: someone should check the spelling.) Throw in a wonderful Christmas story, which should be turned into an animated special immediately, and an Eisner Award nomination for best title for a younger audience, and the result is a book highly recommended for all ages and all libraries. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Uses in a Library Setting
This would be an ideal choice for a program on divorce. This could go easily into a story time kit. The kit can have a few Amelia books, a map of New York City and possibly a book on how to talk about feelings.
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