Amber Brown Goes Fourth [Mass Market Paperback]

Paula Danziger (Author), Tony Ross (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Series: Amber Brown

Still struggling with her parent's divorce at the start of fourth grade, Amber Brown prepares for the new school year by planning to win a new best friend at any cost. Reprint. AB. J. H.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-4?In the third entry of this popular series, Amber Brown begins fourth grade without her best friend, Justin, who has moved. Still unhappy over her parents' divorce, she doesn't want to meet the man her mother is seeing. To top it off, instead of going to Justin's house after school, she has to go to Elementary Extension. Determined not to let her problems get her down, she makes a new friend (after a few false starts), participates in a burping contest, and eventually realizes that her mother, too, needs to move on with her life. Reluctant and beginning readers will be drawn in by Danziger's present-tense, staccato style and by the short chapters. Kids coping with problems similar to Amber's will find encouragement, sympathy, and an upbeat way of taking responsibility for solving them. Entertaining and satisfying, this is a first purchase, whether or not the rest of the series is owned.?Connie Parker, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland, OH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 2^-4. Amber Brown is back, her voice as funny and vulnerable as ever. She's entering fourth grade in a panic. Her parents are newly divorced; her best friend has moved away. How will she cope? She doesn't win the playground burping contest, but she does make a new friend and begins, very reluctantly, to think about accepting her mother's serious boyfriend. Better than You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown , this simple chapter book has the immediacy of the first title, Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon (1994). Fans will recognize the mundane and the cosmic when Amber Brown goes "forth." Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590934252
• ISBN-13: 978-0590934251
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,971,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in New York, Paula Danziger knew since second grade that she wanted to be a writer. Beginning her career as a teacher, Danziger taught at the junior high, high school, college levels. She received her Masters Degree in reading and during that time she wrote her first bestselling novel, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. She returned to teaching, but the success of her book encouraged her to become a full-time writer. It was non-stop for Danziger since then. Among her titles are: the enormously popular Amber Brown books as well as Remember Me To Harold Square, The Divorce Express, and Can You Sue Your Parents For Malpractice?Danziger received numerous honors, including: Parent's Choice Awards, International Reading Association - Children's Book Council Awards, a IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award and many nominations for state reading and library association awards. Known as a flamboyantly funny and deeply honest writer and speaker, Paula Danziger knew how to relate to young readers at their level. She was vital, funny, and compassionate. She knew how kids felt, what made them laugh, what they wore, collected, read, and played with. From collecting novelty toys that would make any teacher cringe, to wearing jangly earrings, funky glasses and shoes covered with beads and sequins, Paula Danziger had a direct line into kids' hearts and funnybones. She will be missed always.In Paula's memory, The Amber Brown Fund has been established to bring authors and illustrators to schools and libraries which otherwise could not afford them. Donations may be sent to The Amber Brown Fund/ SCBWI Museum of Children's Books, 8271 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. "I want people who want to become writers to read lots, write and rewrite lots, take acting lessons to learn about character development, observe people and not to be afraid of not being perfect. As for those people who don't want to be writers, I hope that you will always continue to read and also not be afraid of not being perfect." "I have two sets of heroes: One--bright, creative teachers, who manage to stay in the classroom. And, two--people who have difficult childhoods and manage to use the experiences to grow into caring, understanding adults."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Third grader!, March 7, 2009

By 

Vikki Stewart "Grandma VikkiJO" (Kansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amber Brown Goes Fourth (Paperback)

I bought this title to add to my 'Grandma Library.' I have several Amber Brown books. One of my granddaughters is in the third grade and really enjoys reading the independent and confident spirt of the title character!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amber Brown Goes Forth, July 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Amber Brown Goes Fourth (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. Amber is entering the fourth grade with all of the normal concerns. Along with this, she is also upset about her best friend, Justin, moving away, and her father and mother being divorced. Amber is able to meet a new girl the first day and decides that she will have a new best friend and life does go on. This is a quick, easy read and one that can be read out loud as well.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amber Brown Goes Fourth, November 12, 2007

By 

Anna M. Ligtenberg "AnnaLovesBooks" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Amber Brown Goes Fourth (Mass Market Paperback)

ISBN 0590934252 - Danziger's career spanned several decades, including my childhood, when I first discovered her. That history does increase my fondness for Amber Brown, but I'd decided to like this girl even before I realized who the author was.

Amber's heading into fourth grade without some very important people. Her best friend, Justin, has moved away and her father is living in Paris since her parents separated. Fourth grade is going to be hard enough but without a best friend it's going to be lonely too. Looming in the background is her mother's new boyfriend, Max - a man Amber hasn't met and has no interest in meeting any time soon. Right now, her primary focus is on finding a new best friend.

I'm really impressed that this book (and the other Amber Brown books, I assume) is so very realistic. Parents divorce and some, like Amber's, can remain civil, at least in front of the kids. Friends move away, and friends fight. Those things aren't happy, good things, but they're real and the way Amber and her friends and family deal with them sends a nice message to the young reader. It's also nice to see that Amber grows at a normal pace unlike some series where the main character stays 10 forever. Danziger's death has left a hole in children's literature but I, for one, am just glad Amber Brown lives on.

- AnnaLovesBooks