Amelia's Notebook [Hardcover]

Marissa Moss (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Amelia

When Amelia's mom givs her a journal for her ninth birthday, Amelia has a place to share her truest feelings at last!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Moss (Mel's Diner) designs this upbeat, first-person story to resemble a real diary; the cover bears the familiar black-and-white abstract design of a composition book, decorated with color cartoons by Amelia, the book's nine-year-old "author." Inside, on lined pages, Amelia writes about her recent move to a new town, doodles pictures of people she meets and saves such mementos as postage stamps and a birthday candle. She misses her best friend, Nadia, but her moments of sadness are balanced by optimism-she distracts herself by drawing and by writing short stories. In appropriately conversational terms, Amelia complains that her big sister invades her privacy ("So Cleo if you are reading this right now-BUG OFF and STAY OUT"); gripes about cafeteria food ("Henna says they use dog food. I believe it!"); and jokes in classic elementary-school gross-out fashion. Readers will understand Amelia's wish to put her "top secret" thoughts on paper, and they'll notice that even though she's uneasy about attending a different school, she's starting over successfully. An on-target presentation. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-5. Moss may have her name on the title page, but this is really Amelia's book. The feisty, make-believe nine-year-old takes on a life of her own as she writes and draws her feelings about moving, starting a new school, and making new friends (some antagonism toward her older sister, Cleo, who "picks her nose with her little finger," sneaks in as well). A colorful riot of childlike drawings and lots of hand-printed text spill every which way across the pages. Both the language and the art style are on target for the age group--Amelia is droll and funny and not too sophisticated for her years; she's also poignant and real as she longs for her "far-away" friend and takes tentative steps to find one close by. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416909052
• ISBN-13: 978-1416909057
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Moving
  • #48 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > New Experiences
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Social Issues > Being a Teen

More About the Author

Marissa Moss has been telling stories and drawing pictures to go with them for as long as she can remember. She sent her first book to publishers when she was nine, but it wasn't very good and it never got published. She didn't try again until she was a grown-up, but since then she hasn't stopped.

The idea for the first Amelia's Notebook came from the notebook Moss kept when she was a kid. Amelia is a lot like her and the things that happen to Amelia really happened to Marissa (mostly).

Along with Amelia, Moss has created many characters and is especially drawn to history. Historical books allows her to imagine what it's like to be alive in a different place at a completely different time. And then there are the Max Disaster books which allow her to play with scientific experiments, inventions, and comic strips.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a MARVELOUS book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Amelia's Notebook (Amelia (Paperback American Girl)) (Paperback)

This is one of the most real books I've read in a long time! I can actually relate to it. Some people say it is not good for your kids. That is how kids are at that age, it's something they can relate to. They will not feel so alone. I wish she would just write TEN more books so I could read them all!!!!!!!!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voting Highly For Amelia, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Amelia's Notebook (Amelia (Paperback American Girl)) (Paperback)

Amelia's Notebook was great!! I love the drawings

and the stuff she writes with it. She's a really

great author. I've read her others and they are

good too. So, what I'm trying to say basically

is either get the book or borrow it. I highly

recommend it. It's probably best for girls 7 - 16.

Great for all girls. Ages as follows.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great for reluctant readers, September 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Amelia's Notebook (Paperback)

My daughter started third grade this year and for the first time is supposed to read silently by herself for a minimum of 15 minutes per night. She was a little intimidated by this since we have always read together, so she started out by picking simple picture books that were way beneath her reading level. I bought this book on a whim to try and get her interested in reading something more age appropriate, and she was immediately entranced. The illustrations are wonderful, and the story is perfect for drawing in young readers. Highly recommended.