Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! [Paperback]

Herman Parish (Author), Lynn Sweat (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: I Can Read Book 2

When Mrs Rogers sends Amelia Bedelia to the station to pick up the conductor for the school concert, she doesn′t expect her to bring back the train conductor. As usual, Amelia Bedelia has gotten things all mixed up in her latest hilarious adventure.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3?Herman Parish, the nephew of Peggy Parish, admirably carries the torch in the continuation of this well-loved series. When Mrs. Rogers asks her very literal maid to go to the train station to pick up the conductor for the school concert, Amelia Bedelia returns with the train conductor. And so begins another story of misunderstandings, this time set within the musical world of a school concert. When a bee is busily buzzing around Amelia Bedelia, she flattens it with a pair of cymbals, disrupting the orchestra and further provoking the already irate conductor. "Would you call that B-flat?" he asks. "Absolutely," says Amelia Bedelia. "A bee couldn't get any flatter." Sweat's clear cartoon illustrations work well with the text and reflect today's multicultural awareness with the inclusion of various ethnic groups. Amelia Bedelia devotees will not be disappointed by her latest wacky adventure.?Amelia Kalin, Valley Cottage Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 1^-3. Amelia Bedelia is supposed to assist at the school concert, but instead she turns the performance into a topsy-turvy event. In her usual zany fashion, Amelia Bedelia takes her orders literally and hilariously jumbles up everything she is asked to do. The situation gets off to a comical start when she goes to the train station to pick up the orchestra conductor but returns with the train conductor. Humorous misunderstandings abound in this early chapter book that will tickle the funny bones of young readers. Written by the nephew of Amelia Bedelia's originator and illustrated with pictures by the original series artist, this newest story about the ever-popular maid will be welcomed by fans old and new. April Judge --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (March 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064443183
• ISBN-13: 978-0064443180
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Early Reader > Amelia Bedelia
  • #97 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Performing Arts > Fiction

More About the Author

Herman Parish was in the fourth grade when his aunt, Peggy Parish, wrote the first book about Amelia Bedelia. The lovable, literal-minded housekeeper has been a member of his family ever since. Peggy Parish died in 1988. She would be proud and delighted to know that with Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia; Bravo, Amelia Bedelia!; Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor and now Calling Doctor Amelia Bedelia, her nephew is carrying on -- for a new generation of readers -- the tradition she began years ago.

In His Own Words... "In true Amelia Bedelia fashion, I backed into writing these books about the literal-minded housekeeper who children laugh at and love. Amelia Bedelia was created by my aunt, Peggy Parish. Although she passed away in 1988, Peggy still received fan mail from children. They wondered when the next Amelia Bedelia book would be out. Then other children's authors wrote and volunteered to continue the series. I felt uneasy about Amelia Bedelia leaving our family. As I was in the fourth grade when she first appeared, I had literally grown up with her. So I decided to try to write a new Amelia Bedelia adventure. My two sisters and my family were very supportive and encouraged me. I'd had experience in writing advertisements. I reread the Amelia Bedelia stories to figure out what made them funny. I realized that everyday life overflows with idiomatic expressions, literalisms, and homophones. It's amazing more people don't get confused-besides Amelia Bedelia! My first book, Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia, took me a year to think about and one night to write. I had been collecting ideas, homonyms, and expressions. Whenever I heard them, I jotted them down: on napkins in restaurants, on my newspaper while riding the bus, and on agenda sheets in business meetings.

I stockpiled these fragments in a folder until one Sunday night, with my family asleep, I decided that it was now or never. I sat down around ten o'clock and began to write. I was so focused on the story that I finished as the sun came up on Monday morning. Naturally, the story needed revision, but the essence was captured in that all-night writing spree.

I am fortunate that my editor, Susan Hirschman, and the illustrator, Lynn Sweat, had worked with Peggy on many Amelia Bedelia books. That helped make the transition from Peggy's books to mine as seamless as possible.

I feel very lucky to be writing Amelia Bedelia books and continuing a family tradition. But the best reward was when a child wrote Peggy Parish a fan letter. It said that Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia is the best book she has written. To me, that's the highest compliment I could hope for."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very cute book!, March 5, 2005

By 

c2 (Dublin, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! (Paperback)

If you're familiar with the Amelia books, this is a continuation of the zany antics of the gal who just "takes things literally." In this edition, Amelia, poor thing, just cannot get it together to play in the school orchestra. She tries and by the end of the story, finds herself rolling into a bass drum and stealing the show. You know it's going to be band when the story begins with Amelia being instructed to pick up the conductor. Well, she tries to "pick up the conductor" of the local train but says, "I tried to pick him up but he just preferred to walk." And, on it goes from there. The guest conductor finally arrives and Amelia decides to help him out with the rehearsal and the performance. The conductor finally gets Amelia locked into a room and instructs her not to come out until her cue but well, she misses her cue and runs into the bass drum. It's a very cute story about misconceptions and how we should all clarify what we mean. Honestly, if we all took literally what we said then we would all be Amelia Bedelias. Great story, we have to read this one quite a bit in our house at bedtime. Very funny stuff!

5.0 out of 5 stars Amelia Bedelia in show business? What could possibly go wrong?, February 4, 2008

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J. Arena (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! (Paperback)

Amelia Bedelia is going to help out in an orchestra, and a chorus of laughter is sure to result!

In her usual fashion, our wonderfully confused friend is on the job, messing things all up with the finest of intentions. The cheerful illustrations add to the young readers's fascination with Bravo, Amelia Bedelia!

Recommended!

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Atonal Amelia, October 29, 2005

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Reviewer (North American Continent) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! (Paperback)

Amelia's trademark is taking all directions literally without applying reason. This time she has the insane notion that she's going to play in the school band. Naturally she bollixes up the works and the show ends on a sour note - literally, thanks to Amelia's blundering miscalculations. Since baking is her strength, perhaps the conductor will relent if he eats some of her desserts.