Judy Moody Declares Independence (Book #6) (Paperback)

by Megan McDonald (Author), Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: more allowance, sugar packets, Judy Moody, Paul Revere, Sybil Ludington (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4–Judy Moody knows a lot about the American Revolution and is excited when her family takes a trip to Boston to visit the main sites along the Freedom Trail. The third-grader makes friends with a girl from England and gets a bit of the British perspective as well as a pen-pal relationship. The girls read some of Ben Franklin's sayings and make up their own, such as Fish and little brothers stink after three days. Upon returning home, Judy declares freedom from hair brushing and the right to her own bathroom. Her final defiance, a Boston Tub Party, is amusingly depicted in a cartoon illustration across a spread. Black-and-white full-page and spot art done in watercolor, tea, and ink is scattered throughout the book. The jacket looks as if it were made from a brown paper bag and has red, white, and blue cutouts of stars. Independence is good for curricular ties to social studies units, and McDonald does a great job of transforming the concepts into familiar concerns. Read aloud or alone, this delightful book will inspire children to write their own declarations of independence complete with alien rights and the purse of happiness.–Sharon R. Pearce, Chippewa Elementary School, Bensenville, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4. Judy Moody's family vacation to historical Boston prompts an epiphany: If the founding fathers didn't want "some grumpy old king to be the boss of [them]," why should Judy put up with dictatorial parents? Back at home she campaigns for her "alien rights," among them a higher allowance and freedom from brushing her hair. Staging a bathtub Boston Tea Party backfires, but shortly after Judy learns about Revolutionary War hero Sybil Ludington--Paul Revere's female counterpart--she finds herself instinctively performing a gutsy act that earns her parents' trust. A subplot involving a British acquaintance seems mostly a vehicle for humorous misinterpretations of slang (Judy assumes "two pounds of allowance" means a very heavy load of money), and not all the factual references are fully explained. But Judy's petitioning for parental concessions will spark recognition in many readers, and in both McDonald's charismatic narrative and Reynolds' line drawings the characterization of a dauntless, endearingly notional third-grader is as spot-on as ever. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (February 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439860741
• ISBN-13: 978-0763628000
• ASIN: 076362800X
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,196 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #6 in	Books > Children's Books > Series > Humorous > Judy Moody
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miss Independent, May 24, 2005

By	Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Judy Moody Declares Independence (Book #6) (Hardcover)

Judy Moody Declares Independence by Megan McDonald is the newest addition to the delightful Judy Moody series. After taking a family trip to Boston and seeing the Declaration of Independence, Judy decides to write her own Declaration. She also makes a new friend in Tori, a bunny-loving British girl who collects sugar packets and becomes her pen pal. With a little help from her friends and her brother, Judy even stages her own Boston Tea Party! Along the way, Judy learns about history as well as responsibility.

Judy continues to say "Rare!" when things are swell and "Roar!" when things are not-so-good. She also starts to use the happy exclamation, "Star-spangled bananas!"

Megan McDonald has written another funny story for kids and adults to enjoy. As with the other Judy books, McDonald accurately captures the emotions and imagination of a grammar school girl. The reading level of Independence is right along the same lines as the previous Judy Moody tales: perfect for elementary school kids reading on their own, or for families to read aloud and share. The book also offers unique and cute illustrations by the talented Peter Reynolds.

If you like the silliness of Ramona Quimby or the adventures of Katie Kazoo, you'll definitely like the antics of Judy Moody.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kids who struggle with their reading., April 8, 2007

By	Neat Mom (Merrifield, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judy Moody Declares Independence (Book #6) (Hardcover)

My kids have all Judy Moody and Stink books. They love them, and I know for the fact that they help kids who struggle with reading in 3rd grade. They are easy to read and have a good story, are funny and appealing to that age group. A must have!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Judy's Freedom Fight, February 13, 2007

A Kid's Review

This book is about how Judy wants independence and her mom and dad keep on saying "we'll think about it." Judy thinks that means no. This book includes learning abut Paul Revere and Sybil Ludington and a lot more about British Stuff. To find out if Judy gets her independence read this book now! If you like Franny K. Stein, Captain Underpants or other learning books you'll like this book a lot. These books mix because they all have a little bit of danger, learning, and a bunch of humor. I liked this book because in one part Judy makes her own freedom trail in her own house. Find out more details in Judy Moody Declares Independence.