Zibby Payne and the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment (Zibby Payne) (Zibby Payne) [Paperback]

Alison Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2006 | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Zibby Payne (Book 1)

Zibby Payne can't wait for sixth grade -- finally she and her best friends will rule the school! But on the first day back in class, Zibby gets an awful surprise. Her friends have gone completely girly over the summer, and just want to put on make-up, fix their hair, and talk about boys -- what could be more boring? To save the school year, and show her former best friend Sarah that she doesn't have to follow the crowd to be cool, Zibby decides to become a total tomboy. She dumps her frilly outfits, plays soccer with the boys, and learns to do some awesome new things, like belch out the alphabet. Even if her old friends are giving her dirty looks, Zibby insists she's having the time of her life ... until she tries to form an exclusive "Tomboy Club," and her experiment starts to backfire. Can Zibby find a way to be different and still keep her best friend, or will she end up one lonely, unhappy tomboy? Zibby thinks she has all the answers, in this new, upbeat series for young readers! Tween girls will relate to this feisty sixth grader's trials and tribulations at school and at home, and laugh at the unique way she deals with the constant challenges thrown her way!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–Sixth-grader Zibby has worn one of Sarah's shoes and one of her own, and vice versa, since the girls were in second grade. But now her friend only wants to hang with the girls who are focused on lip gloss, hair, and boy-watching instead of playing tetherball or other sports. Outspoken Zibby lets them know what she thinks about their interests; she joins the boys for soccer, and they accept her once she makes a goal. She takes her experiment further and decides that Sarah's shoes are too girly for her. She wears her older brother's T-shirts and tries to burp the alphabet. Eventually, Zibby misses her friend, reaches out to her, and learns to show regard for others' feelings by tempering what she has to say. Although the story has its charms, the protagonist seems young and impulsive, her parents provide the wisdom of 1950s family TV shows, and the other children aren't well developed.–Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
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Review

"A very readable book, this beginner novel deals with personal issues that girls may encounter ... definitely recommended for intermediate readers." -- Resource Links, October 2006

Bell has created a girl who's not afraid to be HERSELF. A rare treat." -- Mary Hogan, author of The Serious Kiss

"Like Beverly Cleary's beloved and headstrong heroine, Ramona Quimby, Alison Bell's Zibby Payne is not afraid to take a stand." -- Robin Abcarian, LA Times Senior Features Correspondent

"Young girls can learn from Zibby Payne." -- CM: Canadian Review of Materials, December 2006

--CM: Canadian Review of Materials, December 2006

"...this beginner novel deals with personal issues that girls may encounter...a humourous story...definitely recommended for intermediate readers." (Resource Links, October 2006) --Resource Links, October 2006

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Lobster Press (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1897073399
• ISBN-13: 978-1897073391
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,062,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story and Good Message Too, January 14, 2007

By 

Mom of Three - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zibby Payne and the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment (Zibby Payne) (Zibby Payne) (Paperback)

I really loved this book and so did my children. The story is lots of fun... Zibby is a spunky girl who is making the transition to middle school. It doesn't exactly go as planned! But she comes through it in the end with heart and humor. The book is great for girls who are starting middle school and younger girls who are looking ahead. It also touches upon the problem of dealing with cliques and changing social roles...but does it with a light touch and a really funny plot.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great chapter book for tweens -- very positive model, December 3, 2006

By 

C. Hendry "Cristi" (Riverside, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Zibby Payne and the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment (Zibby Payne) (Zibby Payne) (Paperback)

My daughter who is actually a seventh grader just finished this book -- she's a little of a tomboy too, so she related well even though the story is about a sixth grader. I also read it and I liked the Zibby character. She's an independent thinking girl who doesn't allow peer pressure to steer her towards stuff she's not interested in or ready for. The story moves along nicely -- lots of believable kid interaction. Very fun story -- the next one in the series looks very fun too!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making sense of sixth grade, December 8, 2006

By 

Elizabeth Kahn (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Zibby Payne and the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment (Zibby Payne) (Zibby Payne) (Paperback)

I LOVE Zibby -- she reminded me of myself and many other girls I have observed over the years. I have met many a Zibby, hurtling toward the teen years while grappling with what it really means to be a girl. Thanks to Alison Bell, we can now read her mind, and we see a strong, sassy, smart, and loyal girl who finds a way to be true to herself. I wish I had had Zibby to read when I was in sixth grade -- it might have made a lot more sense!

Betsy Kahn, Middle School Librarian