Starring Jules (third grade debut)

Gr 2-4-Aspiring child stars, watch out-Jules Bloom is back in her fourth installment. The intrepid third grader has been cast in a sitcom but quickly discovers that the acting life isn't all that it promises. Offscreen, the drama is ratcheting up, too: there's teacher trouble and homework woes galore. Feisty and fun, Jules is a charmer of a protagonist who encounters-and overcomes-realistic, relatable obstacles. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A new grade, a new teacher, and the premiere of her television show are all things that are stressing young actress Jules Bloom out. Once she learns to express how she's really feeling, things begin to fall into place--at school and on set. Jules's entertaining voice has been consistent across this series, and the fourth installment is not disappointing. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

I walk in and something strange is going on. No one else is in the room. Not even the teacher. Not even Charlotte, who is always first to everything. I feel the butterflies rev up in my belly and I try to calm them by finding my cubby and unpacking my backpack. The best part of arriving for the first day of school is pulling out of your brand-new rainbow-striped backpack the perfect black-and-white marble notebook and a box of pointy, sharpened pencils, ready for freewriting. "Oh, hello there!" I hear behind me, and I turn around to see Mr. Santorini and a whole pack of kids filing in behind him. I feel like there's a spotlight shining on me. And not in a good way. "Hi," I say quietly, making sure not to open my mouth so wide that little diced omelet tomatoes come flying out. "I grabbed the early birds who were here for a quick run down the hall to get some nervous first-day energy out." Then he turns back to the small group and says "Ten-hut!" and clicks he shoes together so loud my belly drops to my feet. My friends look at each other. "We'll get to that later, sailors." I feel my mouth hanging open a little and close it quickly. Early birds? A quick run in the hallway? Sailors? This Mr. Santorini feels like a character on Look at Us Now! and not like a real-life teacher at all. Excerpted from Starring Jules (Third Grade Debut) by Beth Ain All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.