Tales for your very bad days

“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,

No Good, Very Bad Day”

Judith Viorst

Alexander is having a very bad day. He went to sleep with gum in his mouth and now he has gum in his hair. At breakfast, his brother’s cereal boxes have toys in them and his does not. Everyone’s lunches at school have dessert in them and his does not. To hear the rest, read the book!

Reviewed by Aaron, 7

Welby Way Magnet

West Hills

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“Nate the Great San Francisco Detective”

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Nate the Great goes to San Francisco to find a lost joke book called “Joke Stew.” Nate went to Duncan’s house. Duncan looked even sadder than he sounded -- he is the one who lost the joke book. He told a big story about the joke book. It was really long, so don’t worry about it. If you want to know more about this, you should read it.

Reviewed by Aaron, 3rd Grade

Hugo Reid Elementary

Arcadia

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“Meet Julie: An American Girl”

Megan McDonald

Julie Albright is a fourth-grader growing up in San Francisco in the ‘70s. Julie loves basketball and is called Alley Oop. She has a best friend, Ivy Ling or Poison Ivy. Julie and Ivy lived across the street from each other for ages, but that changed when Julie moves out with her mom and sister to a place on top of her mom’s store, Gladrags. This school year won’t be the same for Julie because she and Ivy will no longer be schoolmates.

But at her new school, Julie hears about a basketball team and Julie can’t wait to sign up. On the “sign up day,” the coach tells Julie that girls don’t play basketball and refuses to let Julie on the team. While walking around the neighborhood, Julie sees a man doing a petition. This gives her an idea to start a petition about letting girls play basketball. Will people agree with her? Read “Meet Julie” to find out!

Reviewed by Lauren, 10

John C. Fremont Elementary

Glendale

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Kids, send us your reviews. Mail them to Kids’ Reading Room, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; or fax to (213) 237-0732; or e-mail kidsreadingroom@latimes.com.