Clarice Bean Tuesday, an utter charmer and nonstop learner, prepares for a spelling bee, lands and loses a leading role in The Sound of Music, tries to please a wonderful new teacher, and is supportive of a friend with family problems. She is obsessed with her TV hero, Ruby Redfort, an eleven-year old secret agent, and continually employs Ruby’s rules to keep out of trouble and to help others. Random sketches, font changes, and made-up polysyl labic words add to the appeal of this “exceptionordinary” middle-grader. Junior Library Guild Selection, CBC Choices, Chicago Public Library Best Books for Children and Teens. mjw

Originally published by Orchard Books Great Britain, in 2004.