The bullfrog was only half dead, which was perfect.
Then there are the characters - enemies with names like Mary Sue Spivey, loyal friends like Junior, and family like Aunt Rae with her, "Give 'em hell, baby." And then there's Gertie.
Gertie is a character I wanted to pull close, give her a hug, and watch her take on the world. Her mom decided she didn't want to be a mom when she was young, but still lives in the same town. Now that her mom has put her house on the market, Gertie has decided she needs to be the best fifth grader in the universe to prove that she doesn't need her mom. Unfortunately there are people like Mary Sue standing in the way. At her core, Gertie is a loyal, kind, and proud kid. She reminds me of my favorite character growing up - Ramona. I loved this story with everything in me.
MacMillan was kind enough to send me two copies of the book - one for myself, and one for someone who is "great like Gertie." In their words, someone who goes above and beyond to be great, not just for themselves. (And if they happen to love kids books, so much the better.) Well, I'm thrilled to pass a copy on to my colleague, Leigh Anderson.
Leigh absolutely loves kids books, her Facebook feed shows what she's reading on a regular basis. She champions fabulous books and shares them with her sixth graders. What also makes Leigh "great like Gertie" is her love of dogs, specifically King Charles Cavaliers. We share a love for the breed, but Leigh has gone above and beyond. She's had many of these wonderful dogs, some from rescues. Her heart and love for animals could fill our school and I am certain she will love Gertie if she hasn't read it yet.
Gertie's Leap to Greatness was released this week. Go check it out!
