Lucy Rose: Working Myself to Pieces and Bits - Hardcover

Katy Kelly has never worked in a bakery, but she is very fond of cupcakes. Lucy Rose: Working Myself to Pieces & Bits is her fourth book for young readers. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Grade 3–5—The fourth book in Kelly's diary-format series follows the intrepid Lucy Rose from Christmas vacation through the end of fourth grade. The child tries to figure out how to deal with a bully while also putting considerable time and thought into ways to help family friends realize their dream of opening a bakery. Readers new to the series might have trouble figuring out Lucy Rose's complicated network of extended family and friends, although the plot is strong enough to shine through a little confusion. Kelly's use of diction and phrasing usually results in a voice that sounds authentic, but sometimes she gets bogged down in unnecessary words. That said, her exploration of life in a family in which a parent manages to maintain a meaningful relationship with a daughter who lives in another state is unique, and Kelly gives a more nuanced and realistic picture of bullies than one normally sees in fiction for this audience.—Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY
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