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christiana's review against another edition
4.0
This is such a quintessential realistic fiction girl read. I don't usually feel the need to read sequels, but this one I think is a must for me!
onceuponacarm's review against another edition
4.0
Myracle does an amazing job of capturing what it is like to be eleven in this novel, told from the perspective of 11-year-old Winnie. She goes through the emotional roller coasters of losing a best friend, bullying, standing up for outcasts, building new friendships, developing crushes on boys, navigating a relationship with her teenage sister, and more. The awkwardness and discomfort is often palpable, while the language and pop culture seems right out of a 5th grade classroom (though this book is mostly set in 6th grade, I don't teach 6th grade...so I don't have quite the familiarity--but it still seems pretty realistic to me).
The core theme of this book is losing a best friend to the cool crowd or the new, popular, bossy girl. Winnie really struggles with how to cope with this, but realizes through trial and error, in a very realistic rather than pedantic way, that she would rather stay true to herself, make friends with nice people, and stand up for what she feels is right. This is a great book for preteen girls navigating friendships as they begin to get more complicated. Recommended for 4th-6th grade girls that enjoy realistic fiction.
Note: Many name brands are peppered throughout the story. Though it adds to the authenticity, some readers may be bothered by this commercialism. Some examples are Baskin-Robbins, Lip Smackers, and Dr. Pepper. Also, crushes and "going together" are a part of this story, including several school-girl crushes on older teenage boys. But it's told from the mindset of a level-headed eleven-year-old who is beginning to notice boys and is uncomfortable when her best friend tries flirting with teenagers at the beach.
One weird scene, however, was the end-of-5th-grade ice skating party hosted by the school. An annual tradition is the "girl's choice" skate, during with 5th grade girls are expected to ask a boy to skate with them...that would never happen at my school and I wonder how common such things are in other schools. I don't think even the 6th graders were allowed to come to the school dances at my middle school, and teachers were definitely not encouraging us to dance with each other. The principal asks Winnie personally if she would ask the obnoxious class clown to be her partner for the girl's choice skate since he was worried that no one would ask him. While this scene spoke to the kindness of Winnie, it just seemed odd and out-of-place for a 5th grade party.
The core theme of this book is losing a best friend to the cool crowd or the new, popular, bossy girl. Winnie really struggles with how to cope with this, but realizes through trial and error, in a very realistic rather than pedantic way, that she would rather stay true to herself, make friends with nice people, and stand up for what she feels is right. This is a great book for preteen girls navigating friendships as they begin to get more complicated. Recommended for 4th-6th grade girls that enjoy realistic fiction.
Note: Many name brands are peppered throughout the story. Though it adds to the authenticity, some readers may be bothered by this commercialism. Some examples are Baskin-Robbins, Lip Smackers, and Dr. Pepper. Also, crushes and "going together" are a part of this story, including several school-girl crushes on older teenage boys. But it's told from the mindset of a level-headed eleven-year-old who is beginning to notice boys and is uncomfortable when her best friend tries flirting with teenagers at the beach.
One weird scene, however, was the end-of-5th-grade ice skating party hosted by the school. An annual tradition is the "girl's choice" skate, during with 5th grade girls are expected to ask a boy to skate with them...that would never happen at my school and I wonder how common such things are in other schools. I don't think even the 6th graders were allowed to come to the school dances at my middle school, and teachers were definitely not encouraging us to dance with each other. The principal asks Winnie personally if she would ask the obnoxious class clown to be her partner for the girl's choice skate since he was worried that no one would ask him. While this scene spoke to the kindness of Winnie, it just seemed odd and out-of-place for a 5th grade party.
mbrandmaier's review against another edition
4.0
Ah, the angst of being in 6th grade and having your best friend trade you in for a newer model. I want to tell Winnie it will be ok.
kaylareadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I have always loved Lauren Myracle's books and this was SO STINKING CUTE! I have read Twelve, Thirteen and Thirteen Plus One. I dont know why I had never read Eleven before but now that I have read it, I LOVE IT.
Winnie and her friends are going through the growing pains of being at the end of elementary school, they are in fifth and sixth grade through out the book. Winnie and her best friend, Amanda, are growing in different ways and slowly they start making different friends and having different interests.
Winnie's voice is genuine, and I love seeing her relationships throughout the book develop. Winnie and her friends and family grow in different ways and I loved this!
I'm very excited to re-read the rest of the series!
Winnie and her friends are going through the growing pains of being at the end of elementary school, they are in fifth and sixth grade through out the book. Winnie and her best friend, Amanda, are growing in different ways and slowly they start making different friends and having different interests.
Winnie's voice is genuine, and I love seeing her relationships throughout the book develop. Winnie and her friends and family grow in different ways and I loved this!
I'm very excited to re-read the rest of the series!
rbreade's review against another edition
First chapter is titled "March," and begins with Winnie's 11th birthday. Each chapter is named for a successive month, ending the next March at her 12th birthday. During the year, Winnie drifts aprt from her then-best friend, Amanda, who aligns herself with the new girl from Chicago--the novel is set in Atlanta--who happens to be a domineering personality. Winnie befriends the previously hopeless Dinah Devine. Winnie, in the penultimate chapter, is the one who finally stands up to Gail.
esppperanza's review against another edition
5.0
I read it so long ago I don't remember anything except that I really liked it.
readertz's review against another edition
3.0
I've seen so many girls read the Winnie books by Lauren Myracle that I decided I needed to find out what the fuss was all about. If you like books about girls that tell it like it is then you'll like this book. Embarrassing things happen to Winnie, she has to deal with an older sister and a younger brother, and her friends change when a mean girl moves to town. The book tells the whole story of Winnie's eleventh year with each chapter covering one month. Once you read this one, you'll want to read the next book, Twelve.
sophiebhk's review against another edition
3.0
This book was okay, I liked 10 a little more for some reason. I just can not figure out what I liked better about it.