Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Vote for Me!: Book 3 - Softcover

Robin Palmer grew up in Massachusetts and New Jersey, and graduated from Boston University before she hit the road for Hollywood. Starting as an assistant in the television literary department of the William Morris Agency, she quickly moved up the ranks and spent the next decade as a literary agent, producer, and television network executive at Lifetime Television, where she developed over one hundred scripts and oversaw the production of over thirty of the cable network's original movies. In 2001, she remembered that she had originally intended to spend her life either as a writer or a toll booth collector (so she could indulge her penchant for spending her days alone reading), but as there are no toll roads in southern California, she decided to give the writing thing a try. Since then, she's written everything from screenplays to essays to a novel to a preschool guide. Although she's constantly threatening to move, she currently resides in New York City.

Gr 4-8-Lucy B. Parker is back, and in Palmer's third book (Putnam, 2011) of the series she has her usual share of drama and social dilemmas. Every part of her life seems to add to her stress and distress. Her incredibly famous and talented "frister" (friend + stepsister), Laurel, has talked her into running for class president against the malicious but most popular girl in school. Lucy's platform and reason for running is to abolish the unfair treatment of "have-nots" by "haves," and to stop dork discrimination. She wants to win on her own, though, without the help or interference of Laurel, which causes a big falling-out between them. Meanwhile, her father's girlfriend back home is close to giving birth, and she and Lucy's father insist that Lucy assume a larger role in baby Ziggy's life, even if it conflicts with the election. Lucy is a likable seventh grader who has a few dork moments of her own throughout the campaign. References to the previous titles in the series are explained sufficiently so that this book can stand on its own. Each character is given a unique and appropriate voice by Shana Dowdswell. Lucy comes across as a typical tween, voicing anxiety and frustration at the usual problems that middle schoolers encounter, experimenting with crushes, balancing family and social life, and learning to stand up for herself. Tweens will identify with Lucy and enjoy this installment.-MaryAnn Karre, School West Middle School, Binghamton, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.