Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, ELIZABETH by E.L. Konigsburg

With Halloween just around the corner, I want to remind everybody about this Newbery Honor book by the wonderful E.L. Konigsburg (of  FROM THE MIXED UP FILES…fame!)  JENNIFER is one of my favorite books and I still enjoy reading it.

Elizabeth is a new fifth grader in school, but has not made any friends.  On the way to school on Halloween, dressed as a witch for the school parade, she meets another fifth grader named Jennifer.  Jennifer is not only dressed as a witch, but informs Elizabeth that she is, in fact, a real witch, and will make Elizabeth her apprentice.  Though not exactly friends, the girls spend all of their time together, with Jennifer setting up ‘apprentice witch’ tasks for Elizabeth to follow.

This is a great ‘girls’ book, (3rd, 4th, 5th grades) about friendship, loneliness, being the odd girl out, but also about finding that one good friend.   I just love how Elizabeth’s mom keeps asking her to become friends with one of the other girls who all the parents think is the perfect child, but who Elizabeth knows is actually fake and not a nice person.   Kids really do know best!

 --Reviewed by Penny of Books Inc. Burlingame